Volume 29, No.22                                     
June 6, 2004

Card Tricks

   In poker, your face is as vital as your hand.

   So says Mike Caro, a professional poker player who says psychology is the wild card that separates the pros from the pretenders.  Calling himself the “Mad Poker Genius”, Caro claims all weak players exhibit “tells” or unconscious reflexes that betray what kind of hand they have.  Those overtures will tell you how to win.

   According to Caro, everything comes down to the Strong When Weak principle: players with lousy hands subconsciously act more aggressively while those with strong cards become more calm. That would make spotting a winning hand easy, except that good poker players know how to fake a “tell”.  Still, there are some basic things to look for.

   Caro says a player who lets out a sad sigh during a bet usually has a good hand. The same goes for players who get their cards then glance away from the table, which is often a way of trying to hide their excitement.  Another sign of a great hand is what Caro calls “pokerclack”, a soft, clucking sound made by players stifling the anticipation that comes with holding winning cards.  Players who fondle their chips are also sitting pretty.  It’s usually a sign they’re raring to place their bets.

   A mild case of the jitters is yet another telltale sign of a strong hand. Though some players misread the shakes as a sign their opponent is nervous and afraid of losing, most bluffers are rock-steady. Jittery players almost always have big cards and are having trouble containing their excitement.  

   When the chips are down, players in trouble often stare down an opponent, get unusually quiet, or hold their breath and go slightly rigid.  By the same token, when a talkative player starts babbling nonsense during a bet, it’s likely a sign that normal conversation was disrupted by a bad hand and he or she doesn’t want to stop talking and give away the situation.  A bluffing bettor is also more prone to throw down a poker chip with an added bit of flamboyance.  It’s a defiant cover for lousy cards.

   In life, as in poker, things aren’t always what they seem.  Some who appear to be holding all the good cards are riddled with fears, doubts and deep-seated insecurities.  They bluff their way through with boasting and bravado, overcompensating for weakness by using unbridled ambition to stare down and tear down opponents.  Rigid and reserved, or extravagant to a fault, the fakers focus on hocus-pocus to ease the inner emptiness. That’s no excuse for bad behaviour, but it explains much of what lies at the heart of sin. No wonder Jesus told his disciples to fill their inner selves with good and godly things.

   On the other extreme, some who constantly point to their problems are bluffing, too. They revel in the pity that replaces the need for personal responsibility and reasonable progress. While decrying the hand God has dealt them, they cash in on the time and attention of those who naively spare them the exercise of faith and effort that would make them well.
 
  In Christianity, too, everything comes down to the Strong When Weak principle, but there’s no fakery involved. In 2 Corinthians 12,  Paul talks about his need to stay humble amid God’s many blessings. “I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life,”  he says (v.6).  No poker face there.  Instead, he describes asking God to take away an unspecified problem that brought him continual torment. “My gracious favour is all you need,”  the Lord replied.  “My power works best in your weakness.” (v.9)   

   His power works best in our weakness because helplessness makes us see what’s really important and forces us to rely solely on Him. Once we truly understand that Christ is in control, we lose the need to pretend or impress.  Yes, the stakes are high but the game is already won and our prize awaits the playing of the final hand.  So be glad!  Whatever the cards you hold, Christ will raise you and see you.

By Rick Gamble, published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the Followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications.  To subscribe, contact sgamble@bfree.on.ca