Never Let 'em See You Sweat

Dealers in poker tournaments sometimes "wash" the cards as they shuffle. They're all scattered face-down across the table, and mixed up with the dealers' hands.

But there are times when we wish someone in a casino would wash the poker chips as well. Maybe even with bleach. We've been able to scrape, well, something off them - likely dirt, or even sweat, that's built up over a lot of play.

We're reminded of that by a question posted at a poker chat room overnight....

Is poker a game as stressful as it seems?.... If the bet is very high, stress increases?.... only with experience decrease?

We think the answer to this depends on the situation and your perspective.

If you're playing simply for free food at a sports bar, that's low-stress. The emphasis is on having fun and camaraderie. If you're at the WSOP Main Event playing for millions of dollars and a world title, the stress level probably would be higher - especially if you want to regain your $10,000 buy-in, which most people do not do.

A big bet or all-in moment certainly makes a hand more exciting. If you've faced these moments before, the experience can make them easier to handle. But we think it also helps to have something with you to stay calm. And no, we don't think that has to be a glass of wine or bottle of beer....

The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11 (KJV)

True peace and calm (the opposite of stress) come from God. How does He provide that?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.... - Galatians 5:22 (KJV)

....as in the Holy Spirit of God. A lot of people talk at this time of year about "peace on earth" (Luke 2:14) - but they may not realize Jesus's birth in part was designed to bring a different sort of peace agent:

And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth.... - John 14:16-17 (KJV)

God's Holy Spirit can lower the stress level in all kinds of situations at a poker tournament. And even in far more dire moments....

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; you rod and your staff they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 (KJV)

If you feel stressed out during or after a poker night, pray to God for His Spirit of peace. But be sure you repent of your sins as you do (Acts 2:38). Then, to borrow a U.S. Southern phrase about hairstyles - the higher the stakes, the closer to God.

The Big Folder

We've been studying through one of the more complex books of the Bible lately. If you read carefully, you might come across a few apparent references to poker. For instance:

The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. - Ecclesiastes 4:5

A poker player looking for some "inspiration" might stumble across that verse, and resolve to play every hand during his next trip to the table. But we've seen plenty of players wind up in ruins taking that approach, too.

Verses like this are why we believe you should read the Bible carefully. This is not about poker at all - at least not directly. Consider the verses around it....

And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless.... Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. - Ecclesiastes 4:4, 6

The context here involves the work we do. Some people make a living playing poker, of course. Whether you do that or not, what is your motive behind the work you do? Verse 4 indicates some people act based on jealous envy of the success of others. That's a dangerous approach to take....

For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts.... greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy.... All these evils come from inside and make a man "unclean." - Mark 7:21-23

Jesus Christ said those words - declaring greed and envy "evil." But our main verse is in contrast to that. Someone who "folds his hands" and doesn't work at all will wind up in ruin.

Verse 6 shows the more balanced why of thinking. Earn a modest living peacefully, instead of overworking with a greedy intent. To borrow an old Rush Limbaugh phrase, going for it all can lead to a loss - in this case, loss of relationships and sound-minded priorities.

Hmmm - come to think of it, maybe there are poker lessons here. Play hands and games with a tranquil, peaceful state of mind, instead of a "get-even" philosophy. And don't overdo things, as you strive for success. After all, we've played long enough to know that sometimes a "fold" can be the best play of all.

Conventional Wisdom

In some years, we've used a trip to a church convention in the fall to play serious poker. But this year, we used the convention trip to avoid playing poker.

Why? Because the past trips took us to areas with casinos, while our home area had none. These days, we have two poker rooms close by. So we can play on a regular basis, and the convention allowed us to take a break from that routine.

The latter approach probably was better for us, since a break from poker allowed more focus on what the convention is all about. It starts (roughly) with this....

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." - Revelation 11:15

You may be familiar with the "Lord's Prayer" uttered by Jesus. It's a model for believers to follow....

This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9-10

What is this "kingdom"? Jesus often called it the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15, for example) - and it's coming. Revelation indicates this world will become God's kingdom. It will include a resurrection of believers when Jesus comes back....

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.... - I Thessalonians 4:16-17

But believers won't be in the air forever. They'll reign under Jesus Christ on Earth. After all, He also said….

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. - Matthew 5:5

The great plan of God is to rebuild the earth - not simply with homes and buildings, but an ethical system of real freedom and peace.

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. - Micah 4:3

Does this sound appealing to you? It may be too late for this year's convention, but you can dig into the details of this plan anytime. This article explains what the "Feast of Tabernacles" is all about.

We don't know for sure if there will be poker in the Kingdom of God. But it certainly will top anything man has developed.

In the Eye of the Storm

Many poker games are friendly and good-natured - an evening for buddies to get together and have a good time. Many of our tournaments have been that way, even at casinos.

But what we saw in our first tournament at JACK Casino Cincinnati was different. Several of the players were dead serious - barking at each other and accusing them of committing violations worthy of penalties. It was a bit like WWE Monday Night Raw (even though that was not on any of the TV screens in the room).

In fact, a man to our right at the start of the evening seemed ready to draw us into the fuss. When we eliminated a player who went all-in, he bumped our chair with delight - the closest thing he could do to hugging us after a hockey goal. Apparently we'd knocked out one of his main rivals.

What do you do when it feels like you're surrounded by Phil Hellmuths having bad days? We picked up on the mood right away, so here's part of what we did....

1. FOCUS ON THE GAME. Instead of getting caught up in the circus around us, we played our cards (with perhaps one exception) as we normally would. There's a Biblical reminder along those lines....

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" - Matthew 14:28-30

Peter did something miraculous when he stepped out in faith and looked toward Jesus. When he saw stormy circumstances, trouble happened.

Many people pick on Peter for losing that focus - but consider this. Where were Jesus's other disciples at that moment? They "were terrified" and never left the boat (verse 26). Refusing to play poker until a stormy table calms down could cost you a big opportunity.

2. NOTE VIOLATIONS PEACEFULLY. At least twice during the tournament, a man to our left acted on his cards before we played ours.

"Uhhhhhhh....." we said loudly when it happened. That's all we needed to say; the dealer and others at the table got the message and responded accordingly. And we didn't rub it in to the other man. He had to skip some hands, and that was sufficient.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:18-19

And along those lines....

3. BE SPORTSMANLIKE. When we finally lost at the final table, we walked around the table and shook the hand of the man who eliminated us. We didn't notice many others people doing that, but it's something we've always done.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. - I Thessalonians 5:15

Take those small steps at a poker table - whether the mood is sunny or stormy - and you're likely to stand out as different from the crowd. But it probably will be in a respectful way.

Poker Day 514: Gladly For A's

"Casino Gambling >> You Personally: >> Times last 12 months." That's one of the questions in a large consumer survey we're completing as time permits. Our answer when we filled out the page Tuesday was 22. Today brought another trip to Kansas Star - and this poker tournament had some amazing moments:

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: A-A

We're in the third hour of play, which means we've survived for a while. One small pot win in the first hour left us with 2,625 chips from a starting 3,500. But gains came in Hour 2, thanks to some big timely bets. We won a large pot at the break (we J-J, as best we remember), to climb to 6,100; the "chip-up" made the total 6,500.

Now we sense a chance for a big score, receiving these big cards early in the order at a table of seven. We limp in, waiting for raisers - but there are none. Yet about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-7

Two high cards look like potential trouble. But ours are higher, so we decide to try for maximum benefits. We go all-in for 5,500. Two men fold, but a man in the blinds dares to call us.

"I've got rockets in my pocket," we declare. Our opponent has K-9, and realizes he's been had.

ON THE TURN: A

"Yes!" we say. Our three Aces mean our opponent is drawing dead. But for the record....

ON THE RIVER: A

"Woah!" we declare. Running Aces give us quads! It's a big gain, to around 14,000.

Patient play paid off, as we made more big hands later. An Ace of Spades turned into a nut flush, which advanced us about 20,000 more. We rolled to the final table at 39,000, then made only one small mistake which dropped us to 33,500 at the three-hour mark.

Seven players were left at that point - and a man to our right then hit a flush which knocked out two opponents. A top-five finish put us in the money! Then a Big Blind call with a lowly 7-4 when an opponent was forced to go all-in for less led to a cruel 4 on the river, giving us a winning two pair.

That cut the table to three players with fairly even chip stacks, and everyone agreed to chop the remaining prize money. We officially placed second out of 52 players, and were rewarded with $360 for a $50 buy-in - our second cash win of 2017, in 14 trips to Kansas Star.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Tomorrow is Thanksgiving," a woman to our right suddenly realized before the tournament began.

"What are you thankful for this year?" we asked her.

"For my family." Relatives live close to her. "What about you?"

"I'm thankful that God has given me peace, as I've dealt with a recent trial," we answered. Then we corrected ourselves; we're officially calling it a "transition" between jobs, not a trial. But either way, that peace is important....

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. - Psalm 29:11

This psalm was written by King David, who faced all kinds of trials during his life. He went toe-to-toe with a giant named Goliath. Then King Saul tried to kill him, so he wouldn't take the throne of Israel. He even lost a child, due to his own sinful scheming. Yet David could write about the blessing of peace. A future "King" mentioned it as well....

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

This Jesus, the "prince of peace," did not talk about it around Christmas. This statement came in the early spring, on the evening before He was executed. How can you have that peace? Here's one Biblical suggestion....

There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 2:9-10

We've actually heard some church members scoff at "do-gooders". Yet doing good has rewards. You may not get all of them now, but believers will when Jesus returns to set up the Kingdom of God on Earth.

In this Thanksgiving season, we're thankful for God's blessings - financial today, and spiritual in the future. What about you?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 188 final tables in 514 games (36.6%) - 38 cashes. (We've been forgetting to count our big day in June in the "cashes" column.) Experiment cost: Up $150!

Poker Day 513: From a Jack to a King?

Our title borrows from an old country music song. But it relates to a key hand we faced Wednesday at Kansas Star Casino - a decision that could have led to an early exit:

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: A-J of spades

We won an early pot with J-9. Now our Jack has a powerful partner, and we're first to play at a full table. We follow our usual approach and limp early, waiting for raisers. None come. As best we recall, four players get in.

ON THE FLOP: A-7-2

The spades are not an issue here. But we have top pair and a pretty good kicker - yet someone else bets 150 before our turn comes. That's OK; we'll call.

ON THE TURN: 8

Every extra card increases the chances of someone hitting a second pair. So when the player ahead of us bets 150 again, we try to close the deal with a raise to 300. A man across the table calls; the others fold.

ON THE RIVER: 2

We now have two pair and a pretty good kicker. We think another bet will clinch it, so we bet 300 again. But now, our opponent raises to 1,000.

This forces us to pause for a moment. We can't imagine the other man stuck around with a pair of 2's to make three of a kind on the river. On the other hand, our Jack isn't strong enough to top A-K or A-Q.

Finally we decide to take the big risk. We call.... and the opponent shows A-10! Our Jack indeed was better, and we take a big pot of more than 3,000 chips.

The first hour had a couple of setbacks, and we reached the first break with 2,675 from a starting 3,500 chips. But hour two brought some big gains. An all-in bet with Q-10 led to a winning Queen, and a jump to 4,200. Then A-J brought a jump to 8,000. Another A-J increased our stack to 9,500. Thanks to a couple more good wins, we wound up at the second break with 8,500.

But as the final table approached, our streak ran out. We went all-in with A-9, but lost to a King when a King came on the flop. On a day with 64 players, sixth place would have earned money - but this time, we slipped to 12th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: When the second hour started, we were in the Big Blind for 200. Mr. Small Blind arrived a little late, so the dealer asked us to put out his 100. When Mr. Small Blind saw, he pretended to cause a fuss.

"I just did what the dealer told me to do," we confessed.

"You're not trying to start a fight...." a man to our left joked.

"I come in peace," we replied. "'Blessed are the peacemakers.' I read that in a book once."

We're not sure if that man knew which book we meant. But if you're a regular reader, you probably do....

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9

Jesus put peacemaking on His famous list of Biblical "beatitudes" - a list of nine traits which are blessed by God. It isn't always easy to make peace; the news headlines are filled with people and groups in conflict (if not outright war) with each other. But here's one way to do it....

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath.... - Romans 12:17-19

In the poker room, "revenge" can happen naturally with the turn of cards. You might get a straight this hand, while we hit a full house in the next hand. But peacemaking can be done in other areas, both large and small. We think the primary way is with the mouth - not "raising" when someone taunts or teases you. Even better....

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. - Romans 12:14

But we need to learn to respond that way not simply because we have to do it - but because we want to do it:

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. - Romans 12:9

As we said, this isn't easy. It starts with repenting before God of moments when you've chosen the side of conflict, instead of peace. Then ask for His Holy Spirit to help clean up your life - starting with the heart and mouth, then far beyond.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 187 final tables in 513 games (36.5%) - 36 cashes. Experiment cost: Down $160.

The Director's Cut

No, poker and blogging about it is not our full-time job. We do something else to make a living - and our work schedule has changed for the second time this year. A schedule that opened the door for us to play Monday night poker now has closed.

We miss Yvie's for the characters who tend to show up at its tournaments - from good players dealing with serious disabilities to eccentric men wearing hats that look borrowed from a costume shop.

One thing we may not miss so much is the Tournament Director. We've mentioned before how he can lay down the law before games begin. One recent Monday night, it happened again - with tough words to stop people apparently arguing too much over his rulings.

"I could be completely wrong," he admitted loudly to the room. But complaining too much about it, he warned, could get you shown the door.

We've never done it, but it's probably not easy being a Tournament Director. There are dozens of people to check in, point standings to manage, and sometimes new poker locations to negotiate. Add to that the job of referee over disputed hands, and you have a potentially challenging job.

So how do you treat the people in charge, at the places where you play? One very helpful guidebook suggests this:

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority... Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage for you. - Hebrews 13:17

Some people look at this Bible verse and think of Presidents or royalty. But think a bit more deeply about it. "Leaders" can be found in all walks of life - on your job, at the church you attend, on a sports team, and even at a poker tournament. Don't make things difficult for them. After all, they could turn around and make things more difficult for you.

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. - Titus 3:1-2

Yes, Directors' decisions can be wrong at times. But humbling yourself, being in subjection to those decisions and having a peaceful spirit sets the right example. It makes the game go better for everyone. And besides, the "poker brat" nickname already has been taken.

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. - Romans 13:3

We throw in this last verse for those of you who might be tempted to cheat at the table. You're far less likely to get punished if you follow the house rules. In fact, if you follow all of our Bible-based advice, a strange thing might happen -- the Tournament Director might even become your friend.

The Real Story: 2015 in Review

Some people may be ready for 2015 to end.  But when it comes to poker, we're really not.

We entered the year having won money in live tournaments 25 times over eight years - with no cash for ten prior months.  But 2015 turned out to be our most successful year.... ever!

LIVE TOURNAMENTS: 18 final tables in 22 games (81.8%), 6 cashes.

That percentage is ridiculously high, because a lot of the tournaments we played only had enough people for one table. But our records show in multi-table tournaments, we still reached the final table seven out of 12 times (58.3%).

The cashes included two streaks.  One in late July and early August found us winning $1,000 in three consecutive events across Kansas. And we ended the year with back-to-back cash wins between Thanksgiving and "Christmas Eve."

LIVE CASH GAMES: One - loss of C$85.

We realize this is not our strong suit, so we don't do it much anymore - only during our Canadian "church convention" vacation.

OTHER CASINO GAMES: Ultimate Texas Hold 'em - Up $12.50.  Computer machine heads-up - Down $17.  Blackjack - Up $62.50.

Considering we lost $280 at Ultimate in 2014, this was a nice reversal. Blackjack had a small increase from the year before. The Texas Hold 'em "heads up" machine at Hollywood Casino may have been removed after we visited there in March; we couldn't find it in August.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER: Regular - none.  No-River Hold 'em - 1 final table in 4 games, one cash win.

That $10 win came in February. We had a tenth-place tournament at another tournament in mid-December, but that's not a final table because NLOP has gone to a "six-per-table" format there.

POKER STARS: Play money cash games - Up $20,183.

That huge boost came in only 24 sessions, primarily because of two huge hands. One in late July at a 50/100 table led to a $20,700 profit (our live table streak started the next day) - and another in late August at a 25/50 table earned up close to $7,000.

So to sum up, 2015 was the best poker-playing year we've had - and it happened even though we didn't play often, compared with recent years. Could there be a lesson in that for you? We'll leave that question open. In the meantime, we realize....

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth... - Deuteronomy 8:18

Some people "produce wealth" through hard labor, or smart investing. But we think God can help you make money in a variety of ways - as long as your focus and thanks is aimed toward Him.

The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it. - Proverbs 10:22

May God's blessing be upon you, as you play poker. But we think that blessing is much more likely to come to if God is in the center of your life.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. - Isaiah 26:3

Poker Day 438: Hearts On Fire

Our last scheduled poker tournament for 2014 found us plunking down 60 more dollars at Arrowhead Poker, and winning the first hand of the day with K-10 when a King came on the flop.  But then a string of losses -- including a fold on the river when we had a pair of 10's and an opponent with nothing ran us off with a 3,000-chip bet.

We needed a big comeback at some point, and hoped the right cards would provide it....

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET: A-9 of hearts

We start this hand with the Dealer button at a six-handed table, holding 42,000 chips.  No one is raising -- and even though these cards are pretty big, that's fine with us.  We call, and about four players are in.

ON THE FLOP: 7h-7c-8h

Talk about a big flush draw.-- not to mention 60 percent of a straight flush.  A man who moved over from the other table in this two-table tournament a few minutes ago puts out 10,000.  Other players ahead of us fold.  This man bet us off a hand with a big wager moments ago, but we can't really afford to move aside now.  We call in hope.

ON THE TURN: 3h

Hope is rewarded!  And our poker face must be working well, because our opponent takes a look at our chip stack before acting.  Now he bets 20,000.

"All-in - 28,000" we announce.

The opponent doesn't really hesitate.  He calls, and the dealer takes a moment to sort out the chips.  Then comes our cliché line, as we show our heart flush:

"You can call me Planters - because I've got the nuts."

Our opponent turns over 7-4.  He has three 7's, but we need to dodge a full house.

ON THE RIVER: 5s

We do!  It's a big gain for us, to around 110,000 chips.

Other big hands came for us -- including A-K, which brought another Ace on the board.  That provided enough pad to last through bad blinds, and we reached the final table with 50,000 chips.  Then A-Q brought an Ace on the flop, and we built our stack to a high of 190,000.

But rising blinds eventually did us win, and we were forced to go all-in with Q-3 in the Small Blind.  The board didn't pair for us but did for a woman down the table.  We finished with a strong fifth-place finish, then sat disappointed as the last four players split up the prize money.  They each won $105. We received.... well, a few slices of free pizza and drinks.  But it was still our best finish since late October.

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed our "Lord's Supper" card protector medallion to a grandfather at the final table. (At least we assume he was, from the Gramps" shirt he wore.) He seemed surprisingly amused by the portrayal of Jesus on the back, which we keep face-down.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked Gramps.

"I think he was the Prince of Peace."

We agreed, because the Bible agrees:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6

You may have heard that verse sung countless times during Handel's Messiah, especially in December.  But you may be asking a question -- where's the peace?  Why didn't Jesus end all wars, violence and hostility?


If you're asking that, maybe you haven't experienced the peace Jesus personally talked about....

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

The Lord went on to say, "....in me you may have peace" (John 16:33)  We think it means peace of mind, knowing what follows this life.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. - Matthew 5:9

Do you consider yourself a "son of God"?  Jesus hints here one way to prove it is to be a peacemaker -- making peace with other people, instead of stirring up difficulties.  That phrase brings up another part of our conversation with Gramps; we'll get to that in a future post.


UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 156 final tables in 438 games (35.6%), 25 cashes.  Our next post will wrap up our 2014 poker activity

What the World Needs Now

To borrow a radio news phrase: If you miss a week on the local poker circuit, you can miss a lot.  We were reminded of that today, as the Sunday 2:00 p.m. freeroll has moved to 4:00 p.m. -- a little late for our schedule.

At least we could play in an online tournament.  And we came upon something surprising at National League of Poker, which we simply had to chat about:

Me: 　Hmm - my screen shows an ad
Me: 　"How Jesus Christ can bring you peace"
The ad apparently was placed on NLOP by the Latter-day Saints church.  We don't agree with everything the LDS teachers, but this allowed us to start a conversation -- and it brought a response:

Gou: 　I thought that was Obama
Me: 　Guess not. :-/....
Me: 　Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
No one responded to that - but that's how the Bible describes Him:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Jesus is given several titles here, and a couple of them may seem confusing. But we want to focus on the last one - "Prince of Peace."  The news of the last week was filled with deadly violence around the world.  If ever this world could use a "Prince of Peace," it's now.  And the Bible promises Jesus - but not in the way you might think:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. - Revelation 19:11 (KJV)

Verse 16 identifies this "Person" as "King of Kings and Lord of Lords."  And another part of Revelation makes the identity clear....

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords and King of kings.... - Revelation 17:14 (KJV)

The "Lamb" of God we call Jesus is coming to bring peace -- but did you notice He'll "make war?"  He'll be using language the nations of this world sadly understand too well:

And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations.... - Revelation 19:15 (KJV)

In poker terms, Jesus is going to win the final showdown of this age -- and punish the losers.

One way to be part of God's ultimate peace is to get on the side of the Prince of Peace.  Have you repented of your sin, and turned to Jesus for salvation?
 

Who Is This Man?

"I need Jesus to clean me up," we said to the player on our left the other day during a tournament.  We'd taken a small bottle of hand sanitizer to use as our card protector and conversation-starter.

"What do you think of Jesus?" we asked the man.  "Is He your Savior?"

"I think Jesus existed."

"But is He your Savior?"

"I didn't come here to discuss that."

Clearly the question caught him off-guard, and made him uncomfortable.  But that's the thing about Jesus.  Many people came face-to-face with Him when He walked on Earth.  They knew He existed.  But how many really accepted the fact that Jesus was more than a man?

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:30-31

Jesus came from heaven to Earth to fill many roles.  He was the Son of our Father God....

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.... And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:16-17

Jesus's disciples saw something more than that:

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). - John 1:41

And here's the curious thing about what that poker player told us -- the name "Jesus" in Greek means "savior," according to the notes in one of our King James Bibles:

And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. - Matthew 1:21 (KJV)

Some people have made a big deal about President Obama's middle name "Hussein."  Few apparently noticed the middle name of former Federal Reserve Board chair Ben Bernanke - Shalom, as in "peace."  (Have you felt at peace with the U.S. economy the last eight years?)

But Jesus's name actually refers to one of the things He came to Earth to do - save us from our sins. Do you simply think someone by that name existed?  Or do you accept and embrace what that Name means, to have eternal life through Him?

Poker Day 408: Tight and Tighter

It doesn't take long for a poker player to develop a reputation - even if you only play on a part-time basis.  That came through Sunday, on our first visit to Arrowhead Poker in three weeks.  It was only our fourth tournament there, and yet....

BLINDS: 100/200

IN THE POCKET: A-3 offsuit

One thing which makes us easy to remember is that there's a late-arriving crowd -- only enough players for one crowded table at this point.  But it's early and we haven't offered at much so far.  We call with the dealer button, and no one raises.  About half the players are in.

ON THE FLOP: J-K-3

Having the button helps here, as everyone acts ahead of us.  In this case, they all check -- so maybe our little pair is worth something.  We bet 500.

"From the tightest player at the table," the dealer announces.  Thanks for the instant analysis, Sir.

A man down the table from us calls.  "Called by the second-tightest player at the table," the dealer says.  The others apparently take the hint, and bail out.

ON THE TURN: 3

We're about to loosen the purse strings with that card.  We now have three of a kind.  The man to our left checks, and we increase the bet to 1,000.  Our opponent calls.  We don't recall the dealer's commentary on this.

ON THE RIVER: 9

We don't see anything threatening on the board.  So when that other man checks again, we move things up to 1,500 -- hopefully not too much to scare him off.  Sure enough, he calls again.  Then he shows Q-J, giving him two pair.

"Tres a las tres," we say in Spanish -- borrowing from an old afternoon program on a Spanish-language radio station in Atlanta.  On this "casual Sunday," there's no penalty for us not chatting in English.  "Three times three" equals a nice pot.

We took one more pot in the first hour -- then threw away a disappointing one, when we had J-J and the board showed Q-J-10-9.  A man's big river bet scared us away, only to find he had a third 9 instead of a straight.

Our holdings evaporated with rising blinds, but an all-in split pot allowed us to make the final table on a day with only about 16 players.  Once there, we went all-in with A-10 in the Big Blind -- but the best we could do was miss a straight draw after a J-K-K flop.  A man with a third King eliminated us in ninth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Before the tables merged, a man to our right hit it big on the river after going all-in.

"There is a God!" he declared as he stood to celebrate.

"There certainly is," we agreed -- then repeated our agreement several times, as he continued to make statements along those lines.

Could you make that statement, even if you didn't win an all-in bet?  Do you agree that there's a God?  Of course, some people in this world do not....

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."  They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. - Psalm 53:1

This verse can be taken a couple of ways.  On the one hand, it's the Bible's tough-talking answer to the atheist.  But on the other hand, what sort of "ways" do you practice?  Are they so vile and evil that you live as if there's no God?

In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. - Psalm 10:4

Yet Jesus Christ made a promise, which applies to everyone -- whether you believe in God or not:

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out -- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. - John 5:29

What sort of things are you doing today?  Do your poker nights and days lead to evil acts, which you know you'd regret if they received as much media attention as a British royal baby?  Or are you striving to do good things, which benefit yourself and other people?

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:14

That means peace with other people -- and perhaps ultimately with God as well.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 142 final tables in 408 tournaments (34.8%) - 23 cashes.  We're now at four out of six final tables, since moving to Kansas.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,417 games (20.0%), 93 final tables, 10 wins, 13 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 32 point wins in 120 games (26.7%), 26 final tables, 2 wins, 3 cashes.

We haven't updated NLOP since right before our move in early April -- and we haven't had a lot of time for online play since that move.  The score is 0-for-8 in Sunday afternoon turbo tournaments, although a couple might have made the money at a casino as a top-ten percent finish.  And the last time we played No-River Hold 'em, we won it!

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $86,997, up $2,497.

Poker Night 400: Missile Defense

Our temperature has hovered around 100 degrees F. for a couple of days, and we've been persistently coughing for a couple more.  Yet we don't want to miss any live poker tournaments over the next few days (for reasons we'll explain later).

So our "spring break" from local tables ended Wednesday night, with a trip to Soho Bar and Grill.  Of course, several people there wanted us to cough up chips....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs - King of spades

We're in the Big Blind, looking to win our first pot of the night.  An early player in the order tests the table, by raising to 800.  Since we started with 11,000 chips (thanks to an "on-time bonus" and a purchased soda), this is an affordable risk with big cards.  We call; about half the table is in.

ON THE FLOP: As-7s-4c

Top pair + top kicker = nice combination.  So we preempt the raiser by betting 500.

"Aces leading," a man to our left says - yet he calls.  Another player says it is a test of intestinal fortitude (to use cleaned-up pro wrestling language); he calls as well.

ON THE TURN: 8s

This complicates things, because now three spades are showing.  But we have the nuts if another spade comes, so we decide not to slow down.  Instead, we increase the bet to 1,000.

"I've got the King of spades," says the man to our left as he calls.  He does?!  We check our cards again -- but it's an acting job, because we know better.  The player to our right calls as well.

ON THE RIVER: 3d

This card seems harmless - but do we slow down now, to test whether an opponent has us beaten?  Our decision is no.  We bet 1,000 more.  The two opponents call again -- with one guessing we have an Ace.

"And you do not have the King of spades," we reveal, "because I do."  The pair of Aces top them, and we gain a big pot of about 6,000 chips.

We won a couple more pots in the first hour, to reach the break at 15,950 chips.  But we won nothing in the second hour; careful play allowed us to escape with only 2,500.  Forced to go all-in after the break with 8-9 in the Big Blind, an 8 on the flop was good enough to win.

But the next time around, 7-8 in the Big Blind was not enough; forced to go all-in again, another 8 fell on the flop.  But a 3 on the river gave a woman with 3-3 winning "trips."  She eliminated another player along with us -- and a long hard fight at a very competitive room ended with us barely missing the final table, tied for 11th.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Moments after walking inside Soho, a man walked up to us and started shadow-boxing us.  We covered up from several of his light blows.

"I'll turn the other cheek, if you want to keep doing that," we told him.

He stopped the punching -- but hopefully gained a Biblical lesson from our example:

You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth."  But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:38-39

Yes, we know -- these words of Jesus go against the common mentality of a poker tournament.  The goal is to take all the chips at the table.  And a game of poker is a proper place for that.  But at other times and places, it's not godly at all.  The Lord's disciples had to learn that....

....The people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.  When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"  But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village. - Luke 9:53-56

Jesus was (and is today) the Son of God.  We think He could have called on His Father in heaven personally to send fire.  The Lord didn't do it then.  Yet later He said this:

I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!  But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! - Luke 12:49-50

What sort of fire is this?  We think Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit appearing as fire and entering His disciples in Acts 2 -- which only happened after the Lord was crucified and resurrected.

As it happens, Thursday marks the start of a "50 days of nonviolence" campaign.  Can you go seven weeks without being violent toward someone?  We'd go beyond weapons and fisticuffs, and challenge you to avoid even violent words and writing.  Leave the "rough stuff" for a tame place -- such as defending A-K in the Big Blind.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 138 final tables in 400 nights (34.5%) - 21 cashes.  We'd normally post an updated statistics page on our live poker action at this point, but we're going to postpone that until next week.  When you see it, you'll understand why.

Poker Night 394: Disarmament Deal

For a moment, we thought the schedule had changed.  A row of tables for two, at The Red Barn -- with flowers and candles on them?!  What sort of heads-up poker tournament was this?

Well, it really wasn't.  "Speed dating," one of the managers told us.  "Trying something new, once a month."

Yet the regular Monday night poker tournament went on at The Red Barn as well.  Dating and poker - together?!  They both could have "hearts" in common.  But we were in a poker fight for survival, starting with a table of nine.  And we faced some heart-pumping moments along the way....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of diamonds - Ace of clubs

A couple of players at our table already have been in a big-betting mood.  That cost us some early chips, but we still start this hand with 6,100.  Sitting one behind the dealer, no one raises in front of us.  So with the biggest of pocket pairs, it's obviously our turn.  We raise 500, hoping for a re-raise from someone.  But several players merely call.

ON THE FLOP: 10h-Jh-7c

This doesn't seem too threatening.  But a player to our right acts like it is.  He bets 2,500.  Could he possibly have a straight -- or more likely three of a kind?  With a bit of skepticism, we call.  A couple of others do the same.

ON THE TURN: 6h

The presence of a third heart is exactly the last thing we want to see.  Now the man to our right throws out 7,500 -- more than enough to put us all in.  In a way, this bet doesn't make sense.  If he has a flush now, why did he bet so much on a flush draw one card before?  Is it all nothing but scare tactics?

We ponder this quietly for about ten seconds, realize we only have 3,000 chips left and finally decide.  "I'll let his chips do the talking.  I'll fold."

Yes, we back down from "pocket rockets."  But a man across the table from us does not.  Instead, he raises to 20,000 -- and stacks built to overflowing from purchases of beers and jukebox music go to battle.  The man to our right calls.  At least we're likely to find out if we were right.

ON THE RIVER: Kc

Now all parties check -- and the man to our right who scared us away shows Q-8.  He bet a small fortune with nothing but a straight draw, and he missed!

But the man across the table didn't miss.  He shows A-6 of hearts.  He made the nut flush on the turn, and gains more than 25,000 chips.

Call us chicken if you wish.  But we smelled trouble, and we were right -- even if the trouble came from a different direction than we expected.  We lived to play another hand.  And we wound up winning several after that, including two big pots with J-J in the first hour, then with A-K in the second hour when a King came on the flop.

We had 20,000 chips at the two-hour break -- then were dealt A-J, which has replaced K-9 as the "Rodney special" for a bonus.  We went all in, even though the woman before us pushed with much more.  She had A-K, and won a big pot because no one even gained a pair by the river.  It was another close call for us -- but another missed final table, as we finished in 11th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: Before that woman eliminated us, we asked her about her relationship with Jesus.  She told us God has helped her in an unusual way.

"I'd probably be in prison by now," she said -- explaining she wanted to kill her ex-husband at one point years ago.

That woman believes God calmed her down, and gave her peace of mind.  Jesus offers to do the same thing for you....

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

We've personally needed this sort of spiritual peace several times in recent months.  So how do we obtain it?  The Bible offers this answer:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7

Be thankful as you pray, for whatever blessings God has given you -- even if it doesn't seem like He's given you many.  Then ask (or sing) for His spirit of peace to dwell in your mind, heart and life.  If you have "Christ in you" (Colossians 1:27), that should mean the "Prince of Peace" is inside.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 136 final tables in 394 nights (34.5%) - 20 cashes.

Poker Night 377: Yellow-Jackets

One fascinating thing about poker is that you can change your "personality" from night to night.  One of the regulars on the local poker circuit did that tonight at Lil Kim's Cove.  Would we be able to adjust to match him?

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: J-J

The game's about 13 minutes old, and we've had a couple of small misses.  Now we've dealt ourselves a nice pocket pair. But that regular player we mentioned is sitting to our immediate right -- and while he played  cautiously early the night before at Soho Bar and Grill, he's being aggressive tonight.  He raises 2,000.

"I'll humor you," we say to him as we call.

He knows us well enough to assume something.  "If you call, you must have good cards, then."  A man to our left calls, anyway; everyone else at the table of six folds.

"Yellow chip," the bettor says to us as we pick up the deck.  He holds out one, worth 5,000 chips.  We are hereby warned.... apparently.

ON THE FLOP: A-2-3

Not the best-looking flop for us, especially with an Ace involved.  The player to our left checks.

"Check," Mr. Yellow Chip says while still holding it out a bit.  We check as well.

ON THE TURN: 2

We don't really think any of our opponents entered this hand with a 2.  The first player in line checks again.  So does Mr. Yellow Chip.  This makes us more confident.

"One-thousand," we say as we bet.  The man to our left folds.  Will our remaining foe toss out that yellow chip?  No - he simply calls with a black chip.  Um-hmm.

"That's still a yellow chip," we point out to him.  He concurs.

ON THE RIVER: A

Two pair now are showing -- but we suspect if our opponent held an Ace, he would have made a follow-up bet by now.  He seems to verify that by checking again.  But we remain wary, so we check as well.

"Pair of Jacks," we say as we turn the cards over.

"You win," our opponent says quietly.  He never tells us what he had, but we gain about 5,000 chips as a result.

Our chip stack eroded from there, as a couple of big chases failed (including one with two shots at a nut flush).  A pot win in the Big Blind helped us late in the first hour, followed by another at the semifinal table when A-K of spades brought an Ace on the flop.  Despite a big loss minutes later, we endured to the final table with a scant 1,000 chips.

At the final table, we were dealt K-K right away.  Our all-in bet succeeded, and we improved to 4,000 -- but that was barely enough to match the blinds.  So when the next hand brought 6-6, we pushed again.  But this time no help came, and a man with a 9 paired the board to eliminate two players.  We finished tied for eighth, and seventh in a newly-revived Big Dog Poker points system.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man at our left grabbed our "Jesus as your Savior" coin for a look.  But as an Army veteran, his perspective was different.  We can't recall the exact verb he used, but it was along the lines of hearts needing to be shattered.

"I'm more into love than fighting," we told him.

"But I'm a soldier," he pointed out -- adding during his time in the military, he developed a close friendship with the chaplain.

There's a time to "go to war" during a poker tournament and defend a strong hand.  But that's in a game.  Is that something Christians should do in everyday life?  The guidance of Jesus admittedly is difficult for some people to accept....

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world.  If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews.  But now my kingdom is from another place." - John 18:36

Someone actually did try to fight that arrest, on the night before the Lord's crucifixion:

With that, one of Jesus's companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will due by the sword." - Matthew 26:51-52

But Jesus answered, "No more of this!"  And he touched the man's ear and healed him. - Luke 22:51

A holy, sinless Jesus Christ accepted His arrest, then endured everything that followed over about 18 hours. He knew it had to happen, to fulfill His great purpose:

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.... - Ephesians 1:7

Jesus endured the abuse of men so that we might have forgiveness from sin.  Are you willing to accept that incredible example of love in your life?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 131 final tables in 377 nights (34.7%) - 20 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 279 point wins in 1,306 games (21.4%), 89 final tables, 10 wins, 11 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 21 point wins in 82 games (25.6%), 16 final tables, 1 cash win.

It was a big week at NLOP: third place out of 310 players late Sunday night, fifth out of 245 Monday afternoon, then sixth out of 302 players late Tuesday night.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $91,171, up $1,648.

Poker Night 372: Life on the Edge

Sometimes good poker advice comes from very unexpected places.  We try to keep in mind a warning given by veteran pastor Chuck Swindall, during one of his daily broadcasts on Christian radio.  Watch how we applied it Monday night at The Red Barn....

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: K-K

This hand immediately follows one where we played K-2 in the Small Blind, saw a second King land on the flop, then caught a third on the river.  "We three Kings" captured a huge pot.  We're not sure exactly how many chips we have, because we're dealing now and haven't added them up from the last hand.  But we're guessing the total is around 20,000 (helped by a 10,000-chip bonus given simply for showing up).

We'd be glad to raise at this table of seven with this high pocket pair.  But a man to our immediate right does it first.  He raises to 350.  We choose to "tag along" and call.  But a man across from us raises 250 more.  The man at our right then elects to go all-in!  He has 5,950 extra to offer.  We can't resist calling him.

While his chips are being counted, a man at our left decides it's time to start debriefing us.  "You want to see that flop, don't you?"

"Welllllll," we say in a Bugs Bunny cartoon voice, "could be."

The man opposite us then calls the all-in bet as well.

"Would you have called, if he had gone all-in there?" the man at our left asks.

This question seems out of line for this moment.  "We're still playing the hand," we answer - then borrow words from former President George H.W. Bush.  "I won't respond to hypotheticals."

Besides, why say anything which might give away our intentions when another active player can hear it?  In any case, we smell a potential big haul for us here....

ON THE FLOP: 6-J-A

....until we deal the last thing we want to see: an Ace.  The man across from us reaches into his much larger chip stack and bets 20,000.  This would put us all-in.

"That settles it.  I fold."  We toss away our Kings, certain that we're topped.

Sure enough: the man across from us turns over not one Ace, but two.  His three of a kind tops the other player's 10-10 as well.  The remaining two cards don't change the outcome.  The "triple-A" prevail, and the low pocket pair is knocked out.

"Good fold," the man at our left says.  It's thanks to that Chuck Swindoll tip - you're most vulnerable right after you score a major triumph or victory.  You risk becoming overconfident, and having everything crumble around you.

(Homework assignment: Swindall offered Biblical evidence to support his point.  Can you find a case in the Bible which might illustrate it?  Offer a comment, and we'll offer our answer in a future post.)

That big decision kept us in the tournament through the first hour.  Then an all-in bet in the second hour with A-9 and an Ace on the flop improved us to 39,000 chips.  The total was 35,000 at the two-hour break.  Then with ten players remaining, we were dealt A-A.  We naturally went all-in for 20,000.  The flop brought a harmless-looking J-5-7.  Another 7 came on the river.

"I made trips!" declared a player who had called us.  Ouch!!  He had a third 7, and our Aces had crashed.  But for one card, we might have made the final table -- but instead we finished in tenth place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A couple of players were willing to talk about the grade school killings in Newtown, Connecticut.  One young man admitted he couldn't help crying at the news of young children being gunned down.

"This is not God's world," we told him.  "Not right now."

"Yet so many people want to give Him the blame," the young man said, "when God gave people the freedom of choice, and they made a bad choice."

He describes the dilemma fairly well.  Moses put it this way in his farewell address, before Israel entered the promised land:

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.... - Deuteronomy 30:19

Sadly, humans have chosen the way of death too often -- and it started long before there was a Newtown.

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field."  And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. - Genesis 4:8

Where did Cain get such a murderous idea?  We think he was influenced by a fallen angel, who seemed to hang around the Garden of Eden one chapter earlier....

You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil.  He rules the world, and his spirit has power over  everyone who doesn't obey God. - Ephesians 2:2 (CEV)

It might seem hard to believe, but the Bible says Satan is in charge of this world -- at least for now.  The good news is that Jesus Christ will come back someday, overthrow Satan and make Earth a peaceful and happy place again.  If you're wondering how that might happen, this article may help you understand.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 129 final tables in 372 nights (34.7%) - 20 cashes.

Poker Night 365: A Thanksgiving Miracle?

The first surprise came at mid-afternoon Thursday.  Someone posted a note on Facebook that there was Thanksgiving Night poker after all -- at The Red Barn in Phenix City, where we usually play on Mondays.  So we changed our evening plans, and paid it a visit.

The second surprise was inside The Red Barn, as a Thanksgiving spread was on one of the counters.  There was turkey, green bean casserole, rolls and apple pie -- all free!  "It's Thanksgiving," the Tournament Director explained.  So we filled a plate and enjoyed it before the game, buying soda for extra poker chips.

The third surprise came at game time, when an overseer of the tournament came to our table bearing 5,000-chip pieces -- with at least three for everyone!  Starting at 23,000 chips inside of the usual 5,000 allowed us a fighting chance against the "power poker" players.  And with only 15 players taking part, things looked good.  For awhile....

BLINDS: 500/1,000

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

We've just been moved from a table where we recovered from an early setback with some creative betting (for us).  We reached the one-hour break with 25,500 chips, but lost a moderately-sized pot moments before to drop to 21,500.

We settle in "under the gun" at a table of six.  Even though the pocket pair is large, we choose to limp in.  But  the man behind the dealer raises to 5,000.  We resist the urge to push right now, joining one other player in calling.

ON THE FLOP: 6-5-2

This flop seems harmless, especially compared to the pre-flop betting.  We check to the raiser, who now throws out 10,000.  The third player in the pot folds.

We haven't seen this man play before, so we don't know his poker history.  But the trend at our local tournaments is for "newcomers" to bet big with hands which are little.  So we decide to reach for our chip stack and take a stand.

"I'm all-in," we announce -- adding our last 6,500 chips to the 10,000.  Our opponent doesn't hesitate to call.  We show our Queens.  He doesn't show his cards yet.

ON THE TURN: A

He now turns over.... a Queen.  Huh?!

ON THE RIVER: 7 (as best we recall)

And under our opponent's Queen, he reveals.... an Ace.

Ouch!  He takes us out quickly and painfully.  Yet we doubt this hand could have ended any other way.  If we had pushed pre-flop, he doubtless would have called.  And when we made the all-in decision, he didn't even have a pair -- simply two overcards.

On a night when the Thanksgiving table was set perfectly for us to make a third consecutive final table, we missed it.  Our finish was 12th place -- and if that wasn't enough, our next stop was Wal-Mart, where we simply wanted to buy groceries but wound up trapped in long lines of "Black Friday Eve" shoppers.  But that's another story....

MINISTRY MOMENT: That note about Thursday night's tournament was posted on the Facebook group for Big Dog Poker.  Trouble is, Big Dog Poker does not run The Red Barn's tournaments -- it's a separate entity.

In the late afternoon, someone overseeing the Big Dog Facebook group removed the first notice and replaced it with one saying the group was for Big Dog posts only.  An exchange of comments already had occurred involving the original poster.  So we added our own: "If Israel and Hamas can work out a ceasefire...."

By evening, the entire discussion was deleted from the group's Facebook page.  But it shows even in an area the size of ours, there's competition between poker "circuits." (As far as we know, The Red Barn's tournaments aren't played at any other locations.)

From what we understand, the two circuits developed due to some kind of disagreement involving Big Dog Poker operators.  But to carry it that far on Thanksgiving Day, when Big Dog didn't even have an evening venue, strikes us as something out of a Middle East feud -- and all too common in this world.

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?.... You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God. - James 4:1-2

It happens between competing poker circuits, poker players, married couples, and even church denominations.  Yet here's what God wants us to do....

....Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. - Psalm 34:13-14

It's no wonder Jesus Christ is coming again someday as the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6) - because humans tend to do a terrible job finding peace between each other.

If there are quarrels and feuds in your life, one suggestion we'd make toward starting a "peace process" is to simply let the other side have his or her say.  Let them spill, while you quietly listen.  Then switch roles, to start a dialogue.  As it happens, Friday is the National Day of Listening - a perfect time to sit down with others, prepared with open ears and minds.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 126 final tables in 365 nights (34.5%) - 20 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 273 point wins in 1,236 games (22.1%), 84 final tables, 10 wins, 10 cashes. No-River Hold 'em - 19 point wins in 68 games (27.9%), 14 final tables, 1 cash win.

We've had "poker room payoff" finishes in three huge NLOP tournaments in the past week -- among the top one percent, including a 21st-place finish out of 971 players on Monday.  But the freeroll tournaments don't award points, which hurts our record.  However, we came in seventh out of 60 in a No-River Hold 'em tournament Wednesday.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $86,038, down $2,016.

After the Storm

Professional poker players are known for keeping their cool during a game.  But of course, the ones who don't make for "great television" -- in the same way outlandish actions are more likely to appear on the evening news than ordinary trips to dinner.

The shouting match at our poker table this week over a misdealt card didn't have to happen.  Several people could have handled things much better. For instance....


1. The woman who lost the big hand vented all the way across the table at the dealer.  Jesus taught a better approach:

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. - Matthew 18:15

Jesus went on to add a second step you should take, before getting everyone else (in His example "the church") involved -- getting "one or two others" to hear the dispute (verses 16-17).


2. The dealer verbally apologized.  That's good.  But he did it on the loudness level of the complainer, almost trying to shout her down.  That's not so good.

A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. - Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)

In this case, the upset woman probably never would have heard a quiet apology which interrupted her.  So our approach probably would have been to let the woman speak her piece -- and apologize quietly once she was finished.


3.  The Tournament Director heard the argument -- but when he walked over, he told everyone involved to settle it among themselves.  We're not sure if he had anything better to do, but he missed an opportunity:

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. - Romans 14:19

Or as Jesus put it: "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9).  Many approaches could have been used to bring peace to this argument.  Perhaps he could have let each party speak their piece uninterrupted, then offering guidance.  (If you have a better idea, please leave a comment.)


Someone noted to us during a break this shouting match occurred in a "free poker" game.  Yes, first-place prize money was at stake -- but nowhere close to the millions of dollars at the World Series of Poker Main Event.  So was the loud argument really worth it?  The Bible offers a much better idea:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:31-32

P.S. Neither party in the argument made it to the final table.  We did -- along with a woman who admitted she intentionally walked away from the table during the spat so she wouldn't have her "blood boil."  Is there a lesson there for all of us?

Put Up or Shut Up?

We're reassessing our Monday night trips to The Red Barn, after what happened away from the poker tables this week.  We mentioned an argument developed, which ended with the Tournament Director reportedly leaving a customer with a bloody nose.

We've noted in the past this Tournament Director claims to be a Christian -- all the way down to putting a Christian message on his body, in the form of a tattoo.  Yet it seems to us his actions Monday night didn't match his words.  Nor did they match the words of Jesus:

But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:39

This is what the Bible calls a "hard saying" for a lot of people -- including Christian believers.  We've been in church groups where even ministers tried to explain away this seemingly simple, straightforward statement.  Yet it's not only what Jesus said -- it's how He lived, and even died.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. - I Peter 2:23

We face insults from time to time while playing poker, especially online.  If we respond to them at all, we try to answer in a polite way.  We think it's always better to let your cards and chip stacks do the "talking," when it comes to which player is better.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." - Romans 12:18-19

There's much more we could write about this.  And we realize you might have many questions about this approach - especially if you were brought up in a "get-even" environment.  We found an online booklet offering an in-depth Bible-based examination of the broader issues involved in fighting.  There's only one battle the New Testament seems to recommend....

Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.... - I Timothy 6:12

Poker Night 318: One-Two Punch

On a Memorial Day when the President asked people to pray for "permanent peace," things became a bit ugly at The Red Barn.  We chose to focus on the poker table instead of the building argument to our left -- but we're told it ended with the Tournament Director bashing a belligerent biker in the nose, and that man spewing blood as he was ejected.  As for our night, it had some pretty moments....

BLINDS: 25/50

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs - 7 of clubs

We're "under the gun" - first to act, early in the action.  These cards are suited.  They're studly.  We'll play 'em. No one raises pre-flop.  Compared to what happened later, this is a nice friendly pot.

ON THE FLOP: 7-4-2 (no clubs)

We have top pair, out of three cards few professional poker players would want to play.  But the Big Blind to our right seems interested, betting 250.  That was our thinking, only she beat us to it.  We call; about four players remain.

ON THE TURN: K

We've improved to top two pair.  Yet the Big Blind turns up the pressure, anyway.  Now she bets 1,500.  But we feel confident, and double the bet to 3,000.  A man to our left calls.  Another folds; the Big Blind calls.  It never crosses our mind that she might have three of a kind (maybe K-K).

ON THE RIVER: 10

We don't recall a flush threat showing here.  Perhaps the Big Blind missed one, because she now checks.  We check with care as well, as does the third player -- and our K-7 turns out to be a winner!  The Big Blind also had two pair, but a lower two.  We took a risk, and it paid off well.

A couple of other hands in the first hour were even better.  We dealt ourselves A-A, which turned into a winning pair which gained us thousands of chips.  A-Q became another nice winner, when a Queen came on the flop.  Add to that a man who put a "heavy date" elsewhere above his big stack of chips, so he left early and shared his haul with the rest of the table.

Put it all together, and we had 34,500 chips at the one-hour break.  But winning cards stopped coming after that.  Our stack slowly drained in the second hour, until we faced "The Rodney" (K-9) with 7-7-9 showing on the flop.  We decided to go all-in for our last 8,500 chips.  A woman called with K-8 -- but then the turn and river were J-10.  Not only did she make a straight, it was a diamond flush to boot.  We came close to the final table, but missed in 11th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our left at the semifinal table was impressed by our card protector depicting the Lord's Supper.

"Do you believe in Jesus?" we asked.

"Oh yes," he said.  In fact, he reached into his wallet moments later -- and pulled out an identification card showing he's a chaplain!


The man admitted he had to stop doing chaplain work for a time, due to illness.  But he apparently still serves as he's able, in places such as nursing homes.  By doing that, he follows one of Jesus's parables:

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.... I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:34-36

Some people are in nursing homes due to sickness.  But we've heard stories of a few people who felt imprisoned by such conditions.  They need that "permanent peace" every bit as much as the two men who nearly had a barroom brawl tonight -- expect they need peace of mind about the future.

We believe that "permanent peace" will come only when the "prince of peace" returns to Earth -- as in Jesus:

He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning books.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.  Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.... - Micah 4:3-4

Believers in Christ will have the inner peace (for lack of a better phrase) of knowing they have eternal life.  Read Revelation 20:1-6 for details about that.  Is this the peace you desire?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 112 final tables in 318 nights (35.2%) - 17 cashes.