thumb|Russian roulette as depicted in the 1925 film [[The Night Club (film)|The Night Club.]]
Russian roulette () is a potentially lethal game of chance in which a player places a single round in a revolver, spins the cylinder, places the muzzle against the head or body (their opponent's or their own.), and pulls the trigger. If the loaded chamber aligns with the barrel after cocking (with a single-action revolver), or is in the position which will be rotated to the barrel upon pulling the trigger (double-action), the weapon fires.
Etymology
thumb|The Russian revolver [[Nagant M1895 is one of the symbols of Russian roulette.]]
The term Russian roulette was possibly first used in a 1937 short story of the same name by Georges Surdez, published in the January 30, 1937, edition of Collier's magazine: