Derren Brown Russian Roulette: Story Behind the Terrifying Trick
Pulling the Trigger
Before we tackle this marvelously dangerous feat in its entirety, we must first explain what Russian roulette is to those who aren’t familiar. Unlike the beloved table game of roulette that’s enjoyed throughout Europe and America, Russian roulette has a much more sinister spirit. Let’s set the scene, shall we?
Picture this. You’re sitting around a table and directly across from you is another person. Sitting on the middle of the table is a gun with six chambers, all empty. The game begins by placing two bullets in two neighbouring, adjacent chambers. The gun’s cylinder is spun then closed and the next thing you know, the barrel of the join is pointed at your temple. Click. It didn’t go off, you’re still alive.
The gun is then passed to the person facing you at the table and the cylinder gets spun again and the trigger is pulled right by their temple. Will it go off? What are the chances of survival if you take another turn? Why would anyone want to play this ‘game’ in the first place?
Obviously, we encourage you strongly to you never ever try this game in real life. Not only is it completely reckless, but it’s also technically illegal in many countries. Nevertheless, there seems to be a lack of laws that explicitly mention Russian roulette, although perhaps charges for public endangerment or manslaughter could come your way if you are foolish enough to play it and survive.
With this in mind, let’s discuss the astounding probabilities surrounding Russian roulette, as it is quite an interesting math problem at its core.
The Maths Behind It
Perhaps the appeal of Russian roulette to those with the death wish to play it is the high stakes nature of it as a game, as it plays upon the laws of probability. The game comes with a one in three chance of dying. If the chamber isn’t spun between turns then the game isn’t as interesting in terms of probability.
If you have two players spinning the chamber each time, then each player has a 1/6 chance to lose every turn. After you spin the cylinder for a second time, the second pull of the trigger will have the exact same risk as the first trigger.
There are two rounds, and six locations overall, meaning you have a 33.3% chance of dying. However, according to the ‘glass-half-full’ school of thought, you do have a 66.7% of survival.
No, You Go First
By this stage you may be asking, ‘Is it better to go first or second during a game of Russian roulette?’, so let’s discuss it. Realistically, the player that goes second has an initial advantage as they won’t need to worry about shooting if player one dies in the first round, a one in six chance. This means there’s an 83.3% chance of surviving if you go second
However, this advantage begins to dwindle significantly as the game progresses. If we break it down the probability of the gun firing during the first attempt is 16.% (one in six), during the second attempt is 20%, then 25%, then 33% on the fourth turn, 50% on the fifth, and 100% at the end as the sixth shot is always fatal. Although why you’d pull the trigger for the sixth time is beyond us!
As we mentioned before, the mathematics of Russian roulette depends greatly on whether or not the revolver cylinder is spun again. It’s also advantageous to spin the cylinder before each shot as it retains the second players chance of survival to 83.3%
The History behind Russian Roulette
Casting the probabilities of the game aside, we’d like to talk about the possible origins of this deadly game. The truth of the matter is, nobody knows for sure where the game originated, although this hasn’t stopped historians and speculators from hazarding a guess in the slightest.
According to some historians, Russian roulette emerged as a wartime pastime in the Tsarist armies as it was considered a relatively harmless trick that impressed those watching its spectacle. If you’re going to be sent into the wild bloody thunder of a battle in a few hours, is it really any less bizarre?
Another myth surrounding Russian roulette is that it was a twisted creation of the police force, who used the intense pressure of the game as a means of getting captured suspects to confess. Similarly sadistic origin myths exist about the game being used on convicts by prison guards looking for a thrilling bet.
Regardless of where it came from, one thing is for certain, humans have always been obsessed with the concept of fate being predetermined. Not only does this game put this belief to the test, but it also provides an insane rush to those who dare to tiptoe across this tightrope between life and death.
Derren Brown’s Background
We can think of no greater tightrope walker between life and death, shock and awe, amazement and disbelief than the famed illusionist Derren Brown. He has been a household name in the UK for over two decades and has revived the ‘mentalism’ style of magic for an entirely new generation.
His magic uses a plethora of methods in the production of his illusions that mystify his audiences and he often frames these cunning tricks as a product of his extensive knowledge of the powers and techniques that one can use to influence and manipulate the human mind.
To give a better visualization as to just how deep Derren Brown’s training goes, we’d like to outline some of the techniques that he uses to perform his illusions.
- Traditional Conjuring Techniques
- Memory Techniques
- Hypnosis
- Body Language Reading
- Cognitive Psychology
- Cold Reading
- Subliminal Suggestion
Derren Brown Russian Roulette
His big breakthrough to a mainstream audience came in 2003 with ‘Derren Brown Russian Roulette’, in which he played this shocking game of chance live in front of the nation glued into their TV sets at home. It would prove to a major kickstart to his magic career and the beginning of a mystifying, profound body of work.
The compelling premise of the show was about how Brown would select a volunteer to play Russian roulette with him, whittling down the initial twelve thousand original applicants to just five, and eventually one person. The final volunteer was required to load a single shot into a revolver with six chambers, and you could see their visible unease.
Throughout the game, the tension was tangible as Brown shot five empty barrels before placing the gun to his head for the sixth and final time before unloading the chamber unto a nearby sandbag.
Cultural Impact
When it first aired live on Channel 4 on the 5th of October, 2003, the show was watched by 3.3 million viewers. This colossal cultural impact led to a media circus that covered the special in equal parts curiosity, controversy, and condemnation.
Due to laws in Britain outlawing the firing of live bullets, the trick was condemned by members of the British police forces, who feared copycats trying the dangerous game at home. The special was filmed on Jersey Island as a way of circumventing mainland UK gun laws.
This inevitably led to the Jersey Police exposing the trick as a hoax with the statement; ‘ “There was no live ammunition involved and at no time was anyone at risk” and “There is absolutely no way that the States of Jersey police would allow anybody to put themselves at risk and shoot themselves dead.’’
Criticism and Exposing of the Trick
Despite its initial success, the trick would eventually unravel as a hoax due to the impossibilities of Brown being able to. According to Jersey Police, the handgun used in the show was filled with blanks as the television crew had to obtain permits to even film on the island as owning a firearm in the UK is incredibly difficult, making it impossible for Brown to even use a real gun.
Brown’s Response to Criticism
As the criticism of the trick mounted and an explanation was called for, Brown responded with this statement about the potential use of blanks in this spectacle, ‘the frustrating and kind of ironic part of it was that even if it had been a blank that wouldn’t have made it any less dangerous. You shoot a blank next to your head and it will still kill you.’’
Our Final Say
As we wrap up, we’d like to give our two cents on the Derren Brown roulette trick. What Brown does better than anyone is to take a series of effects from his mentalism training and present them to you in a way that makes you rethink everything you’ve just seen.
Above all, the sense of mystery is paramount to the entire experience and for this incredible theatrics are required. Regardless of whether or not he had a real handgun, firing blank rounds right at your temple is enough to kill you stone dead.
Therefore, the trick still retains a vital sense of realism and unnerving, real-life risk that only someone with admirable dedication could pull off, which we salute him whole-heartedly for!
Frequently Asked Questions
At the end, we like to feature some of the most commonly asked questions by our readers. If you’d like to read about exciting games that come with a greater chance of holding onto your head, be sure to check out our features on as slots, poker or blackjack.
For further reading, we heartily recommend that you check out some of our other informative guides to the ever-evolving world of gambling. Best of luck out there!
What are the chances of dying in Russian roulette?
You have a 33% chance of dying when playing Russian roulette. The probability of the gun firing during the first attempt is 16.% (one in six), during the second attempt is 20%, then 25%, then 33% on the fourth turn, 50% on the fifth, and 100% at the end as the sixth shot is always fatal.
Is Russian roulette legal?
No, Russian roulette is completely illegal, as it is illegal to own a firearm in the UK without the proper licence.
What techniques does Derren Brown use?
Derren Brown uses a well-versed mixture of a variety of magical and psychological techniques involving memory, hypnosis, body language reading, cognitive psychology, subliminal suggesting, and cold reading. If you'd to read more about tricks, see our feature on slots tips and tricks that lead to big payouts here.
Why do people play Russian Roulette?
While it does seem fewer people these days play Russian roulette, it seems to us that some people play the game as they want to show off a sense of reckless bravery or else to experience an adrenaline rush by beating the odds of this deadly game. For a greater chance of survival, we recommend sticking to ordinary table roulette.
