Best James Bond Casino Scenes

James Bond’s well-documented enthusiasm for casinos may be a result of his apparently never-ending luck. Through his training as an elite spy, he’s mastered the perfect poker face, allowing him to keep his cool even when he’s playing for the highest of stakes.

With his tendency towards recklessness in the pursuit of justice, Bond’s character is the archetypal poker player. He is not afraid to go all in, but he remains ruthlessly unflappable when it comes to performing under pressure.

The novels that Ian Fleming wrote included scenes in which Bond dazzled love interests and villains alike with his flair for cards and dice. The films add another layer of glamour to some of these scenes, using opulent sets as a backdrop for some of the most intense moments in these pioneering films.

Casino Royale

Of all the casino scenes in Bond films, those in Casino Royale are among the most tense. Known for his ability to beat the odds in almost any scenario, Bond’s epic showdown in this film is just one example of the iconic spy’s ice-cold approach to risk-taking.

Bond has to think on his feet, control his emotions and take calculated risks in order for his plan to pay off. This is Daniel Craig’s James Bond at his most impressive, but instead of high-speed car chases and helicopter heroics, the hero of the piece is doing everything he can to appear still and calm.

As in the rest of his career, Bond needs nerves of steel to take on the challenge of beating Le Chiffre. He throws one hand in order to try and spot Le Chiffre’s tell, while he, in turn, is duped in the next and ends up being eliminated from the table.

As the final showdown approached, 007 is not only forced to take on two assassins that attack him on the stairs, but he’s also poisoned by Le Chiffre. Fortunately, he has Vesper Lynd on hand to defibrillate him before playing a straight flush that wins him the $115 million prize pot.

In the original Ian Fleming novel, Bond plays baccarat against arch-villain Le Chiffre, but in the 1953 adaptation, the screenwriters switched the game to Texas hold ‘em. They thought it would make the scene more exciting and that the higher stakes would make it a more realistic choice for this, most dramatic of scenes.

Many Bond fans wanted to experience the excitement of casino games for themselves and the allure of casinos is still evident. Modern Bond fans, however, can enjoy all the excitement of a night at the table with 007 playing live casino games online.

Dr No

While Casino Royale may be the film most associated with James Bond’s love of casino games, the first Bond film in the franchise also features a truly ground-breaking scene set in a casino. In Dr No, Sean Connery’s James Bond stops in at a casino to find a game of Chemin de Fer, which is another form of baccarat.

It is in this casino, on meeting Sylvia Trench, that Bond first says the line ‘Bond. James Bond.’ when asked his name. This catchphrase became intrinsically linked with the character and became one of the most quoted signature lines.

This film showed the glamorous side of casino games, with elegantly dressed players engaged in high stakes games. The onlookers smoke and drink cocktails while Bond makes eyes at Ms Trench across the table in what turns out to be the beginning of a dalliance that spans several films.

James Bond may have met Sylvia Trench the old fashioned way, but today it’s possible to meet hundreds of like-minded players online. There are plenty of forums, message boards and live chats to join in and a whole community playing casino games together.

Octopussy

Roger Moore took a little break from baccarat to play backgammon in Octopussy, taking on an evil prince named Kamal Khan. Bond wins a bet of 200,000 rupees against the Prince, despite the Khanm playing with loaded dice.

Keeping his cool, as always, James Bond sits in on a game after spotting that the prince was cheating and uses the loaded dice to give himself the advantage. Shortly after his victory, Bond goes on to meet the prince’s associate, the titular Octopussy and they join forces to try and overcome Khan and his Soviet allies.

During the filming of Octopussy, Roger Moore and Cubby Broccoli played real, high-stakes games of backgammon in between takes. The two were keen to push each other to the limit, staking thousands of dollars in games that were every bit as exciting as the on-screen action.

This passion gave Roger Moore’s character an additional realism, showcasing his talents both as an actor and a master of the art of calculating odds. In this scene, Bond keeps his cool even in the face of increasingly high stakes and plays with a panache that is typical of the movie legend.

James Bond is known for being able to handle any situation, so it is no surprise that he is at home in a casino. Whether he is outwitting villains in dramatic shootouts, or outwitting his enemies using odds and probability, he showcases his most impressive talents when under pressure.

Watching Bond at work is enough to inspire anyone to try their hand at casino games. Jetting off to a glamorous location isn’t required when you can play all the most exciting games from the comfort of your own home with no high-stakes showdowns required.