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Licence to Thrill
 by David Wright on 1-18-2010
Licence to Thrill: Bond and the Mystery of the Casino
For many of us risking hundreds of thousands of other people's money on games of craps or poker is beyond the pale. Indeed, risking a few hundred in an online casino is danger enough for you and I. But for the world's favorite secret agent, the casino is not only a place for Vodka Martinis and glamorous femme fatales: it is a place to do battle with the super villains that threaten the world.
Writing in Casino Royale (1953), the first of Ian Fleming's classic novels, the author laid bare James Bond's love for the casino: "Bond has always been a gambler. He loved the dry riffle of the cards and the constant unemphatic drama of the quiet figures round the green tables. he liked the solid, studied comfort of card-rooms and casinos... Above all, he liked it that everything was one's own fault. There was only oneself to praise or blame. Luck was a servant and not a master."
Here Fleming gave us the essence of Bond, and why the casino has been used several times in the numerous movies that followed and cemented his character's status as the most famous of secret agents. The games of chance to be played in the casino were not solely that, and were rather games that could be mastered. This is also cited as a common reason why the game of poker, most commonly Texas Hold 'Em, is so popular today.
However for James Bond the favored game was Baccarat Chemin de Fer, a game where the value of a hand is determined by value of the individual cards to that of the hand. Fleming mentions the game explicitly in Casino Royale, and three different Bonds are seen playing Baccarat in Dr. No (1962), Thunderball (1965), On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) and Goldeneye (1995).
However, in the reinvigorated Bond films starring Daniel Craig, the British super hero is brought bang up to date, playing casino games like Texas Hold 'Em where Bond beats villain Le Chiffre with a straight flush in the tense finally of a thrilling game.
As it transpired, the participating actors were so involved with the game they played it on the set, in-between takes and even got together for rounds after filming had wrapped. Producers brought in poker expert Thomas Sanbrook to work with the actors on their playing techniques and table behavior, but the enjoyment of the game took hold on the stars.
Interestingly, the game saw an increase in players after the release of the movie, perhaps as movie-goers saw their most realistic chance to emulate Bond. The hero's popularity is one reason why marketing companies from BMW to Sony fall over themselves to be involved when any new movie is scheduled, and audiences fall over themselves to get a ticket. After all, with such a suave, smooth and sophisticated super-hero any man or woman would love to play a few rounds with him.
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