Beginner's Luck
"Aha, mateys, a pair of knaves!"
Hannibal Heyes smiled at the sailor. "They're called jacks, and you're not supposed to show us your cards."
"No matter—jacks, knaves—call 'em what ya will but I have what it takes to open, accordin' to your rules!" The grizzled neophyte poker player bared a grin in the ex-outlaw's direction as he waved his cards to the players. "Ah, ya mateys taught me well." Without further ado, he took three cards from his hand and laid them face up In front of him. "'I'll be havin' tre cards."
The fellow to Heyes's right grabbed the cards of the sailor next to him, only to be slapped on the wrist by the beginner. "Ya'll leave 'em where they be!"
"They're supposed to be face down!" the slapped one explained. "And be warned, fella, ya touch me one more time and we'll settle this in the street!"
The sailor smirked. "No need o' that, matey. I'se just followin' your rules. My cards'll stay right wheres they are."
The fellow to Heyes's right stood up suddenly, almost upending the table. His hand had barely touched his holster when he heard a click behind him. He turned to see Jed "Kid" Curry motioning to him with his Colt to return to his seat.
Kid's blue eyes held no threat. "Now, this is supposed to be a friendly game. The sailor fella there just learned to play, so why not give him a chance to get it right before gettin' all excited."
"I don't see no badge on ya!" challenged the man standing.
Curry shrugged and widened his eyes, motioning with the Colt for the man to sit down.
He did, simultaneously muttering, "I don't want no trouble." He placed his hands on the table in full view lest the blue-eyed gunman behind him go from calm to trigger happy and shoot him in the back.
Heyes's poker-faced glance slid from his partner to the man to his right. "None of us do."
The man sighed audibly when he heard the slap of leather behind him as Curry holstered his pistol.
The dealer found his voice after remaining silent. "Okay, gents, your cards. We'll start a new hand."
The sailor picked up his three discarded cards and held them tightly in his hand. "No, siree, I got this pair o'knaves, and I'm openin'."
"Come on, fella, these gents are right. Your cards have to be face down and known only to you," the dealer explained. "Sorry if we didn't make that clear."
"Nope, we'll play this one out," insisted the sailor. He re-placed his discarded cards on the table in front of him, this time face down. "There, just like ya want 'em. I'll still take tre."
You could hear the proverbial pin drop for the next several seconds as each of the gamblers eyed each other in indecision. Finally, Heyes threw in his cards. "I'm out." The others followed in turn.
The sailor looked dumbfounded. His dander rose. "What's this?! Ya sit down to a game and none o'ya will own up to playin'! What's the sense in it, then?" He threw his cards down in disgust. Eying the ante, he said, "So, not fair I have to lose a nickel over ya mateys not followin' through. Ain't none o'ya navy men, I suppose."
The dealer spoke up, "Man, you won."
Before it sunk in to the sailor, the fellow to Heyes's right said, "Let it ride."
Heyes spoke to the man in a calm tone, "Come on, friend, he won, fair and square, like it or not." He put up a palm as the man started to sputter. "We all threw in our cards."
"That's right," the dealer did not lose a beat in picking up where Heyes left off. "The ante's yours, sailor, but from now on you don't show any of your cards or you don't play, got that?"
The sailor's eyes had followed each of the speakers as they spoke, and he took a moment to digest all that was said. Finally, he looked at each of the other five gamblers in turn and rose and started to walk away.
"Good, we're better off playin' without ya," said the fellow to Heyes's right.
The sailor stopped in his tracks and turned toward the table. "No, siree, matey, ya'll not be gettin' rid o'me that quick. I's just marchin' myself over to the bar for whatever rot gut that bartendy can serve up. I'm gonna need a good stiff one if'n ya'll be expectin' me to play with my sails down!"