Poker is the great equalizer. It doesn’t care where you were born, who your mommy or daddy is, or how you look. When you sit down at that table, the only things separating you from anyone else are your skill and your will.

Craig’s shocked face morphed into a menacing smirk, “I see you broke open the piggy bank. That’s good, I could use more pocket change. Set it up!” Everyone cleared the table as Joey and Craig prepared to play heads up alone.

This development stunned Matt. He went over to Joey’s ear and whispered, “Bro, don’t fall for his trash talk. Craig hosts a poker game at his house every weekend. He’s been playing longer than everyone here.”

Joey responded, “Thanks but I know what I’m doing.”

Matt could only shake his head because he saw Joey wouldn’t listen. So he encouraged him, “Good luck bro.”

Craig’s friends talked trash on the side while preparing chips.

“Does this newbie even know how to play? This kid’s about to get wrecked!”

“Where’d he even get that cash? Haha, this loser must’ve robbed a deli!”

“This should be entertaining! Does he know who he’s up against? This dumbass doesn’t stand a chance!’

They divided the chips into two stacks and agreed that Matt would act as the dealer. Then the game started!

When the first card left the deck, Joey felt time slow to a crawl. He looked at the cards. He glanced at Craig. Then he couldn’t stop a smirk from spreading on his lips, because he found that elusive feeling again--supreme confidence.

The first few hands were uneventful with no significant action. Then one hand arrived where Craig appeared to like his cards. “Make it 10,” he asserted. Joey called. The hand continued as Matt dealt out the next three cards face-up into the middle of the table. It was now Joey’s turn to act first.

‘This situation is like the hand I played with Angelo yesterday,’ Joey thought. ‘At that time, my cards were weak. I gave up my turn to let Angelo act so I could first gather information from what he did,’ he recalled. ‘However, just now, my hand improved to two pair--a monster! The straightforward action would be to bet out...’

Joey considered his move as he observed Craig. ‘Looking at Craig though, and how his fingers keep inching towards his chips, I feel he also has a good hand...but mine’s definitely better! This is an ideal time to set a trap!’

He continued thinking. ‘Instead of betting, if I give up my turn like I did yesterday, a move known as checking, then he’ll probably bet 10 or 20. After that, since I’ll still have more chips left even if I called, I can make him face an even larger bet from me in return--a raise!’

Joey finalized his plan. ‘I’m certain he won’t fold to the raise. There will be too much money in the middle, which will commit him to put in the rest. That’s how he’ll fall for my trap!’ Joey experienced the pleasures of being a villain. He glanced at Craig and said, “I check.”

Craig watched the cards, pondered for a few seconds, and bet 20. Joey watched the bet for a short time, then announced, “I raise.” Then, he pushed all his chips into the middle! “I’m all in.”

Craig snorted. Without hesitation, he said, “Call, deal it out.” Matt dealt the remaining two cards and Craig announced in triumph, “Overpair, a pair of jacks!” He flipped over [J♣ J♦] and started to drag in the chips before Joey crashed his party.

“I guess they don’t teach patience on the football team,” Joey mocked as he flipped over his cards. “Two pair!”

Craig’s brow wrinkled. “Hmmph. You got lucky. Give me another 200!” he demanded as he bought more chips and the game continued.

Several minutes later, another interesting hand occurred. As usual, the hand started with Matt dealing each player two face-down cards. Joey peeked at his cards and saw a pair of jacks: [J♠ J♥], the same as Craig held before, and a very strong hand heads up. “Raise to 10,” Joey announced.

Craig viewed his own hand, then pretended to ponder for a while. “10? No, make it 40!” he stated as he pushed out the chips.

Joey studied Craig who was calmer than usual, showing no fear or anxiety. He seemed to feel invincible. Earlier when Craig held some weak or decent hands, that wasn’t the case. Even when he had jacks he was a little anxious. All considered, it can mean only one thing…

Joey looked down at his jacks, shook his head, then threw them away. Joey made a heroic fold! Jacks was a monster heads up. This wasn’t a hand many could fold in this spot, but was it a good fold?

Craig couldn’t restrain a frown from creeping down his face. Everyone heard the crackling of his knuckles as he clenched his left fist. His right hand threw his cards onto the table with a violent motion! It was a pair of aces, [A♠ A♦]--the strongest cards you can get at the beginning of a hold ‘em hand. Joey made a tremendous fold!

“Let’s see how many times you can escape!” Craig challenged as he motioned for Matt to continue dealing.

Time passed minute by minute as the game continued. Soon, Craig’s 200 had dwindled to a mere 20, too little to continue playing. The frown on his face became chronic.

“Craig, maybe we should call it a day. Class is going to start pretty soon,” one of Craig’s friends advised.

“Shut up!” Craig roared. “Give me another 400!” He changed the last of his cash into chips. “We don’t have much time so let’s raise the stakes a bit. That’s not too scary for you right?” Craig goaded Joey.

“Fine,” Joey replied.

The stakes went up and the air became tense. Several hands later, a big pot brewed. Joey raised to 20 and Craig called. Once the three cards came out, Craig bet out 30 and Joey called. On the next card, Craig bet 60 and Joey called again. Everything came down to the final card...

It was a complete blank: a card with little chance of helping anyone because it was disconnected from all the other cards. Craig looked at the card and smiled. He counted out his chips and threw out another bet. “100,” he said.

Joey analyzed for several moments as he studied Craig. This time, he noticed Craig seemed anxious. His hands shook a little although he was trying hard to hide it. ‘He was calm when very strong earlier, which means...’

“I raise!” Joey announced. Then, like earlier, he pushed all his chips into the middle, “I’m all in!

Craig stood up and slammed his fist on the table over and over. “Damn it!” he shouted, drawing the attention of the entire cafeteria. He threw his cards onto the table: [A♥ 10♥]. “Why couldn’t it be a heart!” He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

Earlier in the hand, Craig picked up a draw to a monster--an ace high heart flush. He needed another heart to complete it. Too bad the remaining cards didn’t help, leaving him with only ace high. Although an ace is the highest card, it loses to any one pair. His hand was weak, way too weak to call Joey’s raise.

Filled with frustration, Craig threw away his cards. “I fold. Lucky bastard, what monster hand did you have?” Craig asked as he stared at Joey.

“Monster?” Joey laughed for a while. Craig and his friends exchanged glances, confused. Then Joey flipped his cards over onto the table: [5♥ 6♥], which was only...6 high. Garbage!

Everyone gawked! They were in utter disbelief! The sounds of the lively cafeteria evaporated as the mental shock of those two little cards buzzed in their minds! What were they seeing!

Joey was also drawing to a heart flush that missed. In the end, he held close to the weakest possible hand! He couldn’t even beat Craig’s Ace high! In other words, he bluff-raised and forced Craig to fold the best hand!

Craig started panting! His friends’ jaws were on the floor! How was this kid a newbie?!? He was a damn hustler!

It was like they had wound up their arms with 100 swings, waiting to give Joey a good slap, only to end up…smacking each other in the face! Their faces were swollen! This was f*cking friendly fire!

Craig not only lost money, but he might also have to pay a doctor to heal the swelling! Craig was hysterical! “Also a heart flush draw?!? What the hell are you raising me with?!? You don’t even have anything!” 

Joey laughed again as he raised his gaze to match Craig’s delirious eyes. “I didn’t need to have anything. Only thing I needed...was to know you couldn’t call my raise! I guess in the end...you really did need a heart!” Joey’s words reverberated through the cafeteria!

Craig stumbled back. Joey’s words struck him like a hammer! They chiseled away at his foundation of confidence as the whole castle threatened to crumble. His face turned green to white to red to all colors of the rainbow!

Bystanders started wondering if they should call the cops...This was a murder in broad daylight!

After everyone had been silent a long time, Joey said, “Thanks for the game,” as he took his chips and turned them into cash.

Craig blinked, lost for a few moments before shouting, “We’re not done here!” He and his friends moved to surround Joey.

*Bzzzzzz*

The bell for the next period rang as a teacher entered the lunchroom and screamed, “Let’s go! Get to class!”

Craig gnashed his teeth as he stared at Joey, but his friends pulled him to leave. On his way out, he left some parting words. “Your luck won’t last forever! This isn’t over!”

As the tide of students flooded out of the lunchroom into the continuous chain of hallways, Matt fired off comments into Joey’s ear like a machine gun. “Wow! That was awesome! How’d you do that?!?”

Joey couldn’t respond because a wave of terrible exhaustion drowned him. With his final energy, he shambled into class. “Laterrr,” he slurred to Matt, as Joey stumbled into his desk and passed out.