Deals and Dads

People who have followed the World Poker Tour on TV probably know the top players travel a lot. Big prestigious tournaments can happen in places as diverse as Las Vegas, Monaco and Australia.

But one successful poker player admits he's probably going to slow down his schedule this year. Jason Mercier will take a break because his wife will have their first child in October. His plan is to play a lot until the World Series of Poker contests, then potentially shut things down for a few months.

"I would imagine I'll be training him from a young age," Mercier said in an interview. Trouble is, he was talking about teaching his son about "gambling and poker." It seems to us he should also teach other things....

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. - Ephesians 6:4

How can you "exasperate" a child? That big word can mean to "make very angry or irritated; tax the patience of; provoke...."

Whether they realize it or not, we fear some parents are doing that by spending too much time on their careers. Even Mercier admits in the interview, "You can't really be on the road seven or eight months our of the year for your entire life."

A greedy man brings trouble to his family.... - Proverbs 15:27

For instance, by pursuing big poker paydays non-stop and not paying attention to your spouse or children. (In Mercier's case, it may help that his wife plays poker as well.)

Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. - Colossians  3:21

Disclaimer: we write from the perspective of being single, with no children. We don't claim any parenting prowess. We're simply passing along the guidance that God's Word provides. But we think an unbalanced life can make children bitter and discouraged - feeling like their parents really don't care about them.

Balance in these things is good. We think the healthiest balance is to err on the side of being with your family too much. Take the necessary time for godly "training and instruction." That's the most satisfying win any poker player could have - even if it's at a kitchen table more than a poker table.

Heads-Up Week 5: Enough is Enough

We've played online poker long enough to know some people will go all-in with anything, especially in the first few minutes of play. But when Jason Mercier went all-in on NBC today with 7-5 of clubs, it didn't seem right at all. It turned out to be fatal, as Scotty Nguyen had Jacks and eliminated him with ease.

The NBC commentators noted Mercier was well down in chips, and probably bet out of frustration. At times poker certainly can be a frustrating game -- although we wonder if it's any more frustrating than golf or bowling.

Perhaps you've become frustrated with life itself -- not simply big hands falling short, but big plans being stymied. Whatever those frustrated plans might have been, you may be surprised to learn it's all part of God's plan.

"For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it," says Romans 8:20. It's been God's will for humans since the sin of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 -- but why?

"....in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21).

God wants us to look for something beyond this life -- to be "freed.... from our sins" by the shed blood of Christ (Rev. 1:5), to eventually have freedom from death through the gift of eternal life.

So if you're frustrated by big pocket pairs getting cracked -- or anything bigger than that -- pray about it. And ask God to help you see the ultimate victory beyond human defeat.

(P.S. We'll have to skip next Sunday's final telecast, due to the Biblical festival of Pentecost. This article about the festival actually addresses our main topic here.)

Heads-Up Week 4: Thou Shalt Not Tempt....

Bad beats happen in poker. Top players talked about their most painful losses today, during the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship. Then we saw one, as Jason Mercier caught a 5 on the river to eliminate Phil Laak.

Mercier had pocket 5's, and only two outs. Laak decided to be playful, and put Mercier's cards on either side of the spot where the river card would come. Shame on him -- it was tic-tac-toe.

But shame on NBC's Craig Hummer for declaring Laak "tempted the poker gods." Why do we say that? Let's look at some simple statements....

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." - Deuteronomy 6:4

"I am the Lord your God.... You shall have no other gods before me." - Deuteronomy 5:6-7

"For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens." - I Chronicles 16:26

We believe there are no "poker gods" -- only the one true God, presented in John 1 as a Father and a Son named Jesus Christ.

Yet Hummer was right in one sense. Jesus said during a moment of trial, "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (Matthew 4:7, KJV)

Laak might have been better off doing what Chris Moneymaker did as he was eliminated -- simply turn away from the table, and be pleasantly surprised if a blessing comes.

P.S. We could go after NBC colleague Ali Nejad as well, for comparing Laak's attitude to Zen and Oprah Winfrey -- but not this itme.

Heads-Up Week 1: Read Me Wrong

Again this year, we're offering thoughts on the National Heads-Up Poker Championship telecast (except for the final round, which we'll have to miss). One of today's moments of drama came when Daniel Negreanu had 5-5, while Jason Mercier had Q-Q. With a pair showing on the board, Negreanu dared to go all-in -- but Mercier called and had him dominated.

The NBC announcers called it a "rare mis-read" by someone famed for reading opponents. Perhaps it was a case where the looks wound up being deceiving.

Jesus warned a crowd of people long ago about doing that. "Do not judge according to appearance," He said in John 7:24 (NASB), "but judge with righteous judgment."

Someone could make an impressive-looking bet -- and even look impressively confident doing it. But it could all be "Hollywooding" (to borrow some poker slang) to scare you away. On the other hand, someone could make a weak-looking bet while holding pocket Aces.

The warning here is against "reading" too much into what you see. There's a thinking element to poker, every bit as much as there is an aspect of luck. Think carefully before you act.

"A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge," Proverbs 22:3 reminds us, "but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Sadly, the Bible evidence shows King Solomon didn't always follow this good advice. How about you?