It was Megan and Danny's first morning of a seven day Atlantic cruise to the Portuguese island of Funchal-the gateway to the Mediterranean. The trip was part of the first place prize Danny won at an invitationa Texas hold 'em tournament at the Mirage.
They were having breakfast when Danny noticed an announcement in the ship's daily newspaper.
Listen to this, Danny said, "Poker tournament. Learn how to play Texas Hold 'em on our new electronic poker table. Sign-up begins at 10:30 a.m. in the casino. Entry fee $50. Sounds like something to do."
"I thought we agreed this was a vacation and we were going to avoid the casino," Megan said.
"We did," Danny said. "But these electronic tables have some dealers and floormen on the Strip nervous. I should do some research."
"And I should research the ship's boutique," Megan said, rolling her eyes.
Fourteen people signed up for the tournament-Danny was number eleven.
After the sign-up was closed, the casino manager explained the layout.
"Each player begins with $1,500 in chips. There are ten betting positions around the table, each with a touch screen monitor. Players are dealt two hole cards down that are displayed on your monitor. When you touch the backs, the corners bend up to reveal your cards. The flat panel screen in the middle displays the board cards along with the dealer's button, the big and little blinds, and the amount in the pot. The game is played exactly like a live game, only here you control your actions-check, bet, fold, raise-by pressing the appropriate buttons displayed on your monitors. Any questions?"
While the casino manager was answering questions, Danny studied the other players and noticed a couple who seemed to be indifferent to the questions and answers. The man was in his 50s with a black toupee and a matching slash of a mustache over pencil thin lips. He was dressed in khaki shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, white deck shoes, and wore several gold chains around his neck. His wife wore pink spandex pants and a matching, fluffy pink blouse. Her big red hair crowned a designer face that was quickly going out of style. Her jewelry was a string of pink pearls and rings on the fingers of each hand. Danny had the feeling that as far as electronic poker was concerned, this couple has been there and done that.
"A final word before we begin," The casino manager said. "Fourteen players entered the tournament. The first ten who signed-up will begin and play until four players are eliminated. The remaining four players will take their place and play resumes with a fresh stack of chips for each player. Blinds are increased every 15 minutes. Play ends when one player wins all the chips. Now, if there are no more questions-we'll begin."
A few minutes later, Megan moved next to Danny. "Busted-out already?"
"No, I'm in the next round," he said. "Did you buy anything in the boutique?"
"Not yet," she said. "What do you think of the new table?"
"It's fast and efficient. Great for a seagoing casino. But it's too impersonal for land based casinos. It takes away the skill of a live game such as reading tells and chip handling at a live table. The high stakes pros won't touch it."
For the next few minutes Danny and Megan watched as the man with the toupee and the pink lady steadily built-up their stacks while two players busted out.
"Those two seem to know how to play," Megan said.
"A little too well for this crowd," Danny said.
A few hands later, one of the players was caught in the middle of a raise and re-raise situation with the man with the toupee and the lady in pink. After the lady went all-in-the player called and busted out.
"Did I just witness a Rumba?" Megan said.
"That's what it looked like it," Danny said. "Catch a weak player between two players working together and raise, or dance them out of the pot."
"How do they know when to begin the dance?" Megan asked.
"Probably with some sort of a signal when one of them has a strong hand."
A few hands later Danny said, "I think I've got a read on them. The Pink Lady twists her rings when she wants to dance. 'Mr. Toupee' touches his mustache to start the music.
"Cute," Megan said.
Danny and the other three players took their seats at the table when the fourth player was eliminated.
Danny's tournament strategy was to play only premium hands in the early levels and build up his chip stack. Thirty minutes into the play Danny was the chip leader and the table was down to three players-Danny, the Pink Lady and Mr. Toupee. All Danny needed was some cards and a little luck to put the two down. It came shortly when he touched the back of his electronic hole cards to reveal pocket aces. At the same time the Pink Lady began to twist the rings on her fingers and Mr. Toupee touched his mustache. The dance was on.
Danny was on the button. "Bet five-hundred."
"Raise!" announced Mr. Toupee.
"Re-raise," the Pink Lady said.
"Call," Danny said.
The flop was Kh-9d-Ad.
"Check," Danny said.
"All-in' said Mr. Toupee.
"Me too," said the Pink Lady-electronically pushing her remaining stack into the pot.
"And I call," Danny said.
All eyes were on the table as the trey of clubs came up on the turn and was followed by the trey of diamonds on the river.
The electronic table declared Danny the winner with aces-full-beating the Pink Lady's nut flush.
"Nicely done, Mr. Sullivan," The casino manager said, handing Danny a chit for his winnings. "The Raddisons hardly expected to play against a pro."
"You know me?" Danny asked.
"We received an e-mail alerting us to your presence on our ship."
"And who are the Raddisons?" Danny asked.
"A couple who try to take advantage of less knowledgeable players on cruises such as this."
"So you did realize the two were in collusion?" Megan said.
"Of course. We just allowed them to play together for the tournament. When real play begins-only one of them will be seated at the table at the same time."
"So," Megan said.
"There are sharks on board the ship as well as in the ocean."
The casino manager smiled. "Yes. And they feed off the smaller fish until a larger shark comes along."
Taking Danny by the hand, Megan said, "Come on, we're going to the boutique to buy some shark bait!"
Write to author Leo Cummins at 31 Timber Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
