1980. In a luxurious mansion in some Central European principality, a number of guests, are celebrating the New Year. Everybody’s gaze falls upon a very elegantly dressed man. They offer him a revolver. He loads it with one bullet. He casts his eye over all the faces watching him. The barrel rests against his temple. He closes his eyes.

1972. Ferran is a young man of twenty-one. His grey life consists of living rather poorly off a few sporadic jobs and playing cards. At a game he meets Chino, a professional player of striking appearance. Ferran is left owing him money. Chino invites the boy for a drink in a brothel and introduces him to Rosa, a twenty-year-old girl.

Chino and Ferran become friends. The games take place more and more frequently and Chino comes with an idea: to form two ghost companies that will trade false bills of exchange in order to be able to raise some cash. Ferran frequents the best restaurants, the best gambling dens… and he turns into a complete night owl.

A historic game takes place. Ferran asks Chino to be a bit careful. A player sets a trap for Chino and walks off with the whole lot. For the following week Chino does a disappearing act, doesn’t stop playing until he have bankrupted the cheating player. He gambles on everything and against everybody. A ploughman goes bust while playing against Chino. The family has no money and the distraught ploughman offers them a load of bird shit.

In an illegal casino Chino surprises everybody by reciting a poem about Rosa. Right away he begins to rake in profits at a frantic rate. The police interrupt the game. They arrest everyone and confiscate all the money. Ferran cannot stand any more.

They go to Madrid by car. In a a villa Chino plays a game with a vast amount of money at stake. For three consecutive nights he wins an awful lot of money. Back in Valencia Chino disappears. The boy looks for him for several weeks but nobody knows anything about him.

2006. Ferran takes part in a game where he meets a man whose life has been ruined by gambling. They end up talking about Chino. He became a popular figure in Madrid where he made a large fortune. He became so famous that even foreigners were clamouring for him to risk his life playing Russian roulette.

1980. Everybody’s gaze falls upon Chino in the Central European mansion. The barrel rests against his mouth. He closes his eyes. A shot rings out.