V. Novodvorsky is the pseudonym of Vasily Vasilyevich Sipovsky (1872-1930), an outstanding Russian literary scholar, historian of Russian literature, and teacher. After graduating from the Faculty of History and Philology at St. Petersburg University, he began his scientific and literary work in his first year. He taught at secondary schools, at the Higher Women's Courses, and after 1917 he became a professor and vice-rector of Baku University. Since 1923, he was a full member of the Research Institute for Comparative Study of Literatures and Languages ¿¿of the West and East at Leningrad State University, and since 1921, a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences. The author of numerous textbooks, anthologies, and studies, Sipovsky made a significant contribution to the study of Russian literature and its historical development. This edition presents his novel "A Crown in Spades to a Jack", which in an adventurous and daring form tells about one of the most mysterious pages of Russian history - the sale of Alaska. This deal, which became a grandiose financial speculation, still causes controversy and speculation. Who really turned out to be the winner in this game? Why was the Russian government deceived by more dexterous competitors? Using an action-packed style, the novel immerses the reader in a world of intrigue, treacherous deals and political maneuvers, where the stakes are much higher than just cards - an entire continent is at stake.