October 2024 Flash Lit 5:2 - Hand Over Hand

“See,” said Hal, “all you have to do is double your bet and add a little every time you lose a hand.  That way, as soon as you win, you’ve recouped whatever you’ve lost and won some, too.”

Matt snorted.  “You’re not very good at math, are you?”

 

Hal eyed Matt suspiciously.  “I’m good enough,” he said, and rubbed the back of his head.

 

“How many hands do you think you might lose in a row?” Matt asked.  “Ten?”

 

Now Hal rubbed his upper lip.  “Well, maybe, if things don’t go well.”

 

“If you started by betting $2,” Matt said, sounding just like a textbook come to life, dry and condescending.

 

Matt shifted.  “I was thinking more like $10,” he said.

 

“Stick with me on the $2 for now.  We’ll also leave aside the idea of you adding extra over doubling for now.”

 

Hal said, “I don’t need this kind of negativity.”

 

“You lose the first hand, so you bet $4 on the second,” Matt went on remorselessly.  “Then $8 on the third.”

 

“I can multiply by two,” Hal said peevishly.

 

“Then $16 on the fourth, $32 on the fifth…”

 

“Still not worried,” Hal said.

 

“The sixth would be $64, the seventh $128, the eighth $256, the ninth $512, and the tenth $1024,” Matt said.

 

“That’s,” Hal sad.  “That’s not right?”

 

“If you kept going and lost 15 hands, that would be $32,768,” Matt finished.

 

Hal slumped in the chair for a minute.  Then, perking up, he said, “But I’m going to win.”

 

“Hand over your wallet,” Matt said.  “You’re not going.”