| Author |
Garrett, Randall, 1927-1987 |
| Author |
Silverberg, Robert, 1935- |
| Title |
House Operator
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 78.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
|
| Note |
By Randall Garrett and Robert Silverberg writing under the name Alexander Blade.
|
| Credits |
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
|
| 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.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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| Subject |
Science fiction
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| Subject |
Short stories
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| Subject |
Poker players -- Fiction
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| Subject |
Casinos -- Fiction
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| Subject |
Ganymede (Satellite) -- Fiction
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
65231 |
| Release Date |
May 2, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
70 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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