From the get-go, Ian Fleming made James Bond an expert and complete cards player. You’d expect a secret agent to excel at some things he does, and gambling and card games are pretty much his forte throughout. It’s not just one particular card game he does well at either, 007 seems to be able to turn his hand to most games, including Texas Hold ‘Em and his favoured Chemin-de-fer. So is he really the complete cards player and when has he showed his skills to great effect?
One thing that has become a regular occurrence with James Bond and not just in terms of gambling is the fact that he regularly defies the odds. Whether he’s out in the field or gambling, even when the odds are completely stacked against him, he finds a way of coming up trumps, no matter what. So this is a sign that he 007 is indeed an accomplished cards player. Nobody gets lucky as many times as Bond so it must be down to skill more than anything.
In the first-ever movie adaptation of Ian Fleming’s novels, we see Bond playing Chemin-de-fer in Jamaica. The game is believed to be the original form of the more commonly known Baccarat. In a way it sort of sets the scene for how Bond the character is meant to be seen. A confident and successful cards player who also has a way with the ladies and possesses that suave sort of nature.
Diamonds Are Forever is another movie where Bond once again shows off his gambling prowess, especially as he’s out in Las Vegas chasing up a lead. During his time in the infamous Sin City, he experiences great success on the craps table. Not only does he bag himself the girl, he also managed to walk away with $65,000 too. With the secret agent continually winning big when gambling you can see why many suggest he’s the real deal when it comes to card and casino games.
Casino Royale is probably the best example of 007 showing off his card skills. The film revolves heavily around a poker game, just like the ones you can play in online casinos such as Unibet, where the stakes are extremely high. For James Bond it is literally a matter of life or death. Le Chiffre, a terrorist banker, has lost a lot of his clients’ money and needs to win it back, with the game of poker against Bond being the way out for him. If Le Chiffre loses, he’ll be in grave danger. During the game momentum shifts, mistakes are made but Bond comes out on top as you’d expect.
Over the course of both the novels and films, fans get to see and hear how good Bond is when it comes to card and casino games. Winning against the odds seems to come naturally to the secret agent on many occasions but is it down to luck or is he really the complete cards player?
