Although Uncle Qiu knew in his heart that the unspoken skirmish before the gambling began had ended with my victory, one must not lose face even if one loses.
Since it was a gambling match, the old saying still applied.
Winning first is not winning, losing last is losing!
So, after letting out a cold laugh, Uncle Qiu immediately said with disdain, "It's good for young people to have spirit, but don't end up being a mere silk pillow with a straw core!"
Upon hearing Uncle Qiu's words, I didn't bother to reply. Instead, I simply smiled noncommittally and said, "Enough with the nonsense! Since we're settling accounts, let's settle it with our hands!"
"Good! Well said, 'settle it with our hands'!"
"Since we've come this far, let's begin."
After signaling for a complete set of gambling tools to be brought to the table, Uncle Qiu pointed at the pile of gambling equipment and said, "To show fairness, it will be a best-of-three match."
"The most popular games here are Blackjack, Baccarat, and Stud Poker."
"You are the guest, so I'll let you choose. Whatever you want to play, we'll play!"
Upon hearing this, I waved my hand and replied, "No need to choose! Let's play one game of each of the three card games you just mentioned!"
Hearing my words, Uncle Qiu was first slightly stunned, and then he nodded gloomily and said, "Alright!"
Heh heh!
The old man wants to trick me? No way!
Although theoretically, a single card game, especially Baccarat which uses eight decks of cards, is relatively easier to cheat at, but...
Setting aside the fact that there are so many hidden cameras and spotlights in the room pointed at me, if I really chose a single card game, I wouldn't even have to think to know that I would have fallen into Uncle Qiu's trap.
This is because he wasn't actually asking me to choose, but rather using it as an opportunity to test what my most proficient card game was.
Besides this, there was the most important point.
Even if I didn't plan to cheat for now, it didn't mean Uncle Qiu wouldn't cheat!
Don't forget, this is Tianqi Tower, a legitimate casino, not a fair, just, and open arena!
Since I came here to challenge them, why would they play fair with me?
Everyone and everything in this room was not prepared for a fair duel between me and Uncle Qiu.
They were solely targeting me!
If I had believed Uncle Qiu's words, I wouldn't be a gambler, I'd be a fool!
Seeing that the gambling match had been decided, Lin Jiahuan immediately looked at me and said, "Since you've chosen the game, the rules will naturally be as the guest wishes! No problem?"
Hearing this, I shook my head slightly.
Such meaningless nonsense was as good as saying nothing.
Did he expect me to set the rules and have everyone listen to me?
As if intentionally wanting to display his dominance, Lin Jiahuan paced back and forth, and then said in a deep voice, "Three rounds, whoever wins two is the victor!"
"During these three rounds, you can choose to cheat or use other methods of deception, but..."
"As soon as you are caught, you will be declared the loser, and the game will be immediately stopped!"
"Of course, if you can catch Uncle Qiu cheating, that counts as your win!"
"Do you have any objections to these rules?"
After stubbing out his cigarette, I directly shook my head and replied, "No."
What kind of nonsense is this?!
Catching a Lin family member cheating on the Lin family's turf? Wouldn't that be an insult to you, Young Master Lin?
If I actually caught him, would you let me leave!?
"Good! Since you have no objections, to highlight our Lin family's respect for you, my younger sister, Lin Xinyu, will act as the dealer and deal the cards!"
"I can swear as the eldest son of the Lin family that my sister does not understand sleight of hand, nor is she from your gambling circles!"
"If you don't believe me, then I'll find someone else..."
Before Lin Jiahuan could finish, I directly raised my hand to interrupt him: "No need! I believe you! Let's begin!"
As if incredulous at my decisive answer, after a pause of about three to four seconds, Lin Jiahuan glared at me fiercely, and then beckoned Lin Xinyu over.
Seeing this, I smiled indifferently.
Do you really think I don't understand your schemes?
One retreats to advance, the other advances to retreat!
Truly, if you're not family, you don't enter the same door!
Lin Jiahuan and that Uncle Qiu are of the same ilk, constantly probing me indirectly with various tests.
Unfortunately, not only did I not take the bait, but I also made them both suffer setbacks in turn.
Walking slowly to the gambling table, Lin Xinyu smiled and said to me and Uncle Qiu, "I'm just here to play a supporting role, so if I deal the cards poorly later, please don't blame me!"
After saying this, Lin Xinyu winked playfully.
After the staff prepared the gambling tools, Lin Xinyu directly took out a brand new deck of Bee playing cards from the card dispenser, and opened it in front of everyone.
After spreading the cards flat on the table for everyone to see, she exchanged a subtle glance with her elder brother Lin Jiahuan and said with feigned professionalism, "You two may inspect the cards. However, please remember not to touch the cards."
Seeing this, I'm sure some people will ask, why bother with such a fuss about inspecting newly opened cards, like in the movies?
If you really want to inspect the cards, what tricks can you find?
Those who ask such questions have likely never suffered losses, been deceived, or fallen for tricks at the gambling table.
I've said it many times that gambling is nine out of ten times fraudulent, so I won't waste more words.
Do you remember what I said before? Casinos don't fear you not gambling, they fear you not coming to gamble! As long as you dare to come, they have plenty of ways to make you lose!
Even the gods lose when they gamble for too long!
The beautiful hostesses I mentioned earlier, as well as the shills at the tables with a commission, are all tactics used by casinos to deal with casual players.
The tricks used to deal with casual players and those used to deal with professional gamblers are different.
Illusion and reality, reality and illusion.
Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth.
Every seemingly insignificant detail can actually hide a hidden mechanism.
Inspecting cards, though seemingly ordinary, actually contains great depth.
You must know that a professional gambler inspecting cards doesn't just look to see if it's the four suits from A to K, and if all 52 cards are there.
A professional gambler inspects each of the 52 cards, from the front to the back, and then from the back to the four sides.
Every side of every card, from front to back, must be meticulously examined.
Length or width, big or small, thick or thin...
Especially the back of the cards, where the most elaborate tricks can be played, is the most crucial part of the inspection.
Our ancestors had an old saying: "Drowning happens to those who can swim!"
Gamblers who dare to challenge are confident high-level players with excellent sleight of hand.
However, it is often these very people who flip over the most.