Dostoevsky knew his subject all too well when he wrote The Gambler, as he had a serious addiction to roulette. In 1866, he made a deal with a ruthless publisher to pay off his considerable gambling debts: he would deliver a novel within 30 days or forfeit his publishing income for nine years. He wrote quickly, dictating to a stenographer, and delivered the finished product with only hours to spare.  Alexei, the gambler and narrator of the story, is an impoverished young nobleman serving as a tutor to the family of an imperious Russian general living beyond his means in an Alpine resort noted for its casino and international clientele of high rollers.  Alexei falls for Polina, the general's stepdaughter, who is pretty, seductive and manipulative.  She treats him like a dog and sets off his obsession with gambling by asking him to place a bet for her, which he wins, and which culminates in a spree in which he wins big but fails to win her affection. Alexei is not the only gambler, however. We come see that each of the characters is betting that they can manipulate circumstances to their advantage. The General hopes to inherit a fortune from his rich aunt; the alluring Frenchwoman wants to marry the General for his money; the pompous Frenchman wants to foreclose on the General’s properties; the rich aunt visits and drops a bundle at the tables and stiffs the General.  After the Frenchwoman seduces Alexei and persuades him to spend his winnings on her, she ditches him to marry the General.   And the winner is?

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