Poker’s complexity is infinite, so you can’t ever stop learning. If you see your opponent do something interesting, note it down, ponder it, and consider trying it yourself in the future. Keep an open mind and your opponents’ wallets will open as well.

In a poker tournament, there was no draw for first place, no second chance, and no mercy. A winner was fated to emerge as the blinds increased to unendurable limits. Joey and Richard both knew this. Despite their best attempts to rely on their skills, the blinds became large enough to constrict their breathing. Patience was no longer an indulgence either could afford.

"I'm all-in." Joey made his move.

Richard glanced down at his cards and nodded. "Call."

They flipped their cards over before the flop was dealt in a show of respect.

Joey had [A♦ J♠].

Richard had [8♠ 8♥].

It was a coin flip.

As the dealer dealt out the flop, the two of them stared hard at the board. Joey was the one all-in, but their chip stacks were close to equal. This hand would determine the victor.

The flop came [2♠ T♣ Q♥]. Richard was ahead with his pair, but Joey picked up a gutshot straight draw; A king would give him a straight to the ace. A jack or ace would also give him a higher pair.

The turn came [2♠ T♣ Q♥ A♠]. Joey hit his card! A pair of aces! He was now a massive favorite!

To win, Richard could only hit two cards in the deck: an 8♣ or 8♦. Two out of 44 cards. His odds were abysmal!

Joey breathed a sigh of relief while Richard shook his head.

That turn card was huge, but in poker, it's never over until the river.

The dealer dealt the last card.

...8♦.

Joey and Richard peered at the board to make sure it what was they thought.

[2♠ T♣ Q♥ A♠ 8♦]

So it was...

Richard hit one of his miracle two outs! A come from behind three of a kind! He won the tournament!

Joey's sigh of relief became a sigh of disappointment.

Richard chuckled. He glanced at Joey, "Got a little lucky…Sorry kid."

Joey shook his head. "No. The odds only matter when the money goes in. It was a coin flip. No one can complain."

Nodding in appreciation, Richard felt Joey was very mature for his age. He smiled. "Win or lose. You played great. I can't remember the last time I played such a tough match here." He held his hand out.

Joey shrugged. "You didn't give me much of a choice. If I made one mistake, you wouldn't have let it slip. Thanks. Today I learned how much I still have to learn in this game. It was an eye-opener." He shook Richard's hand.

When their hands met, the two shared a similar thought, 'This won't be the last I'll see of him.'

Richard asked, "Will you play in the New York Poker Championships?"

Joey nodded. "My bankroll should be a safe size to enter that now."

"Well, I'll be seeing you there then…"

Joey smiled. "Likewise, though I hope you catch a bad beat there before we play a hand so I'll have one less difficult opponent."

"Tch…cheeky brat." Richard chuckled, but knew Joey was kidding…in part.

3300, that's was the prize for second place was. Deducting his 500 buy-in, Joey took home 2800. It was a huge weekend for him!

His bankroll was almost 30,000 now. This weekend alone, Joey increased his bankroll by almost 50%! His heart beat faster when he thought about it. In only a couple of months, a kid who couldn't even afford lunch for a few dollars ran up a 100 dollar bill into 30k…

Pride welled up in his heart. He may have been worthless before, and he still wasn't any type of productive member of society, but one thing was for sure—-he was good at taking money from productive members of society!

'That's enough for me! I only care about eating well!' His standards weren't high to begin with! Morality? Being upstanding? If you could afford a slice of square pizza, Joey didn't care about your opinion!

He collected the slip for his winnings from the tournament staff. As he walked on the patterned carpet to the cage, he rubbed the paper in his hands, reading it. "New Year's Special Tournament - 2nd place."

'Second place...' It wasn't bad at all, second out of 38, but Joey wanted to win. Money was still his primary concern, but something else sprouted in his heart—a desire for glory. Second didn't cut it for him.

His next step was clear, the grander New York Poker Championships Main Event. It wasn't for several months which gave him time to work on his skills. Richard showed him how much he was lacking in various departments. He would need to fill those gaps. In two months, he'd come back smarter, more experienced, sharper, and with a more refined greed for money...

However, this journey would have to start later, because Joey almost crashed into a waitress after collecting his winnings. Post-ability exhaustion struck!

Before, he was already running on the fumes of the poker chips but didn't know it. Being in such an enjoyable match, his adrenaline and dopamine were firing on all cylinders, but now his brain needed a rest from overheating.

He stumbled back to the elevator and then to his room like a zombie. Entering, he didn't even have the energy to take off his clothes as he collapsed into the bed and buried his head into the soft pillows. 'Ah, this is ecstasy…' were the last words in his mind as he plunged into a deep slumber.

The only one happier than him was the owner of the two pillows. Ellie smiled down at Joey as he laid on her chest. She stroked his hair with a gentle touch, even bring a strand up to her nose to enjoy his familiar scent. 'Ah, the smell of the poker room...'

Degenerates wore degenerates' cologne! It was as effective at attracting other degenerates as it was at repelling everyone else!

For Joey and Ellie, this was a weekend they would remember for the rest of their lives. It was full of happy memories and new beginnings, of promises and accomplishments, of powerful feelings and strong attachments. They couldn't ask for a better start to the new year.

Alas, good things never last.