House Operator

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Garrett, Randall, 1927-1987

Contributor:

Silverberg, Robert.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"House Operator" by S. M. Tenneshaw is a sci-fi short story published in the mid-20th century. The narrative revolves around a skilled gambler named Rafferty who enters the Ganymede Casino, desperate to recover from a significant loss in order to pay off a gambling debt. The story explores themes of chance and skill, highlighting the dynamics of poker as a classic game against the backdrop of futuristic gambling technologies. In this tale, Rafferty faces off against Steel, a house operator at the casino who is a surprisingly adept poker player. Initially confident in his abilities, Rafferty quickly finds himself entangled in a battle of wits as he tries to read Steel's enigmatic demeanor. Despite winning several hands, Rafferty ultimately realizes that Steel is not only a formidable opponent but also shows an uncanny ability to adapt and counter Rafferty's strategies. The game culminates in a loss that leaves Rafferty with just enough chips to escape to another planet, while Steel proves to be a master of poker, capable of besting even the most seasoned players. The story concludes with a twist, revealing that Steel is a robot, adding a layer of complexity to the nature of competition and the essence of skill in the game. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 78.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

By Randall Garrett and Robert Silverberg writing under the name Alexander Blade.

Release date is 2021-05-02