TY  - BOOK
AU  - Garrett,Randall
AU  - Silverberg,Robert
TI  - House Operator
T2  - Produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy December 1957
AV  - PS 
PY  - 2021///
CY  - Salt Lake City, UT
PB  - Project Gutenberg
KW  - Science fiction
KW  - Short stories
KW  - Poker players -- Fiction
KW  - Casinos -- Fiction
KW  - Ganymede (Satellite) -- Fiction
N1  - By Randall Garrett and Robert Silverberg writing under the name Alexander Blade; Release date is 2021-05-02; Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net; Original publication data not identified
N2  - "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.)
UR  - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65231
ER  -