Chapter 28: You Have AK and You Dare Not Go All-In?
After several rounds, Vivian had clearly grown more cautious.
She began to observe the community cards, and although her judgnt was still that of a novice, she no longer placed reckless bets. A few tis, thanks to what one might call beginner’s luck, she had drawn decent hands, won so chips back, and even made a small profit.
That was enough to make her lift her chin proudly. It was only a trivial little ga. How could she possibly lose?
Eve, on the other hand, played in an entirely different style.
From beginning to end, she had spoken no unnecessary words and shown no expression whatsoever. Her opponents could glean nothing from her face; they could not tell whether she held good cards or bad.
She folded quickly as well. Often she would discard her hand imdiately upon seeing it, or at most wait until the community cards were revealed before folding. Steady to an almost exaggerated degree—though not truly explosive.
Because of this, her chip count had barely changed. She was waiting.
Waiting for the perfect tiline.
Half an hour into the ga, Vivian was honestly growing restless. Her conservative play had resulted in repeated small wins and losses. It was dull.
Then a new hand was dealt.
Vivian received the Ace of spades and the King of spades.
AK in hand, and suited.
She struggled to control her expression, yet her shoulders trembled faintly.
Eve glanced at her in silence, wondering why the child suddenly seed so animated.
She then looked at her own hole cards. It took only a brief glance to reach a decision. Her fingertips tapped lightly against her chips.
The flop was revealed: Five of spades, Ten of spades, Five of diamonds.
The betting began. After a few players called or folded, it was Vivian’s turn.
She considered for a mont. With suited cards and at the very least a strong Ace-high, she raised confidently.
Then it was Eve’s turn.
Up until now, she had hardly acted, causing both the other players and Vivian to overlook her presence. But this ti, she calmly pushed all her chips forward.
“All in.”
The pressure spiked instantly.
Vivian and the players yet to act all whipped their heads toward her.
All in? On the first betting round?
Vivian was utterly stunned.
All in? On what grounds?
She looked again at her Ace-King of spades. There was no reason to fear. It was, after all, a ga for the brave.
Her mind raced, but rules and probabilities were still unfamiliar territory.
She looked at Eve again, trying to detect a crack in her composure. Yet Eve simply gazed at the center of the table, perfectly calm.
Damn it… If you have strong cards, why do you not react at all?!
The remaining players grumbled and folded one after another.
Now only Vivian had to decide.
Call and go all in—if she lost, she would be left with nothing.
Fold—and surrender a premium hand while forfeiting what she had already invested.
“Young Miss,” Eve said softly, “it is your turn.”
“Do not rush !”
Vivian felt flustered. That reminder only heightened the pressure.
Under everyone’s gaze, she gripped her Ace-King tightly. Pride urged her to call.
Retreat? From her?
She wanted to win. Yet her intuition whispered caution. Eve’s earlier ambiguous half-truths resurfaced in her thoughts.
She had not played aggressively before. Suddenly going all in ant she must have sothing strong.
After a long pause and careful deliberation, Vivian finally forced out three words.
“I fold…”
She placed the Ace of spades and King of spades face up on the table. They seed to mock her montary cowardice.
Eve did not even glance at them. She waited for the bald dealer’s signal, then calmly revealed her own hole cards.
Two of diamonds.
Seven of clubs.
Offsuit. Possibly the worst starting hand at the table.
“What?” Vivian froze, then sprang to her feet, the chair legs scraping loudly against the floor.
“Two and seven?! You went all in with that?!”
The players around the table stared in shock—then burst into roaring laughter.
The bald man laughed so hard his cigarette nearly fell from his mouth. “Hahaha—brilliant! Scaring off Ace-King with garbage. Little girl, your maid has sothing in her!”
Vivian ground her teeth and glared at Eve, who now held the entire pot. Her face was flushed. Surely she had fallen in love—why else would her cheeks burn so red?
Amid the laughter, Eve calmly collected the chips and exchanged them for banknotes. Only then did she turn to Vivian, her crimson eyes devoid of emotion.
“Thank you, Young Miss.”
“Are you joking?!”
It was not about the money.
It was that she had lost to her. In such a humiliating way—by voluntarily folding.
She could not comprehend it. “How did you dare?”
“It is a ga for the brave. Besides, it was Young Miss’s money. I felt no psychological burden.”
“…Are you implying that I am a coward?”
“You misunderstand, Young Miss.” Eve tilted her head slightly, eting her indignant gaze. “Shall I return all the winnings to you?”
“Is this about the money? Do you think I care about that?!” Vivian turned her head away stubbornly from the thick stack of banknotes offered to her. “Hmph! I am not playing anymore. It is boring!”
There she goes again.
Eve glanced at the unaccepted money in her hand, then at Vivian’s puffed-cheek profile. When the latter was not looking, she let out a quiet, helpless chuckle.
She sorted Vivian’s remaining money together with her own winnings and made no move to continue playing. Nodding slightly at the bald man, she said, “That will be all.”
The bald man smacked his lips in disappointnt but did not stop them. “Co again, Miss… Maid.”
Eve did not respond. She stepped beside Vivian and lowered her voice. “Young Miss, shall we look elsewhere?”
Vivian gave a sharp “hmph” and walked straight toward the tavern exit without looking back. The lingering laughter behind her seed to urge her to leave the place where she had both lost face and learned a lesson.
…
Tap, tap, tap…
Outside the tavern, Vivian’s back radiated anger. She walked quickly, her red hair beneath the veiled hat seeming ready to flare.
Eve followed silently, parasol in hand.
Suddenly, Vivian turned into a side alley.
Eve stopped, watching.
Monts later, Vivian reappeared and stood before her, hands on hips, lips pouting.
“Why did you not tell
it was a dead end?!”
Eve had barely begun to say “Young—” when she was cut off.
“You did it on purpose, did you not?! You knew I had good cards!”
“Yes,” Eve admitted boldly. Her tone was apologetic, but her posture remained composed. “That hand caused Young Miss embarrassnt.”
Vivian had not expected such direct acknowledgnt. Her anger stalled.
“You knew it embarrassed ? You were so brave going all in with two and seven. Did you ever think how I would feel?”
Eve paused. “It was my oversight. I failed to consider Young Miss’s dignity. I apologize.”
Her apology was simple and devoid of emotion.
The anger lodged in Vivian’s chest faltered for reasons she could not explain.
She clicked her tongue and looked away, staring at moss growing along the alley wall.
“Just saying sorry… what use is that?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)