Halloween Poker Story
My name is Taro. I'm a solitary poker player. I've been in Vegas for three months, and I've managed to increase my funds nicely through cash games, giving me some breathing room. Yesterday, I won so much that the hotel offered me VIP treatment, probably trying to squeeze more money out of me. I accepted, figuring that keeping the casino happy was part of the job. They won't be able to use me as their cash cow! I'll squeeze them and the other players dry today!! Just as I was thinking that, there was a sudden knock on my door. (Who is it?) I wondered, but I opened the door anyway. Standing there was a girl in a black dress with small, black, bat-like wings. As soon as she saw me, she gave me a friendly look and asked, "Trick or treat!!" At first, I didn't understand what she was saying, but then I remembered it was Halloween. But why was this girl on the VIP-only floor of the hotel? Taro was confused. Then the girl started repeating, "Trick or treat!! Trick or treat!!" But Taro didn't have any candy. Then, suddenly, his smartphone alarm went off. It was the time for the cash game he'd promised to play with the wealthy Arab businessman he'd played with yesterday. "I'm sorry, I have an appointment, so I have to go..." Taro said, but the girl blocked his path, spreading her arms and repeating, "Trick or treat!!" What should I do...? he wondered, but he hardened his heart and forcefully left. He pushed past the girl who was chasing after him and forcibly got on the elevator that was stopped on the floor, heading to the casino floor.
He managed to arrive just in time for his appointment, and there were the players he'd played with in the cash game yesterday. Shortly after, the main guest, the wealthy Arab businessman, arrived. As soon as the Arab billionaire met Taro, he placed his hand on Taro's shoulder and said with a smile, but with a hint of resentment in his voice, "You got me yesterday. You're really good. But today, I'm going to win." Taro replied with a smile, "I was just lucky." But inside, he was thinking, (This fish! I'm going to hunt him down again today!!) As soon as they sat down at the table, the billionaire started with an aggressive raising bet. Exactly the same as yesterday. But Taro's hand was pocket Aces. (I've got it again today!) With that feeling, he triple re-raised, and the other players immediately folded. But the billionaire demanded an all-in. Taro snap-called. The opponent's hand was pocket threes. The billionaire's face turned pale. He was truly a fish. Just as Taro was thinking that, a three-of-a-kind was completed on the river. The billionaire rejoiced and started taunting Taro. "Wow, that was really lucky!! You were really lucky yesterday, maybe you used up all your luck yesterday?" And then he started laughing loudly. Taro was about to explode with anger at the irritating face and cheap taunts. But knowing that would be exactly what the opponent wanted, he praised him, "Nice hand! You're really lucky!" Taro felt something wasn't right today and tried to leave the table after losing all his chips. Then, the billionaire said to Taro, "Are you leaving already? The game has just begun!" "I have a feeling today isn't a good day." The image of the girl he had just left behind flashed through Taro's mind. Then, the billionaire said, "Did you run out of money? Or are you feeling anxious?" Before Taro could answer, the billionaire pushed the chips he had just won from the all-in bet back to Taro. "How about this? Let's start over. The previous game wasn't fair. I'd like to play against you more."
When Taro confirmed, "Are you sure?", the wealthy man asked again, with a displeased expression, "I said it's fine, so it's fine, right?! Or do you not want to?" Taro, feeling grateful for his willingness and the opportunity to recoup his losses, sat down at the table again.
Then, the wealthy man, as a promise, made the following proposals:
① The game must not end until I say it's okay or until I leave the table.
② Even if you run out of funds, I will lend you money. However, you must absolutely repay the amount you can repay immediately. I won't collect the excess amount in the worst-case scenario.
Taro, who had no intention of losing after the previous unfortunate incident, readily agreed and started the game. However, even when he got a good hand, even a nut hand by the turn, his opponent consistently beat him on the river, causing him to lose chips rapidly until he finally lost everything and had to borrow money from the wealthy man on the spot. "It's just bad luck. I should be able to win next time..." Thinking that, Taro continued to play. Trying to recoup his losses, he used bluffs appropriately and attacked aggressively, but only then did his opponent have a nut hand... "What's wrong, Taro? Have you really run out of luck? Or were you actually unskilled from the beginning?" The wealthy man questioned Taro, who was losing repeatedly, as if mocking him. An impulse of irritation... Against that impulse, Taro again requested a loan from the wealthy man for the entire amount of chips he could currently afford. Then, the wealthy man suggested, "Wouldn't it be better to stop?", but Taro didn't accept the suggestion and requested the loan, which the wealthy man agreed to.
(I'll definitely get it back) With that vow, Taro received a hand of Aces. While the other players checked, Taro, unusually driven by emotion, went all-in. The wealthy man called the all-in. Looking at his hand, it was a 96 offsuit. Not a hand you should go all-in with...
It was a whimsical all-in bet by the wealthy man who felt sorry for Taro's extreme bad luck. Taro was almost certain of victory, but the community cards revealed → 99666
The sheer string of bad luck and the timing of the final all-in bet, going from a full house to four of a kind... "This is cheating!! You're all in on it!!" Taro shouted, and started to rampage. The security guards, called by the dealer who pressed the emergency button, apprehended Taro.
From a distance, the girl in the black dress watched the scene with a faint smile on her face...
🆔tarou358
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