hell, i can't not tell him.
where you been? boys been holding a chair for you in back.
turn a profit?
you been in too many rough ones lately, kid. you can't go on forever, coming out in one piece.
the streets are getting full of guys you've hustled.
the hell there isn't lancey hodges' in town.
i been seeing it coming for a long time, kid. long time.
no, you ain't been hiding it.
sure, you got to know. we all got to know.
that's why i had to tell you.
yes, i have.
nothing. nothing at all.
i didn't lose. i'm too good to lose when i set my mind to it. i play poker a certain way, kid. i've had my lancey hodges. only with me it was whistling sam magee to new orleans.
well then you know it all.  about 20 years ago it was, maybe more.
why, i lost it. it dried me up on the inside for a long, a very long time.
i been where i'm going, know what i mean?
kid, i don't think you're ready.
but you're not going to take my word for it, are you? are you now?
i know, i know. you got to find out for yourself.
i already said i didn't think you were ready.
kid, i thought i was the best stud poker player in the world. i'm telling you now, i thought i was the best.
no, you ain't no cocky square. and you probably got something.
if you got the stuff, being a little cocky don't hurt you none.
this much of a chance. if lancey is not right. if he's got a cold, or his stomach ulcer is acting up, or something like that.
you're set on a real showdown, aren't you? your mind's all made up.
yeah, you been around a long time -- i was a lot younger than you when i went up against whistling sam -- but you'd be kinda young too, to be the man.
want me to set it up?
all right.
he won't, the way i'll spread the word. he'll have to take you on, someone in your class. if he ducked it, that'd make you the man.
he can smell meat like you a mile and a half up the river. he knows you're around and he'll sit down with you. you want to butt heads with the man, i'll set it up.
there's your woman.
he must of come to st. louis for a big money game. i'll probably get asked do i want to deal it for them. and however long that takes, he'll have to rest up for you.
you got much of a stake?
work on it. but three grand will give you a ride and even if you don't win, why you'll come away with a good idea of what you're made of. but once you go in kid you can't quit. you get that straight right now. two of you go in and only one of you can come out.
it's the only way to be, kid.
see you.
if you'd rather we put it in my room --
hello?.  well, hello. what brings you to our fair city? little action, maybe?
owns most of the schlaegel brewery. braumeister beer.
still queens -- possible flush -- no help -- possible flush.
you'll enjoy his game.
the tougher the competition, the better you used to like it.
four.
hi, kid. shooter here. listen, i told the woman i'd take her to the ball park, but i'm still working. how about you and christian take her out?
oh. well listen, would you mind taking her yourself? the gang'll be there, in the section.  thanks. appreciate it. see you.
lady fingers'll want to come, i bet, and she's right on the edge of her stake. she could spell me dealing.
well, that's it, then. monday night, room three-eleven at the dorset hotel. and may the best man win.
yeah, he's going to give you trouble.
like the session with the portugee at jolly's in omaha. remember?
you win?
you been around a long time.
twenty-six, twenty-eight, something like that.
i ought to call my woman.
explain to the kid, will you?
tell him they decided to play a little longer, and i'll call him at his place later when the game's over.  right. goodbye, honey.
mrs. schlaegel. how are you, june. what's it all about, bill?
great. whatever.
betting interest?
fifty thousand!
i knew you liked the kid's style but why you going in so deep?
but how can you be so sure? the kid could do it, we both know that, but --
not a chance, bill. you ought to know i never ever use what i got with the cards for nothing but tricks and dressing up a game.
it's out. out.
understand this, bill. i'd like for the kid to win, and i sure as hell don't want to see you lose all that money --
ok but i'm paying it off! it's comin' in ain't it? six grand already. bill, you got to listen to me --!
for god's sake --!
twenty-five years i been building a reputation.
i made up my mind to this. i ain't going to give him any help till he needs it.
hey, what if he starts off lucky and stays ahead of the game the whole way. it could happen, you know.
we ain't seen much of you though, last seven, eight years.
it's an old table. everything's pretty old in this hotel.
two hundred watt bulb.
thank you, gents. tried to do the best i could. cards?
hoban! okay! you both know joe hoban. he's a draw poker man, but clean and straight as they come.
hoban's selling them to us at five dollars a pack, with the usual guarantee. if it's proved any deck is spooked, he pays off the losers.
four of us. me, pig, yeller and doc sokal. if that's all right with you both?
that's thoughtful of you, bill.
you want to have the usual brandy and coffee on hand, kid? anything special for you, lancey?
you got that, hoban? gentlemen, if there are no objections, i'm the dealer. these rooms have been contracted for, and there will be an ante of ten dollars per chair, per day. during the breaks for me, old lady fingers has agreed to deal, but she don't care to be a player --
lady fingers will get three dollars an hour from the ante, plus her room and food, and a five-minute break every hour. gents?
gentlemen, this is a game of five- card stud poker. there is no limit. a dead man has one half hour to raise his roll outside and get back in the game.
last and certainly least --
seven, nine, trey, nine, ace, and the shooter guns up a ten. ace bets.
dealer folds.
king to the seven, pair of nines, deuce to the trey, queen-nine, ace- eight.
queen, ten, king, four, ace again, and a king for the shooter.
king over.
to the nine a ten, to the queen a seven, to the king a jack, and to the jack a jack.
possible straight flush, pair of sevens. pair of jacks are still high.
busted, no flush, no straight. pair of sevens with a queen gets a nine. to the pair of jacks, a trey.
fourteen fifty to the queens. you want to take your half hour, pig?
you tap city?
i thought you and hilda were quits.
see you around, pig.
he shouldn't have said that. not after taking tap city from the table.
i know it's early, men, but what about taking a little break?
need your help, lady fingers.  to make arrangements for food and shelter.
bet the pot. four hundred and twenty dollars.
thanks, gents. makes me exactly even. this kind of a game, that's a smart place to quit. just do the dealing, if that's all right with everybody.
ace-king is the high man.
nothing -- what are you talking about?
the hell i was. christ, kid, even if i was you couldn't spot it -- i'm too good a mechanic for anybody to spot it.
you seen it before often enough. one player draws four good ones.
my woman told you.
why should you bitch if i give you a little help?
kid, you got to understand. it wasn't my idea --
he's got the squeeze on me kid and he's meaner than hell. he'll cut me up if i don't come through. you think i wanted to deal a phony game? you think it don't mean something to me? i never done a crooked thing before in my life.
he's liable to kill me.
it is a hell of a chance to take.
he ain't goin' to like it.
i ride with you.
your fan on the fifth floor wants you to have a bite with him. alone.
you better, kid. you don't, you're only making worse trouble.
i'm okay. what the kid's talking about is nothing. it's just not important.
he's getting to him.
we're in -- i think he's got him.
he's going for it and the kid's got him. he's going all the way.
shut up. sorry, kid.
well, kid, it's like i said -- you just wasn't ready.
oh, yes you are -- you and your big mouth -- you're part of it all right.