Often, most of your daily winnings will come from one big hand. Most of your monthly winnings will come from one big day. Most of your yearly winnings will come from one big week. Watch for the times when you’re playing excellently, your opponents are playing poorly, and luck has been on your side. That’s the time to turn it up a notch and aim for a big result.

It was his biggest win since Joey started playing poker. After Richard left, the game became even better. The tilted players remained on tilt, yet there was less competition. With his huge chip stack, Joey got to work.

By the end of the night, he won 6000. It equaled busting 2/3 of the table. At that point, his opponents weren't poker players anymore, they were ATM machines. The only reason Joey quit was that it was New Year's Eve and he made plans with Ellie.

Joey and Ellie were eating dinner at a steakhouse chatting about the games today. He told her about the interesting opponent he ran into.

"You said his name is Richard and he played 25-50?" Ellie asked.

Joey nodded.

"He isn't a tourist. He plays here often in the biggest games. During this time of the year, there are many unknown players and tourists though. I guess he thought many players wouldn't recognize him so he put on an act. It's an excellent tactic. I should try it sometime."

Joey pictured his pretty girlfriend walking into a poker room full of men, wobbling drunk. 'Yea...that won't end well.' He changed the subject before she had any more bad ideas. "Have you played in that 25-50 game?"

"No, it doesn't run often, only on big nights like this."

Joey asked, "Is that your next step after 10-20?"

Ellie looked down as she spun her fork in her food. "Next step? I don't know…I don't really think about it much. I'm happy that I'm making enough to have a roof over my head. I don't have great poker ambitions…What about you?"

Joey thought about it. "I need to finish school. Meanwhile, I'll keep building my bankroll. I should have enough now to help my mom out. My goal is to get a result in the New York Poker Championships Main Event. After that, we'll see."

"…So you've decided to play in that."

Joey nodded. "My bankroll's big enough to take a shot."

"I won't take it easy on you!" Ellie joked.

Joey made an evil grin and stared in her eyes. "Be careful. I'll get revenge in the worst ways. Bad girls get spanked."

"Tch…" she looked away and blushed.

Joey questioned, "Is there anything you want to do this year?"

Ellie's eyes became like stars. "Bronx Zoo! New York Aquarium!" She rattled off a list of animal-related locations.

"You plan to buy exotic animal hats in the gift shops, don't you?"

Ellie put on her best poker face. She didn't respond. She only looked at Joey as if saying, "You can't stop me…No one can stop me…I can't stop me."

Joey made a mental note of those places so he could take her for future dates, but he planned to take elaborate routes around the gift shops. This girl's hat problem was bordering on the brink of insanity. "Is there anything else you really want this year?"

Ellie stirred her spoon in her French onion soup. The luscious aroma drifted to her nose, but she didn't realize because she was lost in thought. "...No," she lied without knowing. She drank a spoonful, alleviating her stomach, but doing nothing for the hunger of her heart.

Joey watched on, feeling her loneliness. Ellie's family situation wasn't any less complicated than his. She was a boat without an anchor, drifting out at sea, but there wasn't much he could do...because his lighthouse was long destroyed.

Joey changed the subject. "I wonder what everyone from Angelo's is doing now…"

"They're here," Ellie said.

"Huh? Where?"

Ellie laughed and said in a mysterious tone, "You'll see later."

The two finished their dinner and walked around the casino a bit. There were people everywhere gambling, laughing, and most of all—drinking. Joey didn't like to drink but this kind of atmosphere called for it. "Wait here a second," he told Ellie. Joey went into one of the casino bars. A minute later he came out with two champagne glasses, handing one to her.

"How'd you get it?" she asked. Even though the gambling age in this casino was 18. The minimum drinking age everywhere in the USA was still 21.

"I came prepared."

"…Do you have a fake ID?"

"Sort of." Joey showed Angelo's ID. He snatched it from his office before leaving.

Ellie looked at it. "This says you're 43."

Joey shrugged. "I guess I'm mature for my age." In reality, the bartenders were too busy tonight to keep careful tabs on stuff like that.

The two drank as they walked to the Event Room of the casino. Every year, there was a big event here during New Year's Eve which included concerts and various shows. Joey had gotten two tickets for them. As they entered, they discovered the inside was packed.

A show was starting on stage. Joey moved forward to get a better view. A spotlight shone onto the stage, attracting the attention of everyone in the dark hall. It stopped on a woman with a top hat and an old-fashioned tuxedo, holding a microphone and a cane. She had her head down and remained motionless as all eyes gathered on her, building tension. After a few seconds, she looked up. Her monocle reflected under the spotlight, giving her a unique aura.

"Ladieeeeess annndd geeenttttlemen! I welcome you on this festive night to view a grand spectacle!"

Joey squinted. 'That voice…' He thought he recognized the voice, but was still far from the announcer so he couldn't see her well. He brought Ellie closer to the stage.

He reached a spot near the stage as the announcer continued, "Now! The feat you've all been waiting to see!"

Joey's jaw dropped. "Why is it her?!?" He stared at the announcer while Ellie giggled at the side.

Destiny always brings enemies together! It was Amy!

Joey didn't understand how this girl operated. 'Is she moonlighting as a circus announcer? Wtf?'

Ellie had a bright smile, clapping at the show to show her support.

Two stagehands came out from behind the curtain, rolling out a massive instrument. It was a giant black metal cannon! They positioned it on one side of the stage. It faced a humongous white paper with a red circular target some distance away.

Amy continued. "Soaring through the sky, he laughs in the face of death! Will today be another successful flight? Or will he crash down to Earth in a flaming ball like Icarus?!? He is ready to take flight so we will find out now! Feast your eyes on the voyage! Of the one! The only! Cannon Boy!"

Amy marched behind the cannon. She took a flaming torch in her hand and lit the cannon fuse. The sparks crawled up, inching closer and closer to the cannon's body.

Joey's eyes grew wide. 'Is there a human in there?' He was confident it hadn't been legal to shoot people from cannons for many decades now…

*Drum* *Drum* *Drum* *Drum*

The sound of barrelling drums reverberated through the arena as the fuse became shorter and shorter. Every member of the audience held their breath as the final moment came…

Joey and Ellie gazed in anxious anticipation at the scene…

3 feet left on the fuse…

2 feet…

1…

*BOOM!*

A man with goggles in shiny silver spandex shot out of the cannon at breakneck speed! He soared in an arc while staring at his target with fierce determination! The wind pushed his cheeks back, making them flap back and forth as he cut through the sky! There could be no failure! For he was…Cannon Boy!

"Oh my god! Is that Anwar?!?" Joey shouted. "IS THAT WHAT SHE'S BEEN TRAINING HIM FOR?!?"

Anwar flew with supreme confidence. He believed in his training. He believed in his teacher. That was until he watched the target pass by to his left…

Anwar's eyes popped out of his head. He didn't train hard enough for this!

Watching this slight landing miscalculation, Amy breathed a sigh of relief that she set up the backup plan beforehand. "Escape!" She tiptoed behind the curtains, heading towards the fire exit.

Pedro was standing with a champagne glass in his hand, with eyes full of optimism. This was going to be his year! He knew it! Then he heard a scream and looked up...as Anwar crashed into him.

…There's always next year.

At that moment, confetti rained down from the ceiling, floating through the air, and covering everyone below. It was supposed to drop at midnight. Shocked from the show's accident, someone backstage had pulled the wrong lever.

The auditorium was dead silent for an entire minute. Everyone wondered, 'Is this funeral confetti?'