After the call, Gu Jingjing began dealing the cards.
The cigar man received an Ace. With an Ace, Jack, and another Ace forming his hand, he was aiming for a straight.
The female player, referred to as OL woman, received a 2. Combined with the 3 and 5 already dealt, her hand formed the weakest possible straight in Zhi Jin Hua, a 2-3-5.
Her delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed, and her expression turned quite cold.
Not only were her single cards small, but what was even more infuriating was the combination. The best possible hand she could form was a low-end 2-to-6 straight, which was completely outmatched by the cigar man's hand, effectively being crushed.
If she couldn't even form a 2-to-6 straight and instead got a pair with any of her cards, her hand would be completely useless.
Therefore, I deduced that unless the last card was also a flat bet, the OL woman would likely fold if anyone raised the stakes.
When it was my turn, I received a decent card, the 7 of Hearts.
At this point, my three visible cards were an 8, a 6, and a 4. Combined with the Ace as my hole card, all five cards were Hearts, forming a flush.
Honestly, I never expected to get a flush starting with a hidden Ace and a visible 8.
And the cost incurred so far was minimal, almost negligible!
For a cheat, this is the ideal hand in Showdown!
The first four cards were exactly what I wanted, and no matter what the dealer dealt as the last card, it was all mine for the taking.
With my flush, the other two players were waiting to buy a straight. If I were ruthless, I would go all-in, just waiting for someone to take the bait.
But I always felt that this flush had come too easily.
Good luck was one thing, but how could it be that even my opponents were betting low, waiting for me to call?
As the saying goes: "When things are abnormal, there must be a ghost!"
When playing cards at the gambling table, it's not about spotting problems; the most abnormal thing is not spotting them!
Just like the situation I'm in now.
If I were to definitively say there's a problem, I genuinely can't pinpoint where it lies.
But if I were to say there's no problem, then due to my vigilance as a cheat, and the games of wits developed through countless rounds with opponents...
My intuition tells me that this situation is definitely problematic!
As I was thinking this, the cigar man made his bet, two hundred thousand.
Compared to the previous ten thousand and fifty thousand bets, the cigar man's two hundred thousand chip bet was a significant increase, but I still felt something was amiss.
In the treacherous world of gambling, if you spot a problem but can't figure out what it is, then stop thinking!
That problem likely has something to do with you!
To break through, one must first enter the game; to cheat, one must first cheat oneself.
With this thought, the puzzle that had been troubling my mind was almost instantly solved.
As a flash of inspiration struck, I had figured out the reason behind the cigar man's unusual behavior.
Clarifying my thoughts, I directly scooped up the long strip chip from the pile in front of me and threw it into the pot.
"One million!"
My bet of one million meant that after the two hundred thousand bet, I was adding another eight hundred thousand.
Those who hadn't called yet could simply place a million chips on the table to match.
Those who had already called and chose to continue would need to cover the remaining amount.
After I placed my bet, it was the OL woman's turn.
After observing the cigar man's hand earlier, the OL woman decisively chose to fold.
Seeing this, the cigar man pretended to ponder for a moment, then let out a cold snort before adding another eight hundred thousand chips to the table.
At this moment, Gu Jingjing began dealing the last hole card.
Once the hole card was in hand, the cigar man intentionally or unintentionally pressed his palm tightly against the back of the card, as if afraid of others seeing his hand.
I also took the opportunity to look at my card, using my hole card to scoop up the hidden card. Simultaneously, I supported my elbows on the table, interlocking my fingers, almost completely covering the hidden card.
Frankly, according to my usual way of looking at cards, I would never do this.
But to deceive the cigar man, making him believe I had fallen into the trap without realizing it, I deliberately acted with full immersion.
As the hidden card was slowly revealed, a conspicuous 5 of Spades appeared.
Without the Hearts, I couldn't form a flush. Without a flush, I couldn't beat the cigar man's straight.
Thinking of this, I subconsciously glanced at the cigar man.
Judging solely by his appearance, the cigar man, adorned with a thick gold chain and gold rings, looked more like a nouveau riche tycoon.
But as the saying goes, you can't judge a person by their appearance, nor the sea by a single bucket!
My intuition told me that the cigar man was a master of disguise, a highly skilled cheat whose abilities far surpassed that of the purple-haired woman who had been eliminated earlier.
If I'm not mistaken, he must have memorized the card order, or he could recognize the Bee playing cards specially processed for casinos, with their uniquely cut edges.
If it's the first possibility, it means this cigar man's eyesight and memory are superior to mine, having figured out Gu Jingjing's shuffling technique in just three rounds.
If it's the second possibility, it proves that the other party's identity is quite significant, at least at the level of a manager in a large casino.
To minimize the probability of guests cheating, every major casino racks its brains and goes to great lengths with their playing cards.
I can't guarantee other places, but at least in Macau, the well-known large casinos have slightly adjusted the cut lines on the backs of the Bee playing cards produced by their specially contracted manufacturers.
Laymen might not see the trick, but true insiders, given enough time to find the pattern, can identify all 52 cards!
The cigar man's decision to make his move in this round indicates that he has made all the necessary preparations, and he is absolutely confident.
In this case, regardless of which possibility it is, I will be in a very dangerous situation.
Not switching cards means losing; switching cards might lead to being exposed.
Even if the cigar man can't catch me red-handed, if he directly points out that the card is problematic and asks Gu Jingjing to verify it, I will still be under suspicion.
After careful consideration, I decided to reveal my hole card first and see the cigar man's reaction.
Instead of revealing the actual 5 of Spades, I mimicked the eliminated purple-haired woman and played a bluff, revealing the Ace of Hearts.
As for the 5 of Spades, I still kept it covered under my palm on the table.
Fortunately, to bait the cigar man into the game, I hadn't revealed the back of the card on the table since I received the 5 of Spades.
If he had seen it, he would have immediately made a large bet or even gone all-in!
...
Seeing my complete hand revealed, the cigar man's brow immediately furrowed...