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Volume I

The Gaming Table by Andrew Steinmetz, Volume II

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Anecdotes Of The Passions And Vicissitudes Of Gamesters

At play, a winner redoubles his caution and sang-froid just in
proportion as his adversary gets bewildered by his losses,
becoming desperate; he takes advantage of the weakness of the
latter, giving him the law, and striving for greater success.
When the luck changes, however, the case is reversed, and the
former loser becomes, in his turn, ten times more pitiless--like
that Roman prefect, mentioned by Tacitus, who was the more
inexorable because he had been harshly treated in his youth, co
immmitior quia toleraverat. The joy at winning back his money
only makes a gamester the more covetous of winning that of his
adversary. A wealthy man once lost 100,000 crowns, and begged to
be allowed to go and sell his property, which was worth double
the amount he had lost. 'Why sell it?' said his adversary; 'let
us play for the remainder.' They played; luck changed; and the
late LOSER ruined the other.

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