Blades Club
Blades is a fictional London gentlemen's club appearing and referenced in several of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, most notably "Moonraker". Blades is situated on "Park Street" (correct name Park Place) off St James's Street, at the approximate location of the real-life club Pratt's. Inspirations. Based on Fleming's notes as well as details of the club included in the novels, Blades is an amalgam of several nearby clubs, several of which Fleming mentions by name in various Bond books. These include: Fictional history. Blades was founded between 1774 and 1776 and is  of a calibre equal to or greater than that of any other club. In fact, Fleming writes that when the club closes for the month of September each year, any of its members who are still in London typically pass the time at White's or Boodle's, disliking the clientele at each for different reasons. It excels in terms of member accommodations, staff, food, and furnishings, and its members include some of the finest card players in the world. The club has only 200 members, and there are only two qualifications for being elected a member: behaving like a  gentleman and being able to prove a net worth of at least £100,000 (£ in 2022 pounds) in cash or gilt-edged securities. M is a member of Blades, and James Bond, though not a member, is an occasional guest. M often lunches at Blades, usually eating a spare meal of grilled Dover sole and Stilton cheese, and always pays his bill with a five-pound note in order to receive newly minted notes and coins as change, a club tradition. As a favour to M, Blades also stocks a cheap Algerian red wine to which M is partial , but does not include it on the wine list; he calls it "Infuriator" and drinks it only in small quantities unless he is in a very bad mood. Amenities offered by the club include: Membership at Blades costs £100 for an initial entrance fee, and £50 in annual dues. Each member is required to win or lose at least £500 per year at the gaming tables or else pay a fine of £250. No bills are presented for any meals; at the end of each week, the total cost is prorated among the winners and deducted  from their profits. Blades plays a prominent role in the novel "Moonraker". M, along with the club chairman Basildon, suspect another member, Sir Hugo Drax, to be cheating at bridge. Because Drax is involved in a nuclear missile project crucial to national security, M and Basildon wish to avoid a scandal. Because of Bond's skill at cards, M invites him to Blades to discern Drax's method of cheating. Bond discovers that Drax is using a highly polished silver cigarette case as a "shiner" − a mirror that allows him to see the cards as he deals − and  devises a plan to discourage him from further cheating, with help from M and Basildon. During a very high-stakes bridge game, Bond switches in a cold deck in order to deal an extraordinarily good hand to Drax and thus increase his confidence. Not knowing that Bond has dealt himself a grand slam, Drax doubles and accepts an immediate redouble by Bond; Drax loses, costing him a total of £15,000 for the entire evening.