The Name of the Game
After a long and sweaty walk, James finally arrived at the address that Phil had given him. As had been his habit for the past two and a half hours, he swung his backpack in front of him and checked that the front pocket was still zipped.
Then, once again, he patted the front pocket slightly. Upon feeling the comforting and reassuring shape of the envelope, James finally felt enough at ease to look up at the sight before him.
--
Two huge iron-wrought gates greeted his vision. Mounted near the top of the gates were two bronze statuette dragons winding their lithe and impeccably sculpted bodies in and out of each of the long bars that made up the middle of the gate. Above the dragons, James could see concentric spirals of barbed concertina wire.
On either side of the gate, a tasteful but forbidding fence made out of interlocking black metal bars stretched about what looked like about a mile long before taking a sharp 90 degree turn and disappearing from his vision. On the top of the fence lay more concertina wire, and lying pierced by the barbs on the left was what looked like a freshly charred body of an unfortunate critter.
Parts of the fence must be electrified, James thought.
Just beyond the fence, on the inside perimeter, James made out a row of uniformly trimmed and manicured hedges that formed a natural barrier to curious eyes. Any further effort to peer through the dense greenery there was met with futility.
Looking back through the gates, James saw a long paved brick driveway leading about a hundred feet straight in before taking an abrupt corner and disappearing behind yet more strategically planted greenery.
Taken together, this compound screamed of security and privacy amidst a veneer of tasteful wealth.
James was honestly surprised. Given Phil's behavior in school, he would have expected Phil's house to be much more extravagant and opulent.
Where were the numerous fast cars parked and displayed in the driveway? What about huge lion statues dotting the sides of the road, escorting an unwary visitor into the den of the unscrupulous wealthy?
---
Lost in his thoughts, James did not notice a staid old man make his dignified way down the driveway towards the gate.
"Good afternoon Sir. May I know your identity and purpose please?" came a deep, unhurried voice.
James looked up. From the bottom, black leather shoes shined so diligently that he could see a reflection in them. An impeccably pressed set of dress pants with perfect creases, a blazer that looked like it was still on the display mannequin, a dress shirt so white it hurt to look at, and a standard black tie. These accoutrements, along with a pleasantly neutral smile, accompanied the indifferently warm face that had greeted him.
"Oh hi Mr..." James started.
"Just Butler please. You may just call me Butler. I serve the family here."
"Hi Mr. Butler, my name is James. Phil asked me to come for a game today." James was slightly nonplussed. None of this was going according to his expectations. Was Phil really from old money?
"Ah yes, the Young Master did mention that he would be expecting a different guest today. Please allow me to accompany you to the guest house and announce your arrival."
The gates opened smoothly without even a hint of sound, and the suit gestured towards the driveway.
James stepped into the compound and followed the butler down the driveway before turning the corner. Several minutes of walking later, they came to a cross junction and took the left fork.
"Mr Butler, where do the other roads lead?" James asked curiously.
"The left turn leads us to the guest premises, which are about another five minutes away. The right fork would take you to the employee housing. If you went straight ahead, you would arrive at the main house." The butler said, "With the exception of the guest premises, which you will see shortly, I'm afraid I will be unable to edify you on the rest of the estate at this point in time."
As James walked on and turned a couple of other corners, he saw the road he was on lead to a roundabout centered on a magnificent looking fountain. On the sides of the road were four identical looking villas, each with a facade painted in immaculate white. Numerous tall glass windows punctured each facade, hinting at elegant furniture within.
Three of the villas looked unoccupied. The last villa, the second from the left, had several expensive looking cars parked in front. Among them was a late model BMW with it's roof down. That must be Phil's car, and hence where the game was being held.
Seeing where James' vision was directed, the butler elaborated. "That is correct, Mr James. The Young Master is hosting in Villa 2 today."
---
Upon reaching the entrance, the butler stepped forward inconspicuously and pushed the right door open.
"Mr James, guest of the Young Master, here for the game," the butler announced as James walked in.
"Jamie James, you actually made it! I was so sure you were going to find an excuse and chicken out. Come through here, we are in the rec room." A shout emanated from James' left.
James duly walked over, following the sound of the voice, and stepped through the threshold that separated the foyer from a large carpeted room with wall-to-ceiling glass windows stretching the entire length of the far wall. On one end, the outline of a door frame could be seen.
With a glance, James took in the sights. The built-in wet bar aligning the interior wall, a large tournament-sized pool and billiards table, a large leather couch in an inset area with perhaps the biggest flat screen television he had ever seen, and a professional looking long poker table with six chairs surrounding it.
Five of those chairs were occupied by casually but fashionably dressed young men, with the empty one obviously meant to be his.
Beyond the poker table and the glass windows, the scene extended to a small pool in a courtyard shared with just one other villa. Around the pool were dotted several chaises and daybeds, most already occupied by young women of different ethnicities and dressed in varying shades of bikini wear.
James did a double take. He thought he recognized one. Wasn't that the new Biology teacher, Ms Chung?
--
Ms Chung was the subject of many of his classmates' torrid fantasies and whispered conversations. Freshly graduated from Oxford, where she had paid for her education through several modeling contracts, she was the combination of brains and beauty that most men could only dream about. Slightly petite in stature, she had a penchant for wearing fitted dress shirts that did little to hide her proportionate endowments. Even though she conducted herself professionally, and some might say, a little dispassionately in class, her classes had the lowest absentee rates and front row seats were trading at a premium when they were traded at all.
And now, here she was in a modern looking black bikini tanning on the edges of the pool. James was far enough away that he couldn't put a good guess as to the dimensions of her assets, but they were definitely still noticeable.
James swallowed a little.
--
Before James, as any other teen aged red-blooded male would, could be caught staring, and heaven's forfend, or drooling, Phil stepped up to block his view.
"I see you've noticed the scenery. There's enough of that to go around. Come. Let's get started," Phil said, "I've been looking forward to this all week."
Phil led James over to the poker table.
"Everyone, this is James. James, this is everyone." Phil made a cursory introduction.
Another set of footsteps sounded from behind him.
James looked around quickly. Another young looking man in a dress shirt and pants had appeared, carrying a small briefcase and pushing a more utilitarian looking chair.
"That would be the dealer. Just in time." Phil said.
The dealer pushed the chair up to the middle of the table, facing away from the glass. As he sat down, the other four players turned their attention away from the pool and television, and towards the dealer.
"Draw for seats." The dealer announced, before dealing the top six cards of the deck face up towards the four players, Phil, and himself.
James looked down at the two of clubs. The smallest card in the deck and definitely not a good omen, if one was superstitious as James newly was, for the game to come.
[ Drawing for seats - a customary procedure before the game, players will draw cards to determine seating order around the table. The player with the highest valued card will begin the first hand as the button. Seating around the table is determined with the highest valued card choosing his spot, and then assigned through the value of the cards. The lowest valued card will seat on the left of the button, followed by the rest of the players in ascending order. ]
James' system provided him with some timely guidance to help him avoid making a fool of himself.
Phil, who had drawn the Ace of Spades, chose his seat directly opposite the dealer. This was the seat with the best view of the pool.
James, to his left, had his view slightly blocked by the dealer, but would still be able to surreptitiously admire the charms of Ms Chung.
"Buy ins please." The dealer announced again.
[ Buy In - a process where players exchange cash for chips on the table. These chips represent the full stake that a player is able to bet with and win or lose. A player may not bet with money that he or she has that the player has not bought in with. ]
The rest of the players arranged themselves and started pulling out casino chips and bricks of cash. Each chip was white, with red and blue rectangles surrounding the edges, and each brick of cash represented a hundred hundred dollar bills - ten thousand.
"No need for so many flags and so much cash guys. We're starting with a much lower game today to welcome my guest. Just one two." Phil remarked.
At his words, a few snorts were heard. The players put away most of their things and each left a chip or a brick in front of them.
[ Flags - a high value casino chip valued at $5000. Commonly used as currency in high buy-in games. ]
James flushed. He unzipped the front pocket of his backpack and took out his measly looking envelope.
"$499 please." James said haltingly.
The other players looked askance at Phil. This was not very much at all. Tens of thousands of dollars usually changed hands in one of these games.
The dealer maintained his stoic expression as he took and counted James' money and gave him the equivalent value in chips.
"Not even a full five hundred eh? Jamie James, did you really bring your life savings?" Phil couldn't help but taunt again.
"Yes Phil, I did. I'm sorry, this is all I have." James said, a little embarrassed by the riches in front of him.
"I thought you'd have a little more. It's fine. We'll start with this." Phil said in disappointment.
After all the players had bought in, Phil looked at the dealer and announced, "Shuffle up and deal. The name of the game is No Limit Texas Hold'em at one two."