Ask Before You Act

Maybe you're not ready to head to a casino or a poker room, to play for the "big bucks."  So you invite your friends to your house for a fun night of penny-ante Texas Hold 'em.  That's OK -- isn't it?

Well, maybe not everywhere.  In the state of Maryland, it's against the law.  There's a bill in the legislature to make it legal.  But one lawmaker says the rules are so strict, even a "Parcheesi game" (younger readers might want to ask their parents what that is) played for prize money in your basement could get you arrested.

There's a case similar to this making news in our state this week.  A member of Congress offered to give away NCAA basketball playoff tickets, in exchange for donations to his campaign.  He had to change the rules after a District Attorney (who we don't think is in his district) declared that giveaway a raffle -- and illegal under state law.

An old phrase comes to mind when we think about these cases: look before you leap.  Things and actions which may seem right to you may not be right at all.  A Bible verse puts it this way:

Abstain from all appearance of evil. - I Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)

The problem with that approach in our day is that calling something "evil" sometimes is considered, well, evil.  The moral code in the U.S. is much looser than it was even at the start of this century.  Yet laws are in place about things such as poker and gambling -- and where they are in place, the best course is to follow them.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. - I Peter 2:13-14

You might see a great opportunity to make money playing poker.  But if it would violate man's law, you need to turn away from it "for the Lord's sake."  The apostle Peter goes on to show the importance of that....

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. - I Peter 2:17

Note the order -- with honoring the king coming after fearing God.  If the king (or other leader in government) wants you to violate God's ultimate law, that's a different matter.

Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!" - Acts 5:29

Their issue in this case was teaching about Jesus -- something clearly far more important than poker games.  But the principle should be obvious and lasting.

We've never played the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons -- but we've been around enough players to know when you go into someplace new, you always "check for traps."  That's a good idea in every aspect of our lives.  The traps could be a hidden full house on the flop, or a local law which prevents you from playing poker at all.  Double-checking now can prevent embarrassment later.

Poker Night 397: No Respect at All

The late comedian Rodney Dangerfield had a famous line: "I don't get no respect."  In poker, respect has to be earned -- either by becoming a tournament-winning pro, or by doing well on a local circuit.

At Lil Kim's Cove tonight, one man muttered his bet on the flop of 500 received no respect when several people called it.  But could our reputation at the table turn into a big win, when it mattered?

BLINDS: 50/100

IN THE POCKET: Ace of clubs - King of spades

We've been playing a bit on the loose side, which has brought ups and downs in our chip stack.  But we won a pot prior to this with modest pressure bets from start to finish.  Now we've dealt ourselves "big slick," but no one has raised at the table.  We decide to lay low and simply call.  The blinds don't raise.

ON THE FLOP: 6s-8s-2c

So much for having big cards.  They're in the lead only if no one has a pair - and a player across from us bets 300 as if he does.  We choose to hang tough for at least one card, and call.  One other player does as well.

ON THE TURN: 5s

Not big, but still helpful.  We now have a flush draw, and get help when the bettor cautiously checks.  The entire table checks.

ON THE RIVER: 7d (suit may not be precise, but not a spade)

We missed it all -- but the table checks again.  So we try to use "the button" of the dealer playing last to our advantage.  We bet 800, hoping to run off the competition.  It's what we call a "semi-bluff," because we do have high card -- but we're hinting at much more.

"I have to call," the man across from us says.  Uh-oh.  The third player folds.

"I have the 9," he then reveals.  Ouch.  We were so focused on a possible flush that we missed the possible straight on the board.

"You caught me," we admit as we show our cards.  Our stab at the pot leaves us with a big loss.

But the good news is that we recovered from that loss, with some timely cards.  With 5,600 chips after the one-hour break, A-Q brought us a couple of big gains -- first to 10,000, then 15,000.  We held on from there to make the final table, as the two-hour break came.

The fun didn't stop there, as we went all-in with A-Q again at the start of the final table and found a Queen on the flop.  That improved us to 50,000, while other players pushed and failed.  With four players left, everyone agreed to a settlement: a 20-10-10-10 split of the $50 prize money.  The chip leader received $20; we were a weak third at the time.

With play continuing for a "bucket of beers" (the usual second-place prize), another player pushed and failed.  That left three players, and we made a gain after that with pocket Aces.  A few hands later, a second and final settlement was made when the chip leader decided he didn't want Big Dog Poker points.  The man to our right claimed first in points, giving us second.

That chip leader has agreed to buy us a couple of sodas on our next Lil Kim's poker night, since we don't drink beer.  That along with a $10 win made our night successful.  It's our first local cash win since a six-way settlement there in mid-November!

MINISTRY MOMENT: A man to our left dealt with aching teeth during the game.  And for some reason, he started talking about other medical problems.

"If I get tapeworm, can I resist it in the name of Jesus?"

"Jesus can heal all our illnesses," we told him as the next hand was dealt.

He agreed with that, then added, "Can he heal my.... call."  His chips for the next hand were tossed in, as he spoke.

"Many are called," we suggested, "but few are chosen."

"I know," the man responded.  "I've read that."

Perhaps you have not.  They're the words of Jesus:

For many are called, but few are chosen. - Matthew 22:14 (KJV)

What does Jesus mean by this famous phrase?  It comes at the end of a parable about a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.  Several people were invited, but....

But they paid no attention and went off -- one to his field, another to his business.  The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. - Matthew 22:5-6 (NIV)

The following verses tell about the king sending out a marauding army, which took vengeance with murder and arson.  Then the king tries again, inviting anyone interested on the street -- but one person is found at the banquet without proper clothing, and is thrown out of the hall (verses 7-13).

So what do you make of this puzzle?  What's the ultimate point of Jesus in this parable -- especially that well-known verse 14?  Offer a comment with your thoughts, and we'll compare ideas in a future post.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 137 final tables in 397 nights (34.5%) - 21 cashes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 283 point wins in 1,394 games (20.3%), 92 final tables, 10 wins, 12 cashes.  No-River Hold 'em - 30 point wins in 113 games (26.5%), 25 final tables, 1 win, 2 cashes.

We actually made two final tables today.  An online No-River Hold 'em game during the afternoon brought us fourth place out of 78 players - but sadly, only first place received prize money.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games - $85,787, up $138.

Poker Night 396: Donuts for Dollars

A couple of weekends ago, we sat inside a McDonald's restaurant eating dinner when a surprise occurred.  Two children walked in, holding boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts -- and they proceeded to ask us to buy some.  We openly asked if that was allowed.  They said yes, but took our hint and moved on.

"Krispy Kremes" are welcome in a poker room -- but sometimes they can lead to a meltdown.  So here's what we did with them tonight at The Red Barn....

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: King of clubs - King of spades

Good cards have been scarce for us so far, so we've only tested the water in a couple of hands.  We're already at a semifinal table on a three-table night, and start this hand with 4,975 chips.  Sitting one behind the dealer, no one raises ahead of us.  So it's time to move.

"Raise - 1,000."

At a table where players have bought food, drinks and jukebox songs worth tens of thousands, this is a modest inconvenience.  Several players call.

ON THE FLOP: Qh-4h-Kh

A third King comes -- but so does big trouble.  Three hearts open the door for a flush.  Thankfully, the players check ahead of us again.  So it's time to make a bigger move -- as in throwing a block.

"All in for 3,975."

The response isn't exactly what we want.  Not one, but three players call.  We're concerned.

ON THE TURN: 6c

Good.  The three players who still can bet all check.  But keep in mind, the chances of hitting a flush on the river card are slightly higher than on the turn (19.6 versus 19.1 percent).

ON THE RIVER: 8s

So now we can relax?  The table checks again.

"Show me your Aces," a player across from us says.

"Nope, I have three Kings."

"I was chasing a flush," that man admits.  He shows the 10 of hearts, but he has nothing else!  We make a massive gain, to 22,900.

 The cards improved a bit after that, but our success with them came and went.  A-K brought us a gain in the second hour, when a King came on the flop.  But then we missed with A-K and A-Q, and had to fold to potentially bankrupting bets.  We finally did push with A-8 of clubs, but the board didn't pair and a man to our left made a flush.  Our hopes were dashed again, finishing in 13th place.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Thank GAWWW-D for a three!" a woman said next to us after a hand.  The 3 on the river secured her a higher straight and a nice pot -- and her response sounded exactly as exaggerated as we've spelled it.

"We should thank God for everything," we said quietly to her.  And with no exaggeration.

We've noted many times the importance of being thankful, for blessings great and small.  But we think it's also important to thank God with an attitude of respect:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.... - Hebrews 12:28

No one in the Bible has the ministerial title "Reverend."  But reverent is how we should be in our dealings with God.  Look at what could happen if we aren't....

To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your fathers.  Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah. - Jeremiah 44:10-11

Jeremiah spoke these words on God's behalf.  Biblical history shows that disaster eventually happened, with the nation of Judah taken captive and Jerusalem burned (Jeremiah 52:13, 27).  The lesson for all of us can be summed up simply....

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows. - Galatians 6:7

When you say you thank God, do you mean it?  Really mean it?

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 136 final tables in 396 nights (34.3%) - 20 cashes.

Poker Night 366: The Night of 1,000 Posts

We took a secret celebration to The Red Barn Monday night, revealing it to only a few people at the end of the evening.  This report marks our 1,000th post to On the Flop!  The first two came on a warm and rainy June weekend in 2008.  This one followed a chilly November night -- and while we wish there was a $1,000 bonus prize to celebrate, we would have been happy with the $50 prize for first place.

We played well enough to win several pots in the first 90 minutes.  But then came a big moment of drama....

BLINDS: 2,000/4,000

IN THE POCKET: 7-7

Three full tables started the tournament; two tables of six now remain.  We have 22,500 chips, but we realize a notorious big bettor is sitting across from us.  So we call, prepared to fold to a massive raise.  Instead, that bettor raises "only" 4,000 more, to double the blind.  We call, as does a man to our left.

ON THE FLOP: 10-6-2

This looks uninspiring.  But the big bettor lives up to his reputation.  "Seventeen-five," he declares -- giving us something to think about, since we only have 13,500 left.  Our instinct tells us he did not make a pair, even with the 10.  This continuation bet smells a lot like a "go-away bet" with two big cards.  Since we actually have a pair, we decide to go for it.

"I'm all-in," we say.  The man at our left does as well.

ON THE TURN: 8

As best we recall, the two remaining players in a sidepot check.  This mid-range card seems hopeful for us as well.

ON THE RIVER: K

But ooh boy - this one doesn't.  One of these players now could be "fisher-King" with a higher pair.  Yet they both check again.

"Pair of sevens," we say as we show.

The big bettor slowly, dramatically turns over.... A-9!  He missed, and so did the other opponent!  The pocket pair survives, and we score a big win of about 66,000 chips.

"I bet what the hand was worth," the big bettor says between hands.

"I didn't think you had a pair," we say.  Thankfully, our read was right -- and it provided a big enough stack to take us to the final table.

Once there, we folded Q-J twice -- only to see them make potential winning hands.  But A-K brought us another huge win, as a King on the flop ballooned us to 140,000.  But the stack slowly drained from there, until we were forced to go all-in on the Big Blind with J-5.  The board was filled with Kings and 2's, giving a man a huge full house which knocked another player out along with us.

Final result: a tie for fifth place (officially fifth on The Red Barn score sheet).  Maybe we've turned things around in live tournaments, as we've made three final tables in the last four.

MINISTRY MOMENT: "Your turn, Reverend," a man across from us said at the final table.  We were first to act, so we knew he was talking to us.  Yet this comment brought a moment of pause -- because that title explains much of what the past 1,000 blog posts is about.

"I'm not a Reverend," we quietly answered.  "I try to be reverent."

Did you know the title Reverend never appears in the King James Bible?  The word only appears once:

He sent redemption unto his people: he has commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. - Psalm 111:9 (KJV)

Reverend is whose name?  Verses 1 and 4 indicate that title refers to "the Lord," as in God.  We're not sure how the term became attached to church pastors; in the congregation we normally attend, it isn't used.

Admittedly, "reverent" does not appear in the King James.  But that translation along with the New International have several verses referring to an attitude of reverence.

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. - Psalm 89:7 (KJV)

Why?  Because God is powerful enough to tear down nations (verse 10), and He is our ultimate judge (verse 14).  But God offers to share his heavenly kingdom with all of us, and bring it to Earth at the return of Jesus Christ....

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.... - Hebrews 12:28 (KJV)

Revelation indicates the first phase of the Kingdom of God on Earth will last 1,000 years - something far, far more impressive than 1,000 posts to a blog.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 127 final tables in 366 nights (34.7%) - 20 cashes.

Lips, Inked

We told you earlier this week about the Tournament Director who plans to get a new tattoo with the Latin words for "praise to God."  That's obviously something a poker ministry would support.... right?

Well, not so fast.  It's one thing to praise God verbally....

My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. - Psalm 71:8

It's also a good thing to lift your arms, in worshiping God....

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. - I Timothy 2:8

But putting words of praise on those arms?!  There's a warning about that hidden in an Old Testament book which doesn't usually get a lot of attention:

Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:28

"But that's Old Testament," some people might answer.  "We're not under that anymore!"  Yet this is the same chapter of Leviticus where the principle to "love your neighbor as yourself" is introduced (verse 18) -- not to mention showing respect for older people (verse 32) and using honest weights and measures (verses 35-36).  Would anyone dare say those decrees of God (which verse 37 indicates they are) are out of date, too?

It would be an easy cliche for us to say God made your skin in His image (see Genesis 1:26), so there's no need for you to add anything to it.  But that would open a potentially big debate about women wearing makeup, and we've been in church groups which have flip-flopped on that issue numerous times over the years.  And then there's a statement we found while writing this post:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. - Isaiah 49:15-16

God is speaking these words to the nation of Israel -- and the Hebrew word for "engraved" is different from the word for "tattoo". Yet it can still refer to painting.  So what about these marks on the palms of God?  We're open to ideas on this, but we're led to think there's a connection with Jesus Christ:

But he [Thomas] said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." - John 20:25b

Call him "Doubting Thomas" if you wish, but this disciple apparently was convinced Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Jesus showed Thomas those hands in verse 27 -- so could they be the "marks" God uses to remember Israel until Christ returns?  They aren't tattoo marks, but they're marks all believers long to see someday.