Fyodor Dostoyevsky, as his contemporaries claim, was a quite gambler. It is said that on vacation in Wiesbaden he lost not only all his money in a few days, but also the cash of his companion Polina Suslova. To get out of the difficult financial situation, he signed an agreement with the publishing house for the speedy writing of the novel "The Gambler". The main theme of the novel is an all-consuming passion for gambling. The young teacher Alexey Ivanovich is convinced that only money can cause respect to him from others including a beloved girl. And the only way to find them is to win in a roulette. The game turns for him into an independent all-consuming passion. Illustrated by Andronum.