[Manehattan] When money changes hooves (OPEN)

[Bannhammer]

Max grinned wide as he followed Ace's eyes. The other stallion was tempted, but the Rockefilly could sense he wouldn't try anything. He racked his brain, trying to think of how to respectfully give Ace some bits. He didn't want it to seem like he was giving out of pity.

"Sounds pretty good..."

The number of bits grew, and the unicorn started to organize them into stacks until two thousand of them sat on the table. Max didn't say anything afterwards.

Maximilian looked at Ace with a wide smile and motioned towards the stack with a hoof.

[Imagination]

Ace just gave him an annoyed 'really?' sort of look when he motioned to the stacks. "What, do you want to play another game, or are you just rubbing it in?" No part of Ace expected this man to just give him this kind of money... no pony is that charitable... right? Mentally he tried to picture how it would pan out if he just tried to take them... there'd be no way he could scoop all those bits into his bag and leg it... it'd take too long.

And there'd probably be a guard around the corner or something ridiculous like that. Either way, he shuffled his deck in his hooves, waiting for the gentlecolt's answer. If he wanted to play, Ace would definitely play. He wasn't one for handouts anyone, bits were better when they were won.

[Bannhammer]

Max frowned, realizing what he had just done. He didn't mean to insult the stallion, but that's what had happened, better to just try and fix things.

"Listen, I was really impressed with you earlier, I was thinking of making an 'investment'. Just two thousand bits to show my respect, and maybe help you out a little. So here, take them."

Max paused and grinned. "Or..."

"You can play me and win 10,000 bits. Either two thousand guaranteed, or you take a risk and play for five times more, if you lose, you get nothing.."

The Rockefilly jingled his coinpurse, now he knew how to talk to the stallion. It was about challenges and respect. Hopefully this could be an interesting wager for Ace.

[Imagination]

Tough call. Oh, wait, no it wasn't. Not for Ace, anyway. The expression on Ace's face at to the 10,000 bit bet was like an addict looking for a fix.

"A-Alright! I'll go for the 10,000! I-I mean... I may as well"

But Max had already figured out the previous game... granted it wasn't that hard to figure out in the first place. It was his easiest one, but he had others. "Listen... follow the ace seems a bit... simple... for such a heavy wager. I have a much better game..." he offered with a cocky smirk, shuffling his deck as he awaited the gentlecolt's answer.

[Bannhammer]

Max smiled in response, he was glad that Ace had accepted to play, instead of merely being given the bits. His grin faded when Ace decided that a new game was in order, but Maximilian was a pony of his word, and he nodded.

"Of course, a new game is in order."

He motioned with a hoof, sweeping it in front of him. "You may choose the game, any one you like. The wager stays the same, 10,000 bits."

There was a hint of nervousness in his voice, 10,000 bits was a large wager, but he was also a bit happy at the prospect of a new challenge. Even if he lost, he was ok with giving this stallion that many bits, although he wouldn't throw the game, that just wouldn't do.

[Imagination]

Ace had plenty more games, and while not all of them needed slight of hoof for him to win, he learned quite a bit about probability during his time as a card hustler.

"Alright, Mister Rockefilly. You have several choices that I can perform right now. We can play a probability game, or I can do a magic trick. Right now, you can play 'Face Up' or 'Find the Lady' if you want to play another game... OR if you want t see a trick, I can find your card, make your card disappear, or I can turn your card blue..." with the last suggestion he'd show Max that the underside of his deck is red.

"Of course tricks are, as I said before, tricks, and it probably wouldn't be nearly as fun to lose 10,000 bits over... so I'd suggest one of the games to keep it sporting" he said with a big ol' grin, eyes still locked on the money that was present on the table.

[Bannhammer]

Max put a hoof to his chin, contemplating his options. A magIc trick simply wouldn't do, he needed something better to wage his money on. The Rockefilly sighed and shrugged.

"You pick the game, I'll simply play it. Although I do suggest you pick something easy, I'd rather not lose 10,000 bits over a misunderstanding."

He followed Ace's gaze to the bits, and he chuckled loudly. "You're eager to start, no? Then pick the game and let's begin.

[Imagination]

He tapped his chin with his hoof, trying to think of which one would see most fair. Follow the Lady was only played with 6 cards while Face Up was played with all 52. He figured if he played the game with the entire deck, he might not suspect foul-play. Then again, neither of the two games had any foul-play to begin with. Just a house edge.

"Face Up it is then. Allow me to explain..." he began as he started ruthlessly shuffling the cards, being quite thorough. "There are twelve face cards, a King, a Queen, and a Jack for four suits, correct? That leaves 40 non-face cards in the deck... That leaves a 12 to 40 chance of finding a face up card on the top of the deck. BUT, here's where it gets interesting. When I'm finished, I'm going to give you the deck and ask that you shuffle it an way you want, and be as thorough as you want. Then I want you to separate the cards into three equal piles. They don't have to be exact, just guestimate..."

With that part of the explanation finished, he put the shuffled face-down deck in front of the Rockefilly. "Once that's done, all you have to do is reveal the top card on each of the three piles. If one of those top cards is a face card, you lose. With the numbers I discussed with you earlier, 12 to 40, that's a 30% chance of you finding a face-up card, right? Sounds pretty good in your favor, don't it?" Of course, Ace knew the actual statistics of the game were quite different. Being a master of this sort of business meant you needed to be a master of probability. Though the player of the game liked to hear that it was 12 against 40, giving the player an edge, by separating the deck the odds actually became a house edge of 6 against 5. There was a chance he could lose, though it was smaller.

No slight of hoof, scams, cons, or trickery here (save for the presentation of false information), just good old fashioned luck.

[Bannhammer]

The rules of the game were presented to him, and Max nodded to show that he understood. It seemed like good odds, but Max didn't make it as a business pony without learning how numbers worked. It wasn't as fair as it seemed, but he simply shrugged it off. He grinned coyly at Ace, letting him know that he couldn't pull the wool over his eyes with such word play.

"I have some misgivings about whether or not it's as fair as you make it out to be, but I accept."

Max smiled and motioned with a hoof, signaling that he was ready to play.

"Let the game begin."

[Imagination]

Ace nodded and nudged the deck towards Max. "To make absolutely certain it's fair, you need to shuffle the deck as well, Mister Rockefilly. Then go ahead and separate it into three piles. Once that's done, all you gotta do is look at the top card of all three piles. If you find a face card, a King, a Queen, or a Jack, you lose. If not, you win! Quick, easy game, but best of all, fair". He alredy read the Rockefilly's look loud and clear, though he figured he may as well give the pitch anyway.

With all that said and done, he let the Rockefilly get to it and watched his actions (and his money) eagerly.

[Bannhammer]

Max wiped his brow, clearing the small amount of sweat that had accumulated within the last couple of moments. He was passed the deck of cards, and he wasted no time in shuffling them. He wasn't used to dealing with cards, so his shuffles were uneven and slow. After only a few moments, he was satisfied with how the cards had been distributed, and he set three piles out on the table in front of him.

He reached for the top card of the first pile and slowly turned it over, revealing a ten. He exhaled in relief and paused to recollect himself. Max never suspected that he would get so worked up over something so trivial.

The top of the next pile was turned over, and it was revealed to be a two. Another grateful exhale and the Rockefilly's shoulders sagged in relief. Only one more card to go, and it was the most important of them all. He reached out with a hoof and grabbed the top card of the third pile. He paused a moment, glancing at the stack of 10,000 bits, and then flipped the card over and slammed it onto the table. His hoof was covering it, and when he slowly pulled it back, there was a 6 under his hoof.

"Well I'll be!" Max exclaimed gratefully. With a giddy chuckle he faced Ace and smiled.

"There you have it, the luck of the draw."

[Imagination]

Ace watched quite eagerly, just as nervous as the Rockefilly. The first two cards seemed to distress the black pony, but there was still one left. The last one was usually the one that got them! He bit his lower lip, watching, watching, watching... though when he lifted his hoof all that left Ace was a cry of bitter frustration.

All Ace could do was scowl at the cards. Darn them for not being face cards! Darn them to the moon! Of course Ace did realize he buried himself with this game, heaving a sigh and doing his best to stay poker-faced. "Yes, look at that. Heh, lucky you!" He even did his best to wear a smile, though it was quite clear it was insincere. "SO... Mr. Rockefilly... what're you gonna do now...?" Part of him hoped dearly that he would stick around and play a few more games. He wanted more tan anything to just take this pony's money, which he still gazed longingly at.

[Bannhammer]

Max smiled, glad that Ace at least tried not to seem like a poor sport. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I guess I'm a pretty lucky pony, and I'd be a foal not to take what I have and be thankful for it. I'd love to play a few more games, but I'm not willing to take a chance on lady luck, she's a fickle mare."

The Rockefilly extended a hoof and offered a smile. "It was a pleasure... Ace. You managed to keep me entertained, and gave me quite a scare, not many ponies can say that."

He motioned with his eyes, towards the bits. "You deserve something for your time. How about a thousand?"

[Imagination]

Ace was about to tell the Rockefilly how he doesn't need pity-bits or handouts, but he decided at the last moment to give his pride a slap in the face.

"Sure, I-I'll take it" he told the Rockefilly with a slightly brighter smile. At least he wasn't going to walk away with nothing... but he COULD'VE walked away with 10,000! That little regret was likely going to nibble at the back of his head for months. "So... maybe you'd want to try your hoof at this again should we run into eachother? I've always got a deck on me and always looking to get a bit richer"

He doubted they'd just happen to bump into eachother and play high stakes games then and there, but one could dream.

[Bannhammer]

Max was glad that Ace accepted the gift, he was worried that he may see it as some sort of insult, but it didn't seem to be that way.

"If we meet again, I'd be glad to play... for higher stakes, perhaps?"

He smiled wide and winked at the stallion across from him. The Rockefilly sort of wished that they would encounter each other again, he would love to play this stallion in another game of cards or battle of wits.

"Well, Ace, I'd better be going, good luck to you, sir." He bowed to Ace and took a step back, ready to leave.

[Imagination]

Higher stakes?

He almost envied the gentlecolt. He spoke of betting more than 10,000 bits on a simple game as if it were nothing at all! All he could do was wave and watch this potential goldmine trot away. "To you as well, Mr. Rockefilly!" Of course once the unicorn left Ace would prompty scoop in his 1,000 bits and put it in his bag, hugging it close like he were a dragon guarding its treasure. Putting the bulging bag under the counter, he started contemplating wither he should pack up and go home, or try and rake in a bit more..

The latter option didn't seem so good, as talk of his game had likely spread to every pony around this block by now...