When one has some experience with gambling and casinos, and knows firsthand the atmosphere, the sensations, and the characters that typically surround a roulette table, the analogous scenes in Dostoevsky, whether in his fiction or his biography, are appreciated on a whole new level. The Dostoevsky who theorized and made very serious notes on strategy and probability is one of the most fascinating figures one can encounter in a casino. It is impossible not to empathize with him, and impossible not to be entertained by seeing him immersed in this fierce battle between reason and emotion, struggling to draw some conclusions. One is tempted to want him as a friend. And perhaps there is no trait that more clearly demonstrates the courage and sincerity that resided in his heart.