Games Gamblers Play

In the prison cell, Man and Kit discover a shared skill for conning and a love of pai gow. They form a cautious friendship and begin plotting ways to use gambling to gain wealth after release. Their partnership becomes the seed for all future schemes.

After being released, Kit proposes teaming up to gamble their way to riches. Man expresses concern over their lack of money, but Kit claims he has borrowed funds from a loan shark to fund their first venture. They start planning their con-based path to wealth.

Kit arranges a pai gow game featuring a wealthy man and his wife, Pei-pei. Kit gets unlucky and loses the borrowed money, while Pei-pei wins $7,000. The evening exposes the volatility and consequences of their scheme.

Pei-pei returns to inform Man that she borrowed money from a notorious loan shark named Ching, and paid him hefty interest. Man is intrigued by the possibility of leveraging Ching's network and then leaves with $1,000 after collecting info. This sets up the high-stakes debt dynamic.

Man urges Kit to gamble to recover the losses, but they end up losing the $1,000 in a gambling den. The setback tightens the duo's bond and escalates pressure from debt. Kit grows anxious about how to repay Ching.

Man brings Kit to meet his younger sister Siu-mei and his wife. Kit becomes attracted to Siu-mei, injecting romantic tension into their criminal alliance. This personal dynamic adds risk to their plans.

Kit spots a quiz show hosted by Wong But-man and demonstrates a perfect run of answers on the program. Siu-mei is impressed and suggests Kit could win big on TV; over dinner, Man hints at a date between Kit and Siu-mei. The lure of TV winnings strengthens their ambition.

Kit dates Siu-mei at the beach, then spots a nearby poker game. He attempts to con the players with his own cards, but is exposed, beaten, and left badly injured. The incident underscores the danger of their con games.

Siu-mei arranges tickets for Kit to appear on the quiz show, but he initially refuses due to injuries, so Man takes his place. Man struggles at first, but gains ground as many questions touch on poker, aligning with their con-artist strengths.

Having won money on the quiz show, Man and Kit win money and later treat themselves to a spa. Kit proposes another high-stakes gamble involving greyhound racing, hinting at a larger scheme to secure wealth quickly.

The pair meet Bully, who explains his connection to Ching, a ruthless loan shark who runs an illegal gambling den. They learn about Mahjong and Ching's tricks, prompting Man to outplay him and win a large sum. The plan expands to using a bookmaker for bets on the favorite.

Man and Kit implement a plan to sabotage the den: Kit bets on the track in Macau while Man disables the telephone lines to stop bookies from calling in bets. The gambit pays off with a $320,000 windfall, but their sabotage is soon exposed to Ching by a street bum.

Ching's thugs chase Man and Kit after the sabotage is discovered. They hide at a resort, and Man tries to escape by bringing Pei-pei into the resort. Siu-mei and Man's wife also show up, sparking a confrontation that ends with a dramatic casino chase.

Man forces a final gamble by switching dice at a craps table to appear to win, triggering a security arrest rather than falling into Ching's hands. He is imprisoned again, leaving Kit to face the consequences of their schemes.

Some time has passed and Man is released again. He meets Kit outside the prison, who is revealed to be married to Siu-mei. Kit tells Man that he tried another gambling scheme and lost $300,000 last week, confirming that the winnings from Ching are gone.