The Ultimate Bet

or all Ignis knew, Jim already had a flush. Ignis would do the calculations: 12 cards dealt left 40 in the deck. Jim showed three hearts, so there were nine hearts left. Even if both of Ignis’ down cards were hearts, that left seven hearts in the deck. So Ignis would know that Jim had a 5.5 to one chance of having the flush. Plus, there was the one down card left to be dealt.

And Jim’s raise indicated that he was holding the flush or had four hearts and looking for the fifth.

Let’s try a little finesse, Jim thought. “I check.”

Ignis bet $10,000 and Jim raised to $30,000.

“Nice move,” the devil said and called. “You aren’t trying to buy this pot, are you, Mr. Steadman. Or are you betting on the come?”

Jim smiled. “Nice try. But you won’t get a read on me.”

“I thought not. So, I’ll just call.”

Jim dealt the last card down and didn’t even look at it. This was it. Now or never. He pushed all of his chips into the pot.

“I’m all in.”

Ignis hesitated and rubbed his index finger over his mustache. His eyes tightened and seemed almost to gaze into Jim’s brain. Jim’s mouth was dry, his tongue a piece of sandpaper, but he returned an unblinking stare.

“Quite a bet, Mr. Steadman. Did you sandbag me to suck me in or to push me out?”

Ignis fiddled with his chips and seemed ready to throw them into the pot. Jim’s heart pounded so hard he thought the devil might hear it. Jim wouldn’t even lick his parched lips because it could make him look nervous.

Pulling on his ear, the devil studied Jim’s cards. “Well, I have no hearts and you’ve certainly been bet-ting like you have that flush.” He hesitated a moment. “If I fold will you let me see your cards?”

“I never do that,” Jim said flatly. “And, as I said, you’re not going to get a read on me.”

“All right,” the devil responded, and reached for his chips, keeping an eye on Jim’s face.

But he folded his cards and threw them away. “Well played, Mr. Steadman.”