Seeing that the player before him had folded, Zhuang Rui was overjoyed. Others might not know, but he knew perfectly well that Walter didn't have three nines at all. His hidden cards were all unmatched, which meant that Walter's highest hand was a pair of nines.
Although Zhuang Rui didn't get a pair, he coincidentally got a pair of 10s. In Texas Hold'em, it's not a very strong hand, but it completely dominated Walter.
If the player before him hadn't folded, Zhuang Rui would have folded as well. The reason is simple: his pair of 10s is no match for the player before him's pair. If all three players revealed their cards, Zhuang Rui would definitely lose.
Compared to Stud Poker, Texas Hold'em places more emphasis on skill, and bluffing is common and very effective. When the odds of winning are high, few people will go head-to-head with the opponent. However, now that the player before him has been scared away by Walter, Zhuang Rui is overjoyed.
"Let's play our first game together and see how lucky we are today?"
Zhuang Rui casually counted out 15 chips and threw them out. Although Zhuang Rui wanted to bet more, he knew that betting too much would scare the opponent away.
Therefore, Zhuang Rui, thinking he could cheat as much as possible, did not place a large bet, but simply doubled Walter's bet according to the unlimited betting method.
Zhuang Rui's call and raise immediately made Water uncomfortable. He was indeed bluffing with his hand, but because his hand was so good, most people wouldn't call unless they had a strong hand that could definitely beat him.
But then Zhuang Rui came along, an oddball who could not only see the opponent's cards but also had a better hand, which put Walter in a difficult position.
If we don't follow, we've already thrown in $9 million in various stakes, plus the $6 million ante, which is $15 million. The loss isn't huge, but it's not small either.
If you follow suit, the two face-up cards 10 and K on Zhuang Rui's table are both higher than a pair of nines, and they are likely to be able to form a pair from the face-down cards, making your hand much stronger.
However, Walter had studied Zhuang Rui's previous two games and knew that this Chinese man liked to bluff, so maybe he had five single cards?
Seeing that Walter had been dawdling for three or four minutes, Zhuang Rui said impatiently, "Mr. Walter, are you going to follow or not?"
"Mr. Walter, please decide whether to call..."
As soon as Zhuang Rui finished speaking, the dealer in charge of the game also spoke up. Texas Hold'em is a slow game to begin with. If each person drags on for another ten minutes or so, even if the game lasts for 12 hours, they won't be able to play many hands.
"I'll take it. I want to see your hand..."
Just as Zhuang Rui thought, 10 million was not a very large number and was still within Walter's psychological tolerance. Moreover, the first round had already reached its end, and running away without looking at the cards would inevitably make Walter lose face.
A 10 million gold chip was tossed onto the table. Walter casually flipped over his two hole cards and said, "I have a pair of nines. Dealer, you can show your cards now..."
Walter was only 50% confident of winning this round, but it was enough for him to take the gamble. Previous games had shown that Zhuang Rui loved to cheat and bluff when playing cards, but these were just rumors. If he could prove that Zhuang Rui was bluffing, Walter was 100% confident of sweeping Zhuang Rui out of the game in the next round.
"One against nine?"
Zhuang Rui whistled in surprise and said, "Oh, this is amazing! I was prepared to lose, but it seems my luck is still on..."
With a smile on his face, Zhuang Rui turned over his two hole cards and said with a laugh, "Excuse me, Mr. Walter, I have a pair of 10s. I think... I should win this round, right?"
Zhuang Rui's smile made Walter feel as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly. However, a win or loss of ten or twenty million was nothing compared to a bet of five hundred million. Walter nodded and said, "Of course you won. I hope you'll have such good luck in the future..."
"Did Walter get his head stuck in a door? There's a limit to how much you can bluff. How dare you show your cards to a nine-man team?"
"That young man is about the same; one against ten isn't much of a challenge. It's like a fierce Zhang Fei meeting a foolish Li Kui..."
"That person is really lucky..."
"Exactly, a hand of 10 beats a hand of 9, this is a classic case of a jinxed hand..."
"Yes, seeing is believing. Perhaps this young man really did win over former gambling kings Stevenson and Jarvis by sheer luck?"
After both players showed their cards, a chorus of boos erupted in the arena. Although he acted very gentlemanly, Walter was not at ease. He had a feeling that the kid in front of him was pretending to be weak, and that he wasn't just relying on luck as rumored.
With this realization, Walter became more cautious in later betting games, especially when it came to a decisive match with Zhuang Rui.
And that's why, despite losing the first game, Walter somehow became one of the three winners at the table. Of course, all of this happened later.
"Tsk tsk, I won over 30 million this round, my luck is really good..."
After counting his chips, Zhuang Rui smiled smugly, not forgetting to provoke his opponent before him: "By the way, you have a pair, why did you fold? Otherwise, all these chips would be yours..."
Zhuang Rui's expression was incredibly realistic, just like a novice in the gambling world asking a senior for advice when faced with a question. This almost made the seasoned gambling king so angry that he vomited blood. "Is this some kind of nonsense? He's just taking advantage and acting innocent!"
"Damn, this kid's sly..."
"Seriously, is this some kind of slap in the face? Isn't this just provoking people?"
"A newbie, definitely a newbie, but this newbie's luck is just too good..."
Not only was the old gambling king frustrated, but all the casino owners present in the gambling hall were also twitching at the corners of their mouths because of Zhuang Rui's words. They wished they could grab Zhuang Rui and teach him a good lesson in gambling skills.
A hand of cards requires comprehensive judgment. It is perfectly normal for a small hand to bluff and win against a big hand, and for a hand to be folded. However, Zhuang Rui's naive explanation made the gambling king's behavior seem a bit idiotic.
However, judging from Zhuang Rui's appearance, it didn't seem like he did it on purpose. This was exactly what frustrated everyone in the room. How come they encountered such an unpredictable guy in today's betting game?
The only person in the room who could actually smile was Stanley Ho's fourth wife. After the round ended, she was full of admiration for her gambling tycoon husband. It seems that Zhuang Rui might actually be able to bring a gambling license to SJM Holdings today.
The gambling game resumed amidst a mix of emotions from everyone. Zhuang Rui's gambling style remained unpredictable to the other gambling kings at the table. Unlike his narrow victory with a small bet in the first hand, Zhuang Rui's playing style seemed to suddenly become more stable starting from the second hand.
In the following hands, Zhuang Rui called every time without raising, and sometimes he would even run away after all five cards were dealt, which frustrated some of the gambling kings who had drawn big hands.
Chapter 1038 Unexpected Wealth
"Do you think we're stupid? Knowing the hand is weak, why would we give you money?"
Zhuang Rui curled his lip in disdain and began to slowly get the hang of Texas Hold'em. Compared to Stud Poker, Texas Hold'em undoubtedly requires much more skill. However, everything was laid bare before Zhuang Rui's eyes. After more than three hours of back-and-forth, by lunchtime, everyone discovered that Zhuang Rui actually had the most chips on his table. This surprised many people. What was originally a highly skill-based game seemed to be somewhat beyond Zhuang Rui's control due to luck.
When the lunch break arrived and the group left the table, the way everyone looked at Zhuang Rui was completely different from how they had looked at him at the beginning.
"Brother Zhuang, you've made these guys' faces turn green with envy, haha..."
After Zhuang Rui left the gambling table, Peng Fei immediately went to greet him. He saw that the other world-class gambling kings were all pale and their foreheads were covered in sweat.
Although the group initially took Zhuang Rui seriously, they soon realized that Zhuang Rui, who never played by the rules, was far more difficult to deal with than they had imagined. Before they knew it, their chips had ended up in front of Zhuang Rui.
"Brother, you're really something. I asked you to go gambling last night, why didn't you go?"
Huangfu Yun also came over. He was amazed by the fact that these bets, which involved hundreds of millions of US dollars with a wave of his hand, were something he would never have been able to do before.
"Brother Huangfu, it's just luck, nothing more than luck..."
Zhuang Rui smiled "shyly," but deliberately answered Huangfu Yun's question in English. The gambling kings who had just left the table stumbled and almost fell on the carpet.
"Anyone who believes it's just luck is a complete idiot..."
The morning's gambling spree had left several former world gambling kings utterly humiliated. They hastily left the casino, led by waiters, to meet their bosses. ...
"Mr. Zhuang, we're counting on you this time..."
Sitting in the luxurious private dining room of the MGM Grand Hotel, Fourth Wife used honorifics when speaking to this young man who was more than twenty years younger than her.
If the Fourth Wife was somewhat wary of Zhuang Rui's background before, now she can't figure him out at all. One or two times could be attributed to good luck, but Zhuang Rui's repeated victories show that he is not just relying on luck.
In any field, people with special skills will always be respected. Just like Zhuang Rui in the jade gambling circle and the antique trade, after these classic gambling games and the recent bet, Zhuang Rui has barely gained the recognition of everyone.
"Fourth Madam, you're too kind. I just got lucky. Maybe my luck will change this afternoon, then it'll be hard to say who will win or lose..."
Zhuang Rui exchanged a polite greeting with Fourth Aunt and picked up his knife and fork to cut the steak on his plate. Although he often accompanied Qin Xuanbing to eat Western food, Zhuang Rui was still not used to the half-cooked meat. The beef with blood still in it made Zhuang Rui feel like he had returned to the era of eating blood and eating meat.
"Mr. Zhuang, I believe your good luck will continue..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Fourth Wife's expression changed. As a woman who had been working in the business and gambling world for over thirty years, Fourth Wife undoubtedly possessed many of the excellent qualities that a successful businesswoman must have. However, she also had the fickleness and suspicion typical of women.
"Hehe, thanks for your kind words, I hope I can win more money too..."
Zhuang Rui didn't look up, continuing his struggle with the steak on his plate, while his thoughts drifted back to the betting game they had just played.
Although the gambling in the morning did not last long, it did feature several dramatic moments. Apart from Zhuang Rui's winnings of over 30 million in the first round, he amassed a total of 120 million US dollars in the subsequent rounds. It can be said that everyone else at the table lost except for him.
"Damn it, a bunch of old foxes..."
Zhuang Rui cursed inwardly. In the last round before the end of the morning's gambling, Zhuang Rui's face card and the community cards matched to form a set of three of a kind, while one of the gambling kings had a set of three Jacks. However, in the end, that person showed his cards to Zhuang Rui when the stakes were 40 million, which dashed Zhuang Rui's hopes of winning all of that person's chips.
"Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Zhuang?"
When Fourth Wife saw Zhuang Rui frowning and remaining silent, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
It should be noted that although Mr. Ho's SJM Holdings is a large and powerful company, he does not only have one wife and has many children. Because the fourth wife is more favored, she has become a thorn in the side of the others, and their relationship is not harmonious.
Mr. Ho is still alive, so no one dares to say anything. But this man in his nineties might go to see Jesus or Buddha one day. When that happens, the fourth wife will definitely become the target of public criticism. She is not sure how much of a profit she can get from SJM Holdings.
However, if she could obtain this new gambling license, everything would be different. The company with the new license would be established in her name, essentially becoming the fourth wife's private company. In that case, the fourth wife would be able to advance or retreat as needed, and would be in an invincible position.
Therefore, Zhuang Rui's win or loss in this gambling contest is of great importance to Fourth Wife. His current indifferent and absent-minded appearance cannot help but make Fourth Wife uneasy, fearing that Zhuang Rui is not giving it his all.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Zhuang Rui's thoughts were interrupted by the Fourth Mother's voice, and he looked up and asked blankly.
When Fourth Wife saw Zhuang Rui's gaze return to her face, she said solemnly, "Mr. Zhuang, if you can help SJM win the gaming license this time, I can decide to give you 10% of the shares in your new company..."
"Ten percent? Mr. He and I didn't have this condition before..."
Zhuang Rui raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, looking somewhat taken aback. He didn't know why Fourth Aunt would suddenly make such a condition. Even without that 10%, he would definitely do his best. A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold, and Zhuang Rui was not the kind of person who would take advantage of someone and then not do anything.
Moreover, this 10% is quite substantial. In Macau, a gambling license is equivalent to money. Even the smallest company with a gambling license earns billions of dollars annually. The fact that the fourth wife gave Zhuang Rui 10% of the shares is equivalent to giving him hundreds of millions of dollars for free every year. This gesture is far more generous than the old gambling king's luxury cruise ship.
"Mr. Zhuang may not know this, but if we win this gambling license, I will be in charge of handling it. I think... I have the right to decide on the share distribution of the new company, but I'm afraid Mr. Zhuang will have to go through the trouble..."
Fourth Wife chuckled lightly. Throughout history, to get someone to work for you, besides appealing to their emotions, it's even more important to persuade them of the benefits. Fourth Wife wasn't entirely at ease with Zhuang Rui's promise to the old gambling king. Only by tying Zhuang Rui's interests to the gambling license could she feel at ease.
Moreover, Zhuang Rui has a strong background in mainland China, so having him join the new company might not be a bad thing. These days, money can never be earned enough; only a balance of interests can guarantee the company's long-term development. Fourth Wife understands this principle very well.
Having been in the business world for many years, Fourth Wife is also a decisive person. After weighing the pros and cons in her mind, she immediately offered a condition that even Zhuang Rui found tempting.
"This... isn't it a bit inappropriate to receive something for nothing?"
Zhuang Rui had no idea that his simple frown had caused so much commotion in the woman opposite him; he was still pondering the purpose behind Fourth Wife's actions.
Fourth Aunt saw through Zhuang Rui's thoughts and quickly said, "Mr. Zhuang, whether my new company can be established depends entirely on whether I can win these two bets today and tomorrow. Therefore, your performance is crucial. In fact, giving up only 10% of the shares is already quite small. However, Mr. Zhuang, these shares can only receive dividends and cannot be used to participate in company decision-making..."
The reason why the fourth wife wanted to start her own business was to get rid of the old gambling king's control over her. She didn't want such a domineering man to appear in her new company.
"Fourth Master, there's no need for that. Since I promised Mr. He, I will do my best. Let's forget about the shares..."
After hearing what Fourth Wife said, Zhuang Rui waved his hand. Although the annual dividends of several hundred million US dollars were very tempting to him, Zhuang Rui was not short of money and did not want to take advantage of a woman. Those who knew him would think that Fourth Wife had given him the money herself, but those who did not know him would think that he had used some kind of trick. After all, the huge profits represented by the Macau gambling license would make even many young masters in Beijing envious.
Moreover, gambling is a word that Chinese people still deeply abhor, and Zhuang Rui did not want to add the title of casino owner to his resume.
“Mr. Zhuang, that won’t do. You don’t need to worry. This transfer of shares to you is solely my personal decision. Apart from the notary, no one else will know about it…”
Having followed the old gambling king for so long, Fourth Wife's ability to read people's expressions is unmatched. Upon seeing Zhuang Rui's demeanor, she immediately guessed his thoughts, which made Fourth Wife both unconvinced and somewhat admiring.
Not everyone can refuse hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue twice in a row, but Zhuang Rui, this young man, did it. Thinking of this, Fourth Wife couldn't help but give Zhuang Rui a "resentful" look.
"If this had happened thirty years ago, I probably could have won him over without spending a penny..."
Fourth Wife naturally has the confidence to do so. Back then, even the old gambling king, who frequented brothels, was captured by her.
"Wow, he's so charming even at his age..."