The Gambler

Chapter 6: Training

He sat there, waiting patiently for Elias to return, his attention repeatedly drawn to the woman moving gracefully around the room. Her movements were fluid, almost hypnotic, and he found it difficult to look away. Her curvy figure, accentuated by her swaying hips and the way she carried herself, exuded a seductive charm that left him momentarily spellbound.

He tried to shake off the thoughts swirling in his mind, but her presence was intoxicating. It was a close call when Elias finally walked in, snapping him back to reality.

"Hey, sir," he said, quickly standing up, his voice slightly unsteady.

"Oh, hey, sonny," Elias replied, dusting off his feet at the entrance. He slipped off his slippers and left them on the porch before stepping inside. "What brings you here?" he asked, his tone casual but curious.

"I... uh... well, I came to ask for a favour," he muttered, hesitating.

Elias raised an eyebrow, his expression puzzled. "A favour? What kind of favour?"

The young man took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "It’s not easy for me to say, but... I was hoping you could teach me. Tutor me in gambling and how to use Ki in it."

Elias paused, studying him for a moment before walking over to the zabuton cushion. He sat down, crossing his legs comfortably. "Is that so?" he said, his voice calm but probing.

"Yes," the young man replied, his voice firmer now. "It’s not something I’d normally ask, but... I need this."

Elias leaned back, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Well, I’d usually say I’ll think about it, but... you’re an interesting one. I’ll consider giving you some tips on gambling and how to channel Ki into your plays."

The young man, Bill, felt a wave of relief wash over him. But his curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn’t help but glance at the woman again. "Who is she?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Elias followed his gaze and chuckled. "Oh, her? That’s Clara, my daughter. She’s quite helpful, despite her age."

"Dadd!!" Clara exclaimed, her cheeks flushing as she playfully swatted at Elias’s shoulder. She was in her early thirties but looked far younger—her youthful face and radiant complexion could easily make her pass for someone in her mid-twenties. Her curves only added to the illusion, making her presence all the more striking.

Elias laughed softly, clearly amused by her reaction. "Alright, alright," he said, turning his attention back to Bill.

"Let’s get to it. You remind me of someone I used to gamble with someone I enjoyed playing against. That’s why I’m giving you this chance." He didn’t elaborate, but the hint of nostalgia in his voice suggested he was thinking of Bill's father.

Bill nodded, a sense of gratitude washing over him. For the first time in a long while, he felt understood. "Thank you," he said, his voice sincere.

Elias leaned forward, a knowing smile on his face. "Not bad for me, either," he said, his tone light but meaningful.

As the conversation continued, Clara’s eyes met Bill’s, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of something unspoken between them. She blushed slightly, quickly looking away, but not before Bill caught the subtle shift in her expression.

"Looks like I’ve got myself a prize," he murmured to himself, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

The tatami room was quiet, save for the faint rustle of the bamboo outside the sliding shoji doors. Moonlight filtered through the paper screens, casting a silvery glow over the low lacquered table where the three of them sat. The air was thick with the scent of sandalwood incense, its smoke curling lazily toward the wooden beams above. A deck of cards lay neatly stacked in the centre of the table, flanked by two small piles of chips. The room felt timeless, as if the outside world had ceased to exist.

Bill shifted uncomfortably on his zabuton cushion, his legs already starting to cramp. He wasn’t used to sitting cross-legged for so long. Across from him, Elias sat with the ease of a man who had spent years in such postures, his back straight but relaxed, his hands resting lightly on the table. His face was unreadable, his sharp eyes half-lidded, as if he were meditating rather than preparing for a game of poker. Between them sat Aiko, the dealer, her kimono a deep indigo that seemed to absorb the dim light. Her hands moved with a fluid precision as she shuffled the deck, the cards snapping crisply in the stillness.

“Before we begin,” Aiko said, her voice soft but carrying an authority that demanded attention, “let us go over the rules of five-card poker.” She paused, her dark eyes flicking between Bill and Elias. “The goal is simple: make the best five-card hand possible. The hands rank from high cards at the bottom to a royal flush at the top. I will deal each of you five cards, and then the betting will begin. You may fold, call, or raise depending on the strength of your hand. Do you understand?”

Bill nodded, though his stomach churned with a mix of excitement and anxiety. He had played five cards poker before, but only casually with friends, and never for real stakes. This felt different. The room, the atmosphere, the way Elias and Aiko carried themselves, and it all felt weighty, as if every decision he made would have consequences far beyond the game.

“What’s a royal flush again?” Bill asked, his voice betraying his nervousness.

Elias chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that seemed to fill the room. “Kid, a royal flush is the dream. Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all in the same suit. But don’t get your hopes up—it’s about as likely as finding a four-leaf clover in a bonsai garden.”

Aiko’s lips curved into a faint smile, but she said nothing, her attention already returning to the deck in her hands. She placed two small stacks of chips in front of Bill and Elias. “Ante up, please.”

Bill hesitated, glancing at Elias, who slid a small stack of chips into the centre of the table without a second thought. Bill followed suit, his hand trembling slightly as he pushed his chips forward. The clink of the chips against the wood seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet room.

Aiko dealt the cards with a practised grace, her movements almost hypnotic. Bill picked up his hand, holding the cards close to his chest. He glanced at them quickly: a Seven of Hearts, a Nine of Clubs, a Jack of Diamonds, a Three of Spades, and a King of Hearts. His heart sank. It wasn’t a terrible hand, but it wasn’t great either. He had no pairs, no straights, no flushes—just a king high. He glanced at Elias, who was studying his own cards with an unreadable expression.

“Bill,” Aiko said, pulling him out of his thoughts, “you are first to act.”

Bill swallowed hard. “Uh… I don’t know. What should I do?”

Elias leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied Bill. “Gambling isn’t just about the cards you’re dealt,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “It’s about reading the table. You’ve got a king high. That’s not great, but it’s not nothing. What’s more important is how you play it. You gotta make the other guy think you’ve got something, even when you don’t.”

Bill frowned, his mind racing. “But…" how?”

Elias smirked. “Watch and learn.” He slid a few chips into the pot. “Call.”

Bill hesitated, then matched Elias’s bet, his hand shaking as he pushed the chips forward. Aiko nodded, her expression unreadable.

“The draw,” Aiko said, her voice cutting through the tension. “Bill, how many cards would you like to replace?”

Bill panicked. “Uh… I'm not sure. What should I do?”

Elias leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing. “You’ve got two choices: you can hold onto what you’ve got and try to bluff your way through, or you can swap out a few cards and hope for something better. But remember, every card you swap is a clue for me. If you take three cards, I’m gonna assume you’re chasing something. If you take one, I might think you’re sitting on a pair or better.”

Bill chewed his lip, his mind racing. Finally, he said, “Okay… I’ll take two.”

Aiko nodded, collecting the two cards Bill discarded and dealing him with two new ones. Bill picked them up, his face lighting up slightly as he saw a Queen of Hearts and a Ten of Diamonds. His hand now: Queen, King, Jack, Ten, and Seven. It's still not great, but it's better.

Elias noticed Bill’s reaction and smirked. “Careful, kid. Your face is like an open book. You gotta keep it neutral, no matter what you’re holding.” He discarded one card and took one new one, his expression unreadable.

“Second round of betting,” Aiko said. “Bill, you’re first.”

Bill hesitated, then pushed a small stack of chips into the pot. “I’ll… raise?”

Elias raised an eyebrow. “Bold move. But you’re betting too small. If you’re gonna raise, make it count. Otherwise, you’re just giving me information.” He matched Bill’s bet and added more chips to the pot. “I’ll see your raise and raise you back.”

Bill’s eyes widened. He looked at his chips, then at Elias, then back at his cards. He was clearly out of his depth.

“What do I do now?” he whispered.

Elias leaned forward, his voice low. “Now you gotta decide if you’re willing to lose what’s in the pot or if you think you can win. But remember, kid, gambling isn’t just about the money. It’s about knowing when to walk away.”

Bill hesitated, then sighed and pushed his cards forward. “I fold.”

Elias chuckled, flipping over his cards to reveal a pair of Twos. “You had me beat, kid. I was bluffing.”

Bill stared in disbelief. “What? But… you raised!”

Elias shrugged. “Sometimes, the best hand is the one you convince the other guy you’ve got. That’s the art of gambling.”

Aiko collected the cards, her expression neutral, but there was a faint glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “Another round?”

Elias smirked. “What do you say, Bill? Ready to learn some more?”

Bill took a deep breath, his nervousness slowly giving way to determination. “Deal me in.”

The game continued, the tension in the room thickening with each hand. Elias guided Bill through the intricacies of betting, bluffing, and reading opponents, while Aiko dealt the cards with practised precision. By the end of the night, Bill’s stack of chips had dwindled, but his understanding of the game and the art of gambling had grown exponentially. And as the final hand was dealt, Elias leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face.

“You’re getting there, kid,” he said softly. “But remember: the house always wins in the end.”

Bill nodded, his eyes fixed on the cards in his hand, a newfound respect for the game, and the man teaching him etched on his face.