The novels of Fyodor Dostoevsky, including the classic Crime and Punishment, secured the great Russian writer an exalted position in the literary pantheon of 20th-century authors. The Gambler stands as one of the literary genius' most highly regarded shorter works. At the casino in Roulettenburg, Germany, a Russian family awaits word that a wealthy relative from Petersburg has died. But to their dismay, Granny arrives and begins gambling away their inheritance at an alarming rate.