(((Artie))) thing is, he so often backs down and says something that shows he understands!

Could he be bluffing and just wanting to win this hand? Or see how far he can play this hand?

IME - I think sometimes gamblers mistakenly think they can depend / bet on the sincerity of the non-gambler they are dealing with, but they cant - its not their currency. They cant "see" our sincerity.