'The Gambler' must be considered at least a semi-autobiographical novel, as Dostoyevsky was himself addicted to games of chance. It is famous, not just for its literary merit, but for the numerous behavioural/social analyses undertaken in the hope of finding clues to the origin of compulsive gambling. A closer reading of the work, however, reveals that its hero, Alexei, acts compulsively in almost every area of his life, and as the novel progresses he gradually comes to understand this as the root cause of his chaotic existence. Ironically, Dostoyevsky wrote the book in order to pay off gambling debts.