Know When To Hold Em
Mar 31, 2023 23:38:13 GMT -5
Post by OctoberRaven on Mar 31, 2023 23:38:13 GMT -5
*River Reade is seated at a felt table, wearing a jacket and deep black sunglasses, with a pile of chips in front of her*
Reade: "People say that gambling is all about luck. Well.. people who don't understand gambling say that anyway. I'm from Primm, Nevada. It's not Vegas, but we have some casinos, and it's a popular place for people to stop. Tourists looking for one last thrill before they head home. Professional gamblers playing the tournaments, or people who just don't want to make it all the way to the big city. So I've grown up around the gambling world. It's why I wear this jacket and shades when I come out to the ring. It's why my ring gear is modeled after showgirl attire. It's why I wrestle the way I do... not throwing caution to the wind but by sheer calculation. Now, some games are more about luck than others, I'll admit that. I'm not as much a fan of those. I might put some chips on a roulette table now and then, or on a craps table... but only after I'm well ahead, and I never risk more than I'm willing to lose. But the way I make the profits... is through cards. Blackjack and poker. You have to know how to play your hand the best way. You need to know what can beat your hand, and how likely those hands are to be in play. You need to know the tells of the people you're up against. Not just the cliche tics, but also their betting habits. That guy who's barely seen a flop all night, he's raising before it now? Does he finally have something, or is he just desperate? This gal checked all the way to the river and now she's put half the pot in. Is that to scare you off, or does she want you to think it's a bluff?"
Reade: "I'm not the High Roller because I'm lucky. I'm not the High Roller because I take risks. I'm definitely not the High Roller because I'm unpredictable. I'm the High Roller because I'm intelligent. When I'm training with the rest of the EMERGE girls I'm not just focused on what I'm doing, but what everyone else is doing. How they react to moves in sparring. If they skipped leg day. If they hurt their shoulder while doing pull-ups."
Reade: "I hooked Marceline with my chickenwing brainbuster, The Bad Beat. I figured it was the best move to put her away with. It wasn't enough to make her fold, and she came back doing what she did best. Of course, I was ready for it, waiting for just the right moment to catch her making a mistake. I countered her and then went for my trump card: Aces High. Right on the ribs, taking the wind out of her. What was left from her wearing herself out with all those suplexes. And in the end... it was the winning hand."
Reade: "And I haven't even shown off my best hold yet. I've been keeping it in my back pocket. I've got the motions down in muscle memory, as I've mastered it long before I got scouted for EMERGE."
Reade: "But one day you'll see my best hold. And the only thing you'll be able to do... is Reade Em And Weep."
Reade: "People say that gambling is all about luck. Well.. people who don't understand gambling say that anyway. I'm from Primm, Nevada. It's not Vegas, but we have some casinos, and it's a popular place for people to stop. Tourists looking for one last thrill before they head home. Professional gamblers playing the tournaments, or people who just don't want to make it all the way to the big city. So I've grown up around the gambling world. It's why I wear this jacket and shades when I come out to the ring. It's why my ring gear is modeled after showgirl attire. It's why I wrestle the way I do... not throwing caution to the wind but by sheer calculation. Now, some games are more about luck than others, I'll admit that. I'm not as much a fan of those. I might put some chips on a roulette table now and then, or on a craps table... but only after I'm well ahead, and I never risk more than I'm willing to lose. But the way I make the profits... is through cards. Blackjack and poker. You have to know how to play your hand the best way. You need to know what can beat your hand, and how likely those hands are to be in play. You need to know the tells of the people you're up against. Not just the cliche tics, but also their betting habits. That guy who's barely seen a flop all night, he's raising before it now? Does he finally have something, or is he just desperate? This gal checked all the way to the river and now she's put half the pot in. Is that to scare you off, or does she want you to think it's a bluff?"
Reade: "I'm not the High Roller because I'm lucky. I'm not the High Roller because I take risks. I'm definitely not the High Roller because I'm unpredictable. I'm the High Roller because I'm intelligent. When I'm training with the rest of the EMERGE girls I'm not just focused on what I'm doing, but what everyone else is doing. How they react to moves in sparring. If they skipped leg day. If they hurt their shoulder while doing pull-ups."
Reade: "I hooked Marceline with my chickenwing brainbuster, The Bad Beat. I figured it was the best move to put her away with. It wasn't enough to make her fold, and she came back doing what she did best. Of course, I was ready for it, waiting for just the right moment to catch her making a mistake. I countered her and then went for my trump card: Aces High. Right on the ribs, taking the wind out of her. What was left from her wearing herself out with all those suplexes. And in the end... it was the winning hand."
Reade: "And I haven't even shown off my best hold yet. I've been keeping it in my back pocket. I've got the motions down in muscle memory, as I've mastered it long before I got scouted for EMERGE."
Reade: "But one day you'll see my best hold. And the only thing you'll be able to do... is Reade Em And Weep."