The Gambler.

Attributes: The Gambler walks the line between certainty and chaos, and as he passes, events are resolved into one category or the other. Risking armies, tossing dice, pitching pennies, floating IPOs . . . as long as there’s a big risk for a big return, it’s meat and drink for the Gambler. This archetype is also sometimes called “the daredevil.” Confidence is the essence of the Gambler. Other people are content to submit to fate and hope they can just get through life’s unpredictable times. The Gambler thinks (rightly or wrongly) that he can beat fate, buck the odds, and come out ahead. Sometimes he’s even right. The Gambler accepts that there’s luck and uncertainty, but believes he can overcome it with skill and nerve and moxie. The odds insist that the test pilot is asking for it, but if that pilot’s a daredevil, he’s betting his skills are sufficient to overcome the random factors. He’s betting his life. Lesser Gamblers bet lesser stakes, but they’re always trying to come out ahead. They’re betting that they know when to put the dice down, betting that they can track the face cards in the shoe, betting that they can beat you at darts, or that they can predict the vagaries of the stock market. Essentially, then, Gamblers place themselves in uncertain situations hoping that they can take control of them for personal gain. “Uncertain” does not mean random: A chess match is uncertain until the king is in checkmate, but there is no element of randomness to it. Similarly, “gain” does not necessarily mean money. Military men often gamble with lives and nations in hope of victory. Some daredevils are simply after the thrill. At her best, the Gambler is daring, bold, vital and unpredictable. But the downside of the Gambler comes out when she misjudges her own capabilities, overestimates her ability to control the situation, or simply doesn’t know when to fold ‘em. Taboos: The daredevil is the master of the calculated risk. Therefore, taking risks that