Tim taught poker at the office social. Zoe kept checking a card to see which hands were best.
She still won most of his chips.
Tim asked how she knew when he was bluffing.
Zoe said she’d seen that smile before, but never with playing cards….
Tim brought a pack of cards and a box of plastic chips to the office social. He said he would teach everyone a simple version of poker.
It’ll take five minutes to explain.
Zoe glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes later, Tim was explaining why a particular hand was better than another particular hand.
She asked whether he could write them down in order.
Tim found a card and made a list. He said it was useful for beginners, but the real skill was reading people.
You’re not just playing your cards. You’re playing the person opposite.
Zoe put the list beside her drink.
Tim dealt. Zoe examined her cards, checked the list and asked which was better, a flush or a straight.
Tim told her.
She said that explained an earlier decision.
He smiled generously. Everybody had to start somewhere.
For the first few rounds, Tim did well. He pointed out mistakes, explained the betting and reminded Dave not to eat the chips. Dave said he knew the difference between the plastic ones and the crisps.
Then Zoe began winning.
She folded when Tim raised without saying much. When he leaned forward with a broad, friendly smile, she stayed in.
He put more chips in the middle.
She checked her little card again and put in the same amount.
Tim’s smile became less friendly.
At the end of the hand, he had nothing useful. Zoe had a small pair. She looked at her list to confirm that this was enough, then collected the chips.
Dave asked to borrow the card.
It only tells you the hands, Zoe said.
Dave said it appeared to be doing more for her than Tim’s explanation had done for him.
Tim shuffled again. He said he might have been making the game too easy.
He dealt, looked at his cards and leaned back.
Zoe folded.
The next time he tried a bluff, he leaned forward, opened his hands and gave her an encouraging smile.
Zoe pushed more chips into the middle.
Tim put his cards down.
How do you keep knowing? You’d never played before tonight.
Zoe said the list helped her remember the cards.
Not the cards. Me. What gives me away?
He tried the smile again, as though checking it still worked.
Zoe had worked for him for ten years.
It’s your quick-meeting face.
If you enjoyed this joke, share it on Facebook and Pinterest!