Kids' Poker?

We'll say right off the bat -- despite the title, this is not about "Kid Poker" Daniel Negreanu. It's about a different player, who thinks poker should be a game for children.

Maria Konnikova is more than a winning poker pro. She has a doctorate in psychology, and she's working on a book about the chances we take. In an interview, she explained poker is a great way to learn how "to make correct decisions" - and she says those decisions are based on calculating risks, instead of being emotional.

Konnikova thinks young people can develop thinking and self-control skills in poker, that can help them make better decisions in life.   But she used a striking phrase to explain what's involved - the "illusion of control." We don't have complete control over a poker hand, because one wrong (or right) card can change everything.

The Bible offers seemingly conflicting views on controlling our lives. Here's one example....

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit is called self-control. But if it comes from God's Holy Spirit, do you really control yourself? Or is Something greater and higher controlling you?

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.... - Romans 8:6

The idea of "mind control" mixed with religion often leads to thoughts of brain-washing and spiritual cults. But as strange as it might sound, it's how a Christian is supposed to live. But not with the mind of a guru....

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.... - Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

How do you do this? It starts with believing Jesus exists - and that takes "child-like faith" (Matthew 18:1-3). But then you need to grow up in that faith.

When I as a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. - I Corinthians 13:11

As another Bible writer put it:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. - II Peter 3:18

Let God control your life, and the "self" control should follow. You might even play better poker as a result.

Two Things Not to Do

It was a quiet day in the poker room for us - at least in terms of speaking. We mentioned in our last post that we didn't bring up issues of faith and God at all.

Why? Because of two events on the Wednesday calendar that the church association we attend opposes.

1. Valentine's Day. It has its roots in a Roman pagan festival. Therefore, even though it's presumably named after a saint, it is considered "detestable" in the eyes of God:

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.... See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it. - Deuteronomy 12:31-32

The day currently promotes love and romance. But one church writer has said it's wrong on February 14, "because the expression of that kind of 'love' is still rooted in a former pagan holiday." We concluded from that statement that we should not love God and Jesus on that day, either...

If you love me, you will obey what I command. - John 14:15

Thus God is love (I John 4:8, 16) - but on one day a year, our group says love is wrong.

2. Ash Wednesday. We even heard someone in a buffet line at the casino mention the day. Some believers began the season of Lent and self-denial, even attending special services to mark the occasion.  But the day and season are nowhere found in the Bible.

It's another case where the dating is wrong, but the concept is a good idea....

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

This sort of denial can start at any time of year. We think it's better to deny sinful behavior, more than chocolate or social media. And even better, it should last for more than 40 days.

...But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. - Matthew 24:13

Jesus wants people to be life-long followers. That may sound cultish, but it's what the early disciples did after Jesus was resurrected.

So that's why we played poker Wednesday, but didn't say much - even trying to avoid complimenting players on a good hand. (Wouldn't that be a small expression of love?) We didn't thank God for our success until we prayed this morning - after our "double-down day" was over. Your comments on this (and other topics here) are welcome.

Call Me Irresponsible?

Poker rooms usually are surrounded by noisy distractions. If they're inside casinos, slot machines are all around them. But quietly tucked away at the entryway could be a pamphlet which makes players stop and think.

We picked up a "Know Your Limits" pamphlet on our last tournament day. A "Responsible Gambling Alliance" publishes it, as well as other literature. It includes three warning signs that you could be at risk of a possible "gambling problem"....

1. Have you ever tried to stop, cut down or control your gambling?

As much as we oppose gambling addiction, this strikes us as an unfair question. Aren't people who never darken the doors of a poker room or casino trying to "control" their gambling, by not doing it at all? In fact....

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

The apostle Paul wrote a good bit about "self-control". Yet there's a catch - he also called it s "fruit of the Spirit." In other words, it comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. So self-control isn't ultimately self-based at all.

The King James Version may word it better: "temperance." Some Bible commentaries explain that word as meaning "the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites."

People with eating disorders don't "master the desire" by not eating. In fact, that's a disorder in itself. It's all about doing things in a balanced way:

Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. - Philippians 4:5 (KJV)

The Greek word for "moderation" can also mean being patient or gentle. Those also are fruits of the Holy Spirit, as listed above.

To be clear: we're against poker players becoming addictive or "problem gamblers." But we also do not think trying to "control" the interest is a sign of a disorder. It could be a sign of the Holy Spirit at work in a believer's life. We'll address the pamphlet's other "warning signs" in upcoming posts.

Table Non-Talk

The player to our left had a good hand, but lost the pot to something better.

"There are some words in my mind, that I could say," he muttered.  But he didn't, holding them in.

A few hands later, that same man won a big pot.  "Are your words better now?" he asked.

"Naw," he admitted.  "I'm a degenerate...."

That's too bad for him.  But it's a helpful lesson for the rest of us -- about what we're thinking and saying:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

These thoughts certainly beat the alternative -- thinking about things which are false, wrong, impure or ugly.

But we give this man credit for keeping those bad words inside him, and not letting them out.  That kind of self-control is hard for some people to do.

....For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. - Matthew 12:34b

We think it takes help from "above" to keep your mouth in line, especially when poker pressures mount or a bad beat happens.  That help can come from God, through the Holy Spirit.  Have you repented of your degenerate ways before God, to allow that Spirit to work in you?

Opening the Portals

It's an announcement many U.S. poker players have waited to see.  Plans have been announced to bring back "legal" online cash games and tournaments - the kind of games which brought two crackdowns by the Justice Department in recent years.

For now, the website is only accessible to adults living in Nevada.  But the obvious goal is to expand to other states.  For those who play poker well, it's an opportunity to win money without going to a standing casino.  For those who don't....

Well, the news of the week also has included a game player at the other end of the spectrum.  He went to a carnival to win an X-Box for his children, and wound up losing what he called his "life savings" of $2,600.  (At least the carnival promoters gave him a $600 refund.)

Our point?  If you don't know what you're doing, poker can be a money-losing proposition.  We've played enough cash games in poker rooms to experience both nice gains and quick busts.  As the Bible reminds us:

Labor not to be rich.... for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. - Proverbs 23:4-5 (KJV)

The New International Version adds a noteworthy phrase to verse 4: "have the wisdom to show restraint."  The man at the carnival did not; he reportedly lost $300 at his game, then went back home for $2,300 more.

....But a wise man keeps himself under control. - Proverbs 29:11b

Or as one brewery's ads used to advise, "Know when to say when."  That's a wise tip when it comes to money in poker, every bit as much as alcohol.

So if you dare to play online cash games, we suggest having a personal "limit down" (to borrow a commodity market phrase) -- an amount of loss which you never cross.  If you hit it, you quit.  But look on the bright side -- if you win, the sky can be your limit.

It's Only a Game?

"Who got shot @ the poker game???"

When a Facebook post has those words, the news clearly isn't good.  Yet it happened in our city this past weekend -- a shooting not on the organized poker circuit, but in a home game at the east edge of town.

Police say two soldiers got into an argument about a poker game at a party.  It led to fisticuffs and weapons -- and before it was over, one person was shot and a couple of homes had damage from bullets.

We admittedly don't have all the facts about what happened.  But we're led to guess the soldiers were playing a cash game -- and alcohol may have fueled this incident, as much as the playing cards and firearms.  The Bible warns too much alcohol can lead to all sorts of problems....

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. - Proverbs 20:1

Yet let's face it: arguments can develop over poker games -- everything from whose turn it is to how many chips a sidepot should have.  We've heard them many times.  But they never reach the point of a fistfight, much less weapons.

The games we play thankfully have a Tournament Director to settle disputes.  And some players actually apply some advice the apostle Paul had to give feuding Christians....

The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already.  Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated?  Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. - I Corinthians 6:7-8

In other words, take a loss -- and try to get it back the right way, by winning a future hand.  We think that's what Jesus would do.

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

A veteran of the U.S. civil rights movement spoke in our city the other day, and put it very well: If you are in a fight and lose your temper, you have lost the fight.  However the fight at the poker game started, it ended with one person shot, another person arrested and plenty of collateral damage.

If you stay under control -- in what you drink, what you say and how you act -- fighting and arguing at poker games probably will happen a lot less often.  You might not win and go home completely happy, but at least you'll go home in one piece.

If Kings Won't Do It....

Maybe a different pocket pair might.  Between our two Monday night missteps with pocket Kings at The Red Barn, there was this moment from the Sunday night National League of Poker Weekly Championship:

BLINDS: 75/150

IN THE POCKET: Q-Q

Everyone started with 10,000 chips in this tournament.  We've won a couple of pots, but lost a couple of tough ones.  We're coming back from the half-hour break with 6,980 chips.  When a chip leader raises pre-flop to 940, we don't mind calling.

ON THE FLOP: 2-9-A

We keep a small sheet of paper at our desk, to note our hands for this blog.  We try to write down these cards, but one pen refuses to work.  Then another.  Then ANOTHER!  Our opponent bets 770 while we finally find a felt-tip pen which works -- then we hastily call.  (He might be bluffing with a continuation bet, after all.)

ON THE TURN: 7

Again it takes us several pens to mark two simple strokes on a sheet of paper, to show that 7.  Our opponent is acting as tough as the paper, because he now bets 1,390 during our frustration.  Admittedly asking for trouble, we call again.

ON THE RIVER: 5

This time we use the felt-tip first -- and it struggles a little, before finally working.  Trouble is, our opponent has gone all-in with his tens of thousands of chips.

"I'll do it," we say to the computer with some annoyance.  Bad move.  Our call leads our opponent to show A-J -- and we're eliminated in 974th place.

The moral of this story?  Several possible morals come to mind, besides the need to find better-quality paper stock.  (It accepted everything we wrote before that hand.)  One moral is that we let ourselves get off-kilter emotionally -- not due to the game, but from taking notes on it.  Yes, troublesome ink pens put us "on tilt."

Believe it or not, the Bible has plenty to say about what we did -- correcting us:

The end of all things is near.  Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. - I Peter 4:7

The Moffatt paraphrase translates part of this verse: "Steady then, keep cool and pray!"  The Contemporary English Version advises instead of self-controlled, "be sensible...."  If relatively little things take control of your thinking and your emotions, you'll make bad decisions -- in poker and in life.

But here's the strange thing: the best self-control doesn't really come from yourself.  How?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.... gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

Believers who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them should use it to govern their actions, and even their thought processes.  For instance....

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.  Selah - Psalm 4:4

If you think you're starting to "lose it," stop and pray for God to help you find it.  Then let Him do it.  It beats ripping a tell-tale hole in a sheet of paper -- and playing poker like there are holes in your pockets.

Poker Night 329: Get Lost, Will Ya?

Our city apparently had no live poker on Independence Day this year.  We joked online that having no Kings and Queens on that day seemed somewhat fitting.  But on the Fifth of July, big face cards should have been a welcome sight at Lil Kim's Cove -- right?

BLINDS: 200/400

IN THE POCKET: K-J offsuit

We've won a couple of modest pots, but nothing big and spectacular.  We start this hand in the Small Blind with about 6,300 chips.  We don't recall anyone raising, so we simply call and hope for the best.

ON THE FLOP: K-Q-9

We have top pair, a straight draw -- and we're first to act.  This seems like a nice combination for betting, so we lead for 700.  If we can "buy the pot" right now, that's fine.  And several players fold -- but a man across from us calls.  It happens to be the same man who pulled out a big pot against us last Thursday night with a straight.

ON THE TURN: 4 (as best we recall)

Ahhhh, nice and low.  That's what we want, so we bet 700 again.  Our opponent calls again.  Unlike last week, this time he's quiet.

ON THE RIVER: J

That's two pair for us -- but that's also potential trouble.  Four cards for a straight now are showing, and our opponent has confessed a couple of times already to failed "chases."  Yet this time, we sense he has even less -- perhaps simply a Queen high.  So we reach for our chips and say....

"One-thousa...."

"Don't do it!" our opponent says.  But the words are out of our mouth, and the best is official.  We expect his next words to involve folding.


"I hit a straight, man," he says instead.  He shows the 10, which has us beat.


"I tried to run you off," we respond while shaking our head.


"You didn't bet enough," the winner explains.  "I've got a big enough stack to chase with 700."  Indeed, he's right.  He started the hand with at least three times more chips than we did.  To borrow from the Occupy Movement, sometimes it can hurt to be the lower-income "99 percent."


That hand was a big blow, and we limped to the one-hour break with only 2,500 chips.  But then a second-hour, "nothing to lose" rally developed.  We went all-in with a King and won a pot when it paired.  Then we pushed 9-9, caught a third 9 on the flop and jumped back to 10,000.  But at the semifinal table, we played it safe by folding K-8 -- and missed what would have been a dominating full house.


We hung on as long as we could, but the Big Blind came for our last 1,000 chips -- and 4-3 of spades didn't bring any matches on the board.  It was close, but no final table for us, as we finished tenth.


MINISTRY MOMENT: A woman at our first table was acting very giddy at times, and the humor became a bit sexual.  It prompted a man to our right to talk about being "a born-again virgin."


"That's really a good idea," we told him.  We didn't catch the entire conversation, but we were thinking along the lines of young people choosing to become chaste again after having sex.  The "secondary virginity" movement involves a commitment to self-discipline.  But we've heard some ministers say you can't achieve that on your own:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

In other words, these ministers would claim, you can't really have self-control without the Holy Spirit inside you.  But we've known "born-again" believers who have slipped spiritually, and committed sins.  Even apostles of the Bible may have encountered moments like that....

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing. - Romans 7:19

Paul went on to call himself "a prisoner of the law of sin" (verse 23).  What hope does he have?

What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God -- through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:24-25

Paul realized the blood of Christ could cover his sins, and remove them from God's sight.  Have you asked God to apply Jesus's blood to yours?  If you're not sure how, leave a comment and we'll be happy to help.


UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 117 final tables in 329 nights (35.6%) - 19 cashes.


NATIONAL LEAGUE OF POKER TOTAL: Full tournaments - 247 point wins in 1029 games (24.0%),   78 final tables, 7 cashes plus 3 other wins.

For the second time in a month, we won an NLOP qualifying tournament!  Here's the decisive hand from early Wednesday morning (the game started late Tuesday night).  We lured an opponent into going all-in on the flop, when we made two pair.

But the final table was quite a roller-coaster ride, with two big drops and comebacks.  We had a six-to-one chip lead with three players left, then fell to third as our opponents kept making big hands against the wall.  But in the end, we topped 60 other players -- yet alas, qualifiers still don't pay off in cash.

POKER STARS.NET TOTAL: Pretend cash games -- $80,722 (corrected from prior weeks), up $2,088.  There was an amazing moment this week there as well, but we'll hold that for another post.

Be Fruitful and Multiply

A recent post mentioned the false gods some people can create. The game of poker can bring some of them out -- such as money (especially if you're playing a cash game), success or even trees.

We noted from Galatians 6 the importance of developing the spiritual things, as opposed to things which are sinful. What kinds of things are we talking about? The apostle Paul answers that question one chapter back....

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

Is it really possible to display these traits at a poker table? After thinking it over, we'd say yes. We've seen other players do it. And we've tried to do it.

Consider how some of these traits work together. If you control your human self's temptation to bet at a lot of pots, you'll automatically develop a patience approach to the game. You'll have peace and comfort in knowing some of the impulsive bets you might have made would have been big losers. And when a big hand comes, you'll have the joy of maximizing your chip stack!

The church group we attend is in a season of self-examination. We'd invite you to do the same thing. Consider the fruit Paul mentioned, and whether they're growing in your life -- including the time you spend in poker.

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -- unless of course, you fail the test? - II Corinthians 13:5

That God and Beer Song

We've been so busy lately that we almost didn't get back to that song on the jukebox at Lil Kim's Cove last week. Billy Currington's tune People Are Crazy has three main points, as a good short sermon should:

1. "God is Great." True.

Great is the Lord and worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. -- Psalm 145:3

2. "Beer is good." Uh-oh -- now we're getting controversial.

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. -- Proverbs 20:1

Yet the Bible is not against alcohol consumption completely. After all, Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-10) -- and drank a little "Passover wine" one night before He died on the cross. We think the key is to be moderate, not drunk.

3. "People are crazy." The daily news is filled with examples which might lead to that conclusion. But believers in Christ aren't supposed to be.

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.... For the grace of God that brings salvation.... teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. -- Titus 2:6, 11-12

The King James Version uses the word "sober" instead of "self-controlled." So the third point is connected to the second -- and includes another segment of Currington's song, about a "God of grace."

At a local poker tournament, you're likely to find items 2 and 3 in abundance. It's our job to ensure #1 is there -- and we hope you'll make it your job as well.

Remember as you play....

"Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." -- Proverbs 16:32, NIV

Every poker tournament, online or in-person, seems to have its share of "donkeys." (They put it so politely in poker slang.) These players want to win by any means necessary -- and they aren't afraid to bet big right off the bat.

We assume their strategy is to get an early chip lead, then exploit it by playing "king of the mountain" to gain ultimate victory. But it's risky -- because if they're caught bluffing by someone with a legitimate hand, they'll tumble down the hill like Jack and Jill.

Our approach to poker tends to be different from that. We prefer to be patient, and wait for the right cards and right moment to strike. Another regular in our city has noticed that, and told us that would help us succeed in cash games. (Our play in pretend cash games at Yahoo has shown us that.)

The NIV Study Bible notes on this verse put it very well: "Although one who practices patience and self-control receives far less attention and acclaim than a warrior who takes a city, he accomplishes better things."

Many financial experts tell clients the best approach is savings is to "build wealth slowly." In poker, that always depends on the cards you have and what other players do. But we think the patient approach works -- and it's helped us reach a lot of final tables. What do you think?

Sunday Rewind: Cool Like That

In our review of Thursday's poker night, we asked which Biblical fruit the man to our left was lacking when he slammed the deck of cards on the table in disgust.

First let's point out where the "fruit of the spirit" can be found. They're in Galatians 5:22-23.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

If our dealer had stayed in the hand with his 10 and hit quad 10's on the turn, he definitely would have needed self-control. Blurting out what he had at that moment would have made the entire table fold, and minimized his gains through betting.

Keeping self-control at the poker table can be challenging for newcomers. Trained players with sharp eyes somehow know how to spot bluffers who bet big when they have little. We don't claim that skill at this point. But thanks to a few drama classes we took in college, we know how to "stay in character" during challenging hands. (No, we don't hide behind sunglasses to do it.)

The opposite of self-control is what poker players call "being on tilt." You're ready to bet anything, and you don't care about the outcome. More often than not, that's dangerously wrong. Enough speeders drive by us on the highway to know that.

So self-control matters, and keeping cool at the poker table matters -- sometimes even you're merely dealing.