<h4>Chapter 27: Fundraising through Gambling Part 1</h4>


    The sunlight hitting his eyes woke Michael up at 7:30 in the morning. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep after a long night of writing academic papers, he felt a sense of aplishment. Pushing off the fatigue, he got out of bed and headed to the kitchen.


    His mother, Myra, had already prepared breakfast. "Good morning, Michael. I bought pandesal and eggs," she said, cing the food on the table.


    "Thanks, Ma," Michael replied, pouring himself a cup of coffee and sitting down to eat. The pandesal was warm, and the eggs were well-cooked - a simple but satisfying breakfast.


    "What are your ns today?" Myra asked.


    "I''m going to do some stock trading and then head out," Michael answered.


    "Where to?"


    "To Newport Man," Michael replied.


    Newport Man is a luxurious hotel situated in Pasay City. It''s known for its upscale facilities, including a casino that attracts a lot of visitors.


    "Are you going there for trading?" Myra asked, a hint of concern in her voice.


    "No ma...I''m going to raise funds for my business I''m nning to start," Michael rified.


    "Business? What kind of business?"


    "Hmm...it''s a secret, for now, ma. I will tell you once I have gathered the funds," Michael said as he took a bite of another pandesal. Momentster, he stood up.


    "Thanks for the breakfast ma, have a safe trip on your way to work," Michael nodded to his mother as he finished his meal.


    "Just be careful, Michael. You know how I worry," Myra replied, her toneced with motherly concern.


    "I will, Ma. Don''t worry. I''ll be fine," Michael reassured her, rinsing his cup and cing it in the sink.


    After that, Michael retreated to his room and closed the door before him. He flipped hisptop open and logged in to his brokerage ount. Cracking his knuckles, Michael began to work, buying and selling stocks with a simple click of the mouse. The neuro enhancer pill is still in effect, aiding him to make informed and calcted decisions to the point that in just three hours, he earned about 40,000 pesos. He transferred those funds to his bank ount where he nned to withdraw itter.


    He switched tabs and searched formon games in the casino with significant high-yield returns and began researching strategies. Michael knew the risks involved with gambling, but he also recognized the potential for high returns if done wisely. He focused on games like poker and ckjack, where skill and strategy could significantly influence the oue, rather than purely luck-based games.


    Afterpleting his research, Michael checked the time. It was almost 11 AM, the perfect time to head to Newport Man. He packed hisptop, grabbed his wallet, and ensured he had his bank card to withdraw the funds he had just transferred.


    Leaving the house, Michael hailed a Grab car to Newport Man. During the ride, he reviewed his strategies and mentally prepared for the casino environment. He knew that keeping a clear head and not getting swayed by the highs and lows was crucial.


    Upon arriving at the luxurious Newport Man, Michael marveled at the grandeur of the hotel. He made his way to the casino, blending in with the crowd of tourists and locals.


    Inside the casino, the vibrant sounds of slot machines, the rhythmic shuffling of cards, and the general buzz of activity enveloped Michael. He made his way to a nearby ATM and withdrew the funds he had recently earned from stock trading. With the cash in hand, he proceeded to the cashier''s desk to convert his money into casino chips.


    At the cashier''s desk, Michael exchanged his money for a variety of chip denominations. He received a mix of 500-peso, 100-peso, 50-peso, and 25-peso chips, giving him flexibility for different betting strategies.


    Armed with his chips, Michael carefully navigated through the lively casino floor. He decided to start with ckjack, a game that bnced skill and luck, and where strategic y could yield favorable results. He found a table with stakes that matched his nned budget and took a seat, mentally preparing himself for the game ahead.


    He decided to employ a technique known as card counting, a method that, while legal, is frowned upon by casinos due to its effectiveness.


    Card counting involves keeping track of the high and low cards that have been dealt to gain an advantage over the house. It''s based on the principle that high cards (10s, face cards, and aces) are beneficial to the yer, while low cards (2-6) are beneficial to the dealer. By keeping a running count of these cards, a yer can judge when the deck is rich in high cards, thus makingrger bets more advantageous.


    To implement this strategy, Michael assigned a value to each card: +1 for low cards (2-6), 0 for neutral cards (7-9), and -1 for high cards (10s, face cards, and aces). As each card was dealt, he silently added or subtracted from his running count.


    For example, if the first hand dealt was a 2, 5, Jack, and 9, Michael''s count would be +1 (+1 for 2, +1 for 5, -1 for Jack, 0 for 9). This count helped him gauge theposition of the remaining cards in the deck.


    Michael started with smaller bets, watching the flow of the cards and adjusting his count. As the game progressed, and he sensed that the deck was rich in high cards (a positive count), he increased his bets. When the count was low (indicating a deck rich in low cards), he reduced his bet size or chose not to bet at all.


    By using card counting, Michael could make more informed decisions on whether to hit, stand, double down, or split. This strategy significantly reduced the house''s edge and increased his chances of winning.


    As he yed, Michael won several hands in a row, his stack of chips growing steadily. His careful observation and calcted betting did not go unnoticed by the other yers, who looked at him with a mix of curiosity and respect. Michael remained focused, aware that the casino staff might be observing his y. He continued to employ his card-counting technique, but he did so subtly, avoiding drawing too much attention.


    Once Michael felt that his winnings were substantial, he discreetly left the ckjack table and made his way across the casino floor to another ckjack area. This move was strategic; it minimized the chances of drawing too much attention from the casino staff and yers who might have started to notice his consistent wins.


    At the new table, Michael continued his card counting strategy, but he was careful to vary his betting patterns. He didn''t want to make it obvious that he was counting cards, as this could lead to him being asked to leave or being banned from the casino.


    Michael''s technique at the new table involved a mix of conservative and slightly more aggressive betting, depending on the count. He also engaged in casual conversation with other yers and the dealer to blend in and appear like a regr yer enjoying the game.


    Despite his fatigue from theck of sleep and the mental effort required for card counting, Michael''s focus remained sharp. The neuroenhancer pill he had taken yesterday yed a crucial role in maintaining his cognitive performance.


    As he yed, Michael''s chip stack continued to grow. He experienced some losses, but they were offset byrger wins when the deck was in his favor.


    After a few more hours at the tables, Michael decided it was time for a high-stakes game. Currently, he has decoupled his initial investment, from 40,000 to 400,000 pesos. And there is only one game where he could make that earning into a million. That is poker!


    There is a VIP section in the casino, but the minimum is 500,000 pesos. He''s one hundred thousand pesos short. @@novelbin@@


    "It can''t be helped then, I will y another round of ckjack."