Famous Gamblers
Dostoyevsky (left) in his prison cell – Image source: Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons
Introduction: Famous Gamblers
We already covered some very famous paintings which depict players gambling, normally with card games. These painters were just illustrating the real-world activities of the period. So it should be of no surprise to find so many in the arts, politics, and literature, who were smitten by the roll of a dice or the turn of a card.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Everyone knows that Dostoevsky wrote “The Gambler”. The book is actually based on his own experiences as, yes, a gambler. The Russian novelist had a huge passion for games of chance. If you read the novel, you’ll quickly begin to understand the psychology of his gambling addiction and his love of risk. It is said that he wrote his last novel, “Crime and Punishment” much faster than at his normal writing pace because he had creditors banging on his door to collect his gambling debts. Imagine him at one of the online jackpot sites, he was born in the wrong era…
Famous Gamblers: Claude Monet
The famous French Impressionist painter entered the Le Havre school of painting in 1851. At the time he was really struggling for money, though he did manage to get by from selling some of his sketches to the local people. Later on, moving to be in the hub of the arts, he made his move to Paris, But the living cost was astronomical and the materials for painting were not cheap either. So he took off to the casino and played at the table games. Rumor has it that he was a smart and clever player and ended up winning a huge sum of $13,000. This finally allowed him to leave his job and focus solely on making art.
Giacomo Casanova
This extraordinary figure was a well-known adventurer and writer, as well as a womanizer of Italian descent. he was also a very good gambler. This was due to having training provided by professional gamblers who were keen to have him working in their ranks. But Casanova preferred his own company. There is a theory that this was partly due to his uncontrollable temper and a fear that he may do something drastic and untoward if he ever flew into a rage. On the whole, he used his gambling activities in order to keep money flowing in
Famous Gamblers: Queen Marie-Antoinette
We all now that the Queen of France was enamored to all things luxurious, fashionable, and decadent. This included her well-known love of gambling. It didn’t matter to her that the country was suffering an extreme level of poverty and financial hardship. Unfortunately, she developed a gambling addiction. Her favorite game was called “Pharoeh” which was a complicated game that came from Venice. It was banned at court, though she always found a way to play. Her husband, King Louis XVI had no time for either gambling or those who gamble. Once she pleaded to allowed to play just one game. later the King discovered that she had been playing all night and lost another fortune in the process. On remanding and reminding her of her promise of only one game, she replied, ““Yes, but you do not set the duration of the game”.
King Charles II
King Charles is known as the “Merry King” by many historians. In 1651, he was exiled and spent nine years in both France and the Spanish Netherlands. There he picked up the habit of playing games of chance, in particular card games. On his return and crowning as King, he proclaimed all card games of chance should become a focus of the English Court. It is said that all the waiting he had to endure before ascending the throne, made him a patient man, a quality that stood him well when playing cards.
Famous Gamblers: René Descartes
Though Descartes is better known as “The Father of Modern Philosophy”, he had planned to become a professional gambler when he was a young man. In the end, his head was turned towards the sciences. He went on to become an expert in mathematics, science, and philosophy. And it was his mathematical background that made him a formidable player. With him using intellect, maths, and his ability to make quick calculations to his advantage.
Michel de Montaigne
If Descartes was the father of modern philosophy, then Montaigne is the father of modern Scepticism. The very phrase, Renaissance Man” could be happily fitted to this famous writer of the Eassies. He was also one of these famous gamblers. The card game known as Brelan was especially popular at court during the period of his youth. Also, in 1563, the first patent was issued for starting a French lottery. One of his most famous sayings is about how “The game’s not worth the candle”. This was in reference to the cost of candles as most of the gambling was done during the hours of darkness.
Click here to visit the Winnerama Casino
