Two new decks of cards and new tablecloth were brought in and the old was taken out. The deal passed to the left and the cards were dealt again. Frang watched closely as the cards were shuffled. The backs of the cards were similar, but he didn't see the strange fluctuations in the backs as they were mixed. He relaxed.

"It's best the women don't come to these games," Frang said. "They don't understand the nuances of gambling." Everyone laughed again.

Immediately, the table changed. Everyone won occasionally, even McTavish, but Frang's ability to read the faces and reactions of his opponents, even the smallest tics, and his ability to...