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The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: The Gambler’s Game Ritual

February 16, 2015 by Lucia

Previously: The Doors of Your Mind.

Not to be confused with the excellent Ichor Falls short story “The Gambler,” The Gambler’s Game, which arrived on the Creepypasta Wikia circa 2010, is neither as long as many of the other games and rituals we explored, nor as involved: All it requires is a pack of cards and an hour or so of your time. But although the game is short and sweet, the stakes are high; what would be the point of playing if they were not?

Old playing cards strewn across a table

It’s common knowledge that the Devil loves to gamble; however, it hasn’t been confirmed whether the Gambler of this game is he — or whether the name of the game might refer to the player him or herself instead. Whoever or whatever your opponent may be, though, be warned: He plays for keeps.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

  • One principal.

Requirements:

  • A pack of playing cards.
  • A quiet room.
  • A table.
  • Two chairs.

Instructions:

  1. Begin whenever you feel the need.
  2. Take up your pack of playing cards, go to your quite room, and seat yourself at the table. You should be facing the second chair across the table.
  3. Shuffle the cards. Shuffle them thoroughly, and shuffle them well. Do not attempt to mark or stack the deck; cheating will not be tolerated.
  4. Choose your game and deal yourself a hand.
  5. Begin the game by facing the second chair and saying the words, “Let’s play.” You may feel a slight chill; if you do, do not be concerned. If you do not, however, do not proceed.
  6. Deal the Gambler his hand; then play your first move. When it is the Gambler’s turn, you must help him play by laying down cards randomly from his hand. Do NOT look at his hand before it is on the table. Again, cheating will not be tolerated.
  7. Play the game to its conclusion, alternating turns as required.
    • If you win: Take the top card of the deck and draw its edge across the pointer finger of your right hand. If you draw blood, that hand will henceforth have the power to win any gamble, whether it’s a throw of the dice or the luck of the draw. Use it wisely, and sparingly.
    • If the Gambler wins: He will claim his prize — and before you ask, no, there is nothing you can do to dissuade him from doing so.

Additional Notes:

Any game will do, although Blackjack is preferred. It should be noted that games whose outcomes rely solely on luck make poor choices, indeed.

If possible, use a new and previously unopened pack of cards; the Gambler is mistrustful, and he may not look kindly upon an old or well-worn deck.

Should the Gambler win, he will not be quick about claiming his prize; nor will it be clean. You have only yourself to blame, however. After all, you were the one who decided to tempt fate.

A Word of Advice:

It is NOT recommended that you play this game.

There’s a reason you don’t come across many people with lucky hands in this world.

The Gambler’s Game: FAQ.

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Twitter @GhostMachine13 and on Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photo via]

Filed Under: Games Tagged With: card games, chance, luck, The Gambler, The Gambler's Game, The Most Dangerous Games

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nunya says

    January 18, 2021 at 2:51 am

    Hey, are you able to play with someone spectating? It’s to make sure that the player isn’t cheating. Would this make the gambler mad?

    Reply
  2. IvyGreen says

    June 27, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    Imagine playing Slapjack with”The Gambler”

    Reply
  3. 3##3 says

    January 16, 2019 at 3:07 pm

    Your life is mine.

    Reply
  4. the hierophant says

    August 4, 2018 at 8:53 am

    I really liked this (and the whole website, found it recently!) but this would actually be ridiculously easy to win if you played blackjack seeing as your opponent can’t hit or call. I’m assuming I must be missing something. would you get some sort of signal perhaps? maybe tell him to like knock once for a card and twice to stop? otherwise you’d have just about a guaranteed win against your opponent and this would be TOTALLY worth it to play.

    Reply
  5. IT'S YA BOI says

    June 30, 2018 at 5:55 am

    if you are playing blackjack with him, does he only get two cards? Or should you look at his cards and play for him? How do you know if he wants another card/hit or if he wants to not get another card/stay?

    Reply
  6. Jothulhu says

    June 29, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    As I read this, I heard the sound of a deck shuffling several times in the next room over.

    Reply
  7. Michael says

    June 4, 2018 at 4:19 am

    Can you play Durak with the Gambler?

    Reply
  8. A person says

    May 5, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    Can you win this and then play the dice game, or would it be cheating?

    Reply
  9. Ned Winston says

    May 2, 2018 at 11:58 am

    What if an outside force (whether it be a draft of some kind, a fan, anything that can move light objects) flips the gambler’s deck around and I look at them? Does that suffice as cheating or at losing condition?

    Reply
    • Michael says

      June 4, 2018 at 4:20 am

      I think that this is not cheating.

      Reply
    • Marcus says

      July 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm

      If I were you, I would keep all fans out of the room and make sure any doors and windows are securely shut. But if it did happen, you should probably apologize profusely, beg for forgiveness, reshuffle the deck, and ask if he would like to replay the game. Best case scenario, he accepts and the game restarts. Worse case… Well, you might want to work very hard to make sure there are no drafts in the room.

      Reply
  10. basil says

    January 22, 2018 at 3:04 pm

    What if i don’t draw blood?

    Reply
    • Sya says

      March 7, 2018 at 7:53 am

      Then there is no prize, but at least you are alive.
      Should have chosen a different game, he was so bored through it he didn’t even bother to give you luck.

      Reply
  11. Rhiannon says

    January 6, 2018 at 10:30 pm

    If I don’t feel a slight chill, it’s means he’s not there, right? So I could, theoretically, play a nice card game against myself with no repercussions and no entities present?

    Reply
    • Marcus says

      July 7, 2020 at 5:10 pm

      You could. Theoretically. However, I would advise against it. Think of it this way: not feeling the chill doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t there. Maybe he just doesn’t want to play. In that case, it wouldn’t look like a nice card game against yourself. To the Gambler, it could seem like you are disregarding his wishes and trying to play against him anyways. And I doubt he would take kindly to that. But hey, it’s your funeral. Literally.

      Reply
  12. ash says

    October 1, 2017 at 12:00 am

    what if i do the small radio, the dark reflection ritual AND the man in the fields ritual before doing this and play a game totally reliant on luck? wouldn’t i win?
    what if i “play” dry bones/11 miles and make my wish to win this game?
    are those things considered cheating?

    Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 22, 2017 at 12:12 pm

      I’m sure otherworldly spirits know each other, so he may sense you’ve played those games before. Plus, that would be like telling the dealer of the game (in this case, luck) to lean towards you, so he’d probably see it as cheating.

      Reply
  13. ash says

    September 18, 2017 at 4:31 pm

    if you “do not proceed” should you just leave the room alone till the next day? or burn the playing cards or something like that?

    Reply
  14. IndieDud says

    August 1, 2017 at 6:53 pm

    Wait, can you bring things that make you luck like four-leaf clover or rabbit feet or ace?

    Reply
    • Broadway trash says

      August 13, 2017 at 4:28 pm

      That might be considered cheating

      Reply
  15. lucy fir says

    June 5, 2017 at 6:59 pm

    I won. however, I recommend you BURN the pack of cards you used, as I feel a little odd when using them

    Reply
    • Iil uci fer says

      June 8, 2017 at 3:46 am

      So is your hand now blessed?

      Reply
    • Chogiwa says

      June 17, 2018 at 9:25 pm

      Does it work? Do you have lucky hands now?

      Reply
  16. Whitney says

    May 9, 2017 at 9:10 am

    Can someone help me understand these rules better.
    6. Deal the Gambler his hand; then play your first move. When it is the Gambler’s turn, you must help him play by laying down cards randomly from his hand. Do NOT look at his hand before it is on the table. Again, cheating will not be tolerated.
    7. Play the game to its conclusion, alternating turns as required.
    And is it possible to play with more than two people, like inviting a friend to play as well.

    Reply
  17. RD says

    March 27, 2017 at 3:22 am

    Can I play UNO with him?

    Reply
    • A Random Person says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      I was thinking the same thing… but then i thought about trash…

      Reply
  18. sutetanjay says

    November 21, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    You should drink liquid luck before play this gameXD

    Reply
  19. skyvelxx20 says

    September 1, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T PLAY WAR WITH HIM!!!! I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE!!!

    Reply
    • Tigerheart says

      January 25, 2017 at 5:13 pm

      What happened? Did he touch you?

      Reply
    • Lady-Grim says

      January 27, 2017 at 10:30 am

      Of all the games you could have chosen… You played war? Well, how did that work out for you?

      Reply
  20. samara says

    August 22, 2015 at 1:38 am

    whats the reward the gambler gets?

    Reply
    • Corvo Attano says

      September 9, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      You die i am guessing

      Reply
    • Samuel says

      September 17, 2015 at 4:06 pm

      Your life. It seems his reward is killing you at any time, in whatever way he wants.

      Reply
    • Jules says

      May 26, 2016 at 10:13 am

      Likely your soul.

      Reply
    • A Random Person says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:38 pm

      Most likely, you.

      Reply
    • IndieDud says

      August 1, 2017 at 6:51 pm

      Most likely, your life. Or maybe things, like fame, money, health, knowledge. Nobody knows.

      Reply
      • Des says

        October 4, 2017 at 12:14 pm

        He’s a ghost so maybe not money or physical objects

        Reply
  21. Alana says

    August 15, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    So what happens if you don’t feel the chill? Why is it bad of you don’t? Wouldn’t it just meant that nothing entered? That no one was playing with you?

    Reply
    • Des says

      October 4, 2017 at 12:11 pm

      That mean they don’t want to play

      Reply
  22. roy says

    June 20, 2015 at 1:33 am

    What if you are playing blackjack with him, does he only get two cards? Or should you look at his cards aND play for him? How do you know if he wants a “hit”?

    Reply
  23. Linivier says

    May 27, 2015 at 11:00 pm

    Okay but what if you accidentally look at his cards? Is there a way you can truthfully say that you didn’t mean to, and start over? Would you be able to apologize? Does he automatically win?

    Reply
    • KeeganTheFabulous says

      June 3, 2015 at 3:50 am

      The cards should all be facing down, to begin with, unless the rules of the game state otherwise; and when you’re playing with the supernatural and the unknown, playing by the rules will be your one lifesaver. If you accidentally see the Gambler’s cards, I’d unfortunately have to guess that you’re screwed.

      Reply
    • A Random Person says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:39 pm

      How can you “accidentally” look at his cards?

      Reply
    • Aloe says

      May 17, 2018 at 1:25 am

      Try giving him another card. It should work, but by any means be careful when giving his hand.

      Reply
  24. Cas says

    March 31, 2015 at 10:48 pm

    Is it possible to use a deck of a specific game?

    Reply
    • KeeganTheFabulous says

      May 24, 2015 at 8:29 pm

      “If possible, use a new and previously unopened pack of cards; the Gambler is mistrustful, and he may not look kindly upon an old or well-worn deck.” By analogy, if you use a specific pack, the Gambler will think you a cheater. So stick with a generic pack.

      Reply

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