1. Scott, Gordon and Grandma – Poker

"Round and round and round it goes. Where it stops? Nobody knows."

Grandma clicked her tongue and looked up from under her green visor.

"Just deal the cards, kid," she said. "Less of the chatter."

Smirking at Scott, Gordon finishing doling out the hands and sat back to survey his own cards.

"You know what they say about people with big mouths, Grandma," Scott said, flicking the edge of his pair up to check their value.

"Yeah, big tonsils," the older woman retorted. "Now hush up and let me think."

It had been Gordon's idea to while away a sleepy afternoon with some friendly competition. Virgil and Alan were already out. The latter fell spectacularly after going all-in with a high-card straight, only to be beaten by Scott's royal flush. Virgil, never a keen card player, had shown more interest in the comings and goings of the sea birds outside and hadn't lasted long.

So now it was just Gordon, Grandma and Scott. Easy pickings, Gordon thought as he shuffled his two pocket cards. This won't take long...

Once they had anted up, Gordon burned a card, then dealt the flop: two of hearts, jack of hearts and, most crucially, the ace of clubs.

Gordon made sure he didn't as much as twitch. The two cards in his hand were also aces. High card three of a kind, he thought. Not a bad start at all.

He threw in a modest bet, not to give the game away too early. Scott raised an eyebrow and called it. Their grandmother furrowed her brow and shook her head.

"Alright. I suppose I'll call."

Again, Gordon tried not to smirk. Then he dealt the turn card.

The three of diamonds. Not great for me, he thought.

And yet he bet - just enough to string the others along. Trip aces were definitely enough to keep going. And so Scott called. And Grandma, reluctantly, did the same.

Finally, Gordon turned the river.

The jack of spades.

Shut the front door!

Despite his excitement, his face was made of stone. I've got a house! Let's get this over with, baby. Once again, he bet - a little more aggressively this time.

Scott shook his head and threw his cards down.

"Nuh-uh," he said. "One of you has a house. I just know it. I fold."

Gordon turned his eyes to his grandmother, who was looking from the pair of cards in her hands to the turned cards. Then she looked at Gordon.

"Alright," she said. "I'm not letting you walk this one. I wanna see what you've got. I see your bet and raise you a thousand."

"A thousand?" Scott asked, then whistled through his teeth. "Now I'm definitely glad I'm out. Too sweet for my blood."

Cool as the proverbial cucumber, Gordon saw his Grandmother's bet - and raised it.

"Another thousand," he said.

That elicited another whistle from Scott.

Grandma's brow furrowed again. She fiddled with the edge of her card. Then she reached for the chips.

"Okay, wise guy," she said. "I raise you another thousand."

Gordon made his hands into a pyramid and flicked his gaze down at his grandmother's chips.

"Oh, Grandma, Grandma, Grandma. How much have you got there? About another five hundred? I'll see your bet and raise it by exactly what you've got."

With eyes like steel, his grandmother pushed her chips in. For the first time, Gordon felt a pang of fear. No. She's bluffing.

"Call," Grandma said. "Let's see what you've got."

Chuckling, Gordon laid his cards on the table.

"There's that house," Scott said airily. Then he looked at Grandma. "What do you have, Grams?" he asked.

Gordon folded his arms.

"Oh, I have two pair," she said.

Scott rolled his eyes.

"Grandma!" he said. "You should never have been betting."

Gordon chuckled and reached for the chips - but Grandma shook her head.

"No, no," she said. "I have two pair. A pair of red jacks." She placed the jack of diamonds down on top of the heart. "And a pair of black jacks." She placed the jack of clubs on the spade.

As Gordon's face fell, his grandmother's smile became shark-like.

"No..." Gordon said. "No, you called two pair! Not four of a kind. That's not fair!"

"Read 'em and weep, kid," Grandma said, reaching out to pull the chips to her chest.

"Ha ha!" Scott said, grinning from ear to ear. "Nice. Oh, Gords. Tough luck."

Putting his head in his hands, Gordon looked at the meagre pile of chips that still remained in his stack.

"This old girl grew up with a poker playing father," Grandma said. She stacked up her winnings. "Sorry Gordon - but I reeled you in real good!"