Which casino games does James Bond play in the novels and films?

By: Anders Frejdh

Published:
2013-08-11

In Ian Fleming's first novel featuring James Bond, Casino Royale, a game of baccarat at the Casino Royale is an important part of the plot. James also plays various casino games in the official film series.

Baccarat chemin-de-fer is the favourite game of choice for Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond 007. He plays the game in several of Fleming's books, most notably in the 1953 debut novel (Casino Royale) in which the entire plot revolves around a game between Bond and Le Chiffre, the head of SMERSH. (The unabridged version of the novel includes a primer to the game for readers who are unfamiliar with it.)

It is also featured in several filmed versions of the novels, including Dr. No (1962) where Bond first play the game, Thunderball (1965), the 1967 version of Casino Royale (which is the most detailed treatment of a game of baccarat in any Bond film), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), For Your Eyes Only (1981) and GoldenEye (1995).

Other casino games featured in the Bond films:

• Sean Connery's Bond played Gin Rummy in the 1964 film Goldfinger.

• In the seventh Bond film from 1971, Diamonds Are Forever, set in Las Vegas, 007 is seen playing the classic dice game of Craps with Plenty O'Toole (played by Lana Wood).

• Roger Moore's James Bond played Sic bo in the 1974 film The Man with the Golden Gun and Backgammon in the 1983 film Octopussy.

• In the unofficial film Never Say Never Again in 1983, the secret agent (played by Sean Connery in his last outing as Bond) is challenged to a game of 'Domination' by the film's villain, Maximillian Largo (portrayed by Klaus Maria Brandauer).

• The second Bond film starring Timothy Dalton - Licence to Kill from 1989 - 007 plays blackjack.

• In the 2006 film version of Casino Royale (2006), baccarat is replaced with Texas Hold 'em poker, very much due to its popularity at the time of filming.

Additionally, other games featured in the James Bond novels include Bridge (in Ian Fleming's Moonraker), Roulette (in Role of Honour by John Gardner) and Mah Jong (in Zero Minus Ten by Raymond Benson).

James Bond 007 video games from 2001 to 2012:
• Agent Under Fire (2001) - Electronic Arts
• Nightfire (2002) - Electronic Arts
• Everything Or Nothing (2004) - Electronic Arts
• GoldenEye: Rogue Agent (2004) - Electronic Arts
• From Russia With Love (2005) - Electronic Arts
• Quantum of Solace (2008) - Activision
• Blood Stone (2010) - Activision
• GoldenEye (2010) - Activision
• GoldenEye Reloaded (2011) - Activision
• 007 Legends (2012) - Activision
• 007 Solstice (2017) - Telltale

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Which casino games does James Bond play in the novels and films?

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