"Three thousand? I'll see you and raise one."
Without letting expression cross his face, Rafferty pushed a few more credits out. Then a few more. Then a few more. Five thousand credits hung on this deal, now.
He remained totally blank-faced. That was the secret of poker: never to tip off an opponent to anything. Steel was good, but Steel kept giving himself away.
Like now, for instance. Perhaps the shill didn't know it, but his right eyebrow was twitching faintly. So far, every time Steel had bluffed a weak hand, that eyebrow had twitched.
Well, now Rafferty had him. He had a full house; it was going to take a bunch of fancy cards to top it. And Steel was almost certainly bluffing.
"Six thousand," Rafferty said.
"Seven."
"Seven five."
It reached nine. Finally Rafferty said, "Okay. What do you have?"
Casually Steel lowered his hand. Jack, Queen, Queen, Queen, Queen. That made four Queens.