Deals and Dads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Change in an Instant

Many people dream of hitting the lottery jackpot, and becoming instant millionaires. For others, it takes a bit more time.... say, six hands of poker.

Courtesy The West Australian

Nigel Williams of Perth, Australia only played six hands at a casino last week. But ohhhh, that sixth one. Williams had the 10 of diamonds. The flop was Ad-Qd-Jd. Then came the turn - the King of diamonds!

Williams hit a royal flush, and won a progressive casino jackpot of $2.7 million. Considering he made a $10 bet on the flop, it was a bit overwhelming. It showed in a TV interview about his success.

First Williams called his wife, who said bluntly: "What are you doing at the casino?" Then he admitted being a "workaholic," and sobbed at the thought of reducing his workload from seven days a week to five to "spend more time with my children."

There are many lessons we could take from this story. The biggest one for us is how a big payday may change this man's priorities. Williams seemed to admit being detached from his children - which reminds us of this:

Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged. - Colossians 3:21 (NLT)

We think one way to cause aggravation is to be "missing in action" - and it can happen by being a poker-holic, every bit as much as a workaholic. A father who's not close to his children risks losing their love - as well as the opportunity to build an even more important loving relationship:

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. - Proverbs 22:6

The best way to go is God's way - following "the way, the truth and the life" otherwise known as Jesus Christ (John 14:6). But then, there's the reaction from Williams's wife to where he was.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. - Colossians 3:19

We've never been married, but we've heard wives appreciate nice surprises. A check for $2.7 million would be one - but to learn your husband is in a casino may not seem like the nicest thing to learn.

If a wife objects to "punting" (as the Aussies say), a loving husband should respond by not doing it. Your family ought to come before your pastimes and hobbies - especially if they could cost your family a lot of money.

 We wish Nigel Williams well, and hope you learn from his example. Why wait for a playing card to motivate you to do what you know you should be doing already? Take time to make your family a success - because a "flop" there probably won't be in your favor.

Poker Day 451: Hooray for Hollywood

The second day of our BPPT (see below) took us to a familiar place where we've had some problems.

Hollywood Casino in Kansas City has moved its Monday midday poker tournament time up 45 minutes, to 11:15 a.m. This time we made sure we arrived plenty early, to register without dealing with a waiting list. We watched every move carefully, to avoid "one-lap penalties" next door to a NASCAR track.  And with some very helpful cards, we started well....

BLINDS: 150/300 (as best we recall)

IN THE POCKET: 5-7 offsuit

We've won a couple of early pots at a full table, including a diamond flush where we had Ad-Kd.  Our stack is a good bit above the starting 10,000.  But let's face it: these cards only look attractive to drivers of classic Chevrolets.  Yet we're in the Big Blind, and practically the entire table has folded. Only the Small Blind called, so we get a free check.

ON THE FLOP: 4-6-8

Aw, c'mon!! This should have been a sign to us of how good our day would be.  And if that's not enough, the Small Blind playing first goes all in!  Of course we call, and the Small Blind turns over what he considers a comfortable 6-8 for two pair.  Now comes the big announcement.

"And our Big Blind Special today is the Steak Sauce Straight."

Our opponent understandably is stunned to see this, as are a few others at the table. (Others aren't really paying attention.)  Who could have possibly expected us to hit that jackpot?

ON THE TURN: 7

Now our opponent has better hopes of surviving with a full house - if a 6, 7 or 8 come.

ON THE RIVER: 9

Not quite.  He's out; we gain several hundred more chips.

We were above 33,000 chips at the first break - but this tournament had a record 121 entries, so there was a long way to go.  Good cards dried up in the second term, and we took a big loss when pocket Queens lost to an all-in opponent with a King who matched that card on the flop.  By the second break, we were in a danger zone -- about 13,000 chips with rising blinds and antes.

We said to ourselves during the break God would have to provide a third-hour comeback.  But we've seen it happen before -- and it did again!  Timely A-A gave us a big gain. Then A-10 beat A-8.  And A-K beat A-J. Our stack went back above 40,000 as the field whittled down.

Then came another slump -- but A-K brought us another big win as the field dropped to 12 players. That put us in the money, and minutes later we were at the final table with more than 100,000 chips!

We won another couple of pots at the final table, thinking about the first-place prize of nearly $1,900. But the casino's poker scoreboard also showed a "Chop Value" -- and with seven players left after more than five hours of play, there was talk of taking the chop. All the players voted for it, and we wound up with a record payday of $749!  (Seventh place would have paid $208.)

Considering several players in the tournament talked openly about entering a Heartland Poker Tour stop in the Kansas City area a few days later (which our work schedule did not allow), our finish felt especially gratifying. We were paid in casino chips -- and as we stacked them at the cashier's window, we said: "I've had a very, very, very good day!" Thanks to God for that!

MINISTRY MOMENT: We showed our "Lord's Supper" card protector to a man next to us during a break.  He told us he considered Jesus "a great man, a great teacher.... He certainly changed the world."

If that's your answer when it comes to Jesus, it sounds like a safe answer....

You call me "Teacher" and "Lord," and rightly so, for that is what I am. - John 13:13

But Jesus went on to show that's also a very incomplete answer. This section of the book of John is a "communion night" conversation between the Lord and his disciples -- and the Lord revealed much more about Himself.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

It might sound intolerant in 2015, but Jesus declared you cannot come to God the Father except through Him, the "Son of Man" (John 13:31).

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. - John 14:10

God was in Jesus as Jesus walked the earth - and somehow, Jesus was "in the Father." We think that means they were both God.

There's much more we could quote here. But we challenge you to read it for yourself. Go through John 13-17 and note carefully what Jesus says about Himself, and His relationship with God the Father. Your simple view of the Lord may become a lot deeper.

UPDATED POKER SCOREBOARD: 166 final tables in 451 games (36.8%) - 29 cashes.  That's three cashes in a row at poker tournaments, with total winnings a bit above $1,000!

If You're Slumping II

Our last post examined some of the options you might have, if you seem to be in an eternal losing streak at the poker.  You could leave.  You could learn from your mistakes.  But what else can you do?

3. Seek help from experts. A large number of books written by poker pros are available.  So are short "tips" classes online.  And really serious players might invest money in "boot camp" in-person with pros.

Of course, this option requires something from you - an admission that you need to be taught.  Not all poker players are willing to humble themselves like that.  But people who wrote the Bible did:

Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. - Psalm 119:33

Come to think of it: learning God's "decrees" will help you in the long run more than any poker boot camp.  You'll learn the proper way to conduct yourself, in the poker room and outside it.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. - Proverbs 3:1-2

4. Pray about it.  This admittedly seems like the strangest option of all.  People should pray about whether they should play poker?  Or even pray for God's help in succeeding??

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5

The fact that you're not sure what to do actually indicates you need wisdom to do the right thing.  God can help with that.... but....

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. - James 1:6

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Look to God for answers.  They may come from other people, circumstances or an in-depth look at the Bible.  But look for them in faith, and God can provide them.

May God help you to make wise decisions at all times - including the times when poker games don't seem to be going well.

Teaching Time

Did anyone teach you how to play poker?  Maybe it was your older brother or sister at the kitchen table.  Maybe it was a buddy in a poker room.  Maybe you went through an instructional book or video.

However it happened, we have a suggestion. Do NOT assume you know it all. Former World Series of Poker Main Event champ Jamie Gold once admitted on TV he still felt he had a lot to learn about the game.  He didn't say exactly what -- maybe strategy, maybe reading an opponent, maybe something else.

One of the nicest things we've heard people say about basketball legend Tim Duncan is that despite his stardom and championship rings, "he's willing to be coached."  We all need to be -- and not only in the fine points of poker:

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

The Bible suggests we grow in the "knowledge" of Jesus. We think that means not believing everything you've heard about Him, just because someone said it was so.  That even goes for church ministers, because we've found some of them might have personal or denominational agendas.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. - Acts 17:11

This verse comes from the early days of the Christian church, which had roots in the Jewish synagogue (verse 10).  The people in this city listened to what the apostle had to say -- but they went to the Bible (they only had the Old Testament at that time) to verify whether it was accurate.

Read through the Bible carefully, and you may find some surprises.  It's helped change our thinking over the years about going to poker rooms or casinos -- much less playing games there.

So tell us: what's the best piece of poker advice you ever received?  Who gave it, and how did it help you?  The comment box is open.

The Family That Plays

True confession: we've felt personally convicted for the last several days.  Not because we broke that rule at the poker table in Kansas City -- but because of a little message we heard at church about a big word:

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.... Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. - Romans 12:10, 13 (KJV)

Hospitality in the Bible often seems to refer to inviting people into your home - especially fellow believers.

When it comes to inviting fellow poker players, this can be a bit complicated.  Some people might only drop by for a cash game, where they can win money (and risk breaking local laws).  And to be honest, not that many poker players seem to be firm believers in God and Jesus Christ - firm as in word and action.

But before we heard that message at church, we did something else which might encourage to give a "home poker night" a try.  We went to a "Bonding Through Board Games" event in our city - designed to promote family togetherness by everyone playing together.

Some think board games are a dying tradition, in the era of computer games and "Words With Friends" apps.  This event was designed to bring it back.  There were no card games to play on this night, but we joined a man in a few rounds of "Mexican Train" dominoes.  We won two of the three rounds, but that's really not the point.

An evening of family poker (only using pretend chips, to keep it safe) can promote family togetherness.  And you might be able to use the occasion to provide teachable moments to children:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

Train them not only in the difference between a straight and a flush - but in the difference between good ethical conduct and bad unethical ways.  In other words, teach what's godly behavior and what is not.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. - II Peter 1:5-7 (KJV)

We admit we haven't done enough to be hospitable toward other people, in terms of opening our home to them.  In fact, we've concluded our living circumstances are so restricted that we might have to a place that's more open to outsiders.

If you pull out a card table or a dining table, you might find better relationships are built -- and opportunities to talk about the ways of God will open.