In the field of poker, it’s something they’ve been trying for decades and only occasionally getting away with. The pastime, or should we say sport, of poker has become a massive industry in recent decades, and it’s an activity millions upon millions of us enjoy.

Of all the poker scenes put to celluloid, here are our three favorites, not necessarily due to their realistic nature but more for their iconic impact. By the way, if you are an avid poker fan out of Pennsylvania, you may want to check out this helpful list of the best PA online poker sites around.

The Sting (1973)

This classic comedy caper from George Roy Hill sees Paul Newman and Robert Redford deliver a masterclass in suave elegance as they grift their way to a killing. Robert Shaw, best known for his performance as Quint in Jaws, is the ‘Mark’ for their big con, and that’s because the tyrannical gangster was behind the killing of their friend in Illinois during the Great Depression.

In order to set the scene and lure in Shaw, Newman constructs a con that involves a high-stakes poker game that takes place on board a train. It’s an iconic scene and one that lives long in the memory.

Newman plays an obnoxious drunk who riles up Shaw and his fellow players, giving them a sense of false expectations, only to then beat him in a way that clearly shows his opponent that he’s cheated. However, it’s not a claim Shaw can make, given he, too, has been cheating.

It lays the groundwork for the ultimate con that takes place in the final act and is beautifully crafted from both a cinematic perspective as well as a nod to poker lovers out there, who no doubt know the scene back to front.

Rounders (1998)

This 90s favorite, starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton as the leads, is pretty much the poker equivalent to The Color of Money. Mike McDermott (Damon) is studying law while making a few extra bucks on the side as a poker player. He’s a happy-go-lucky type of guy whose best friend happens to be something of a risk-taker, leading him down all sorts of roads he’d rather not have traveled.

Throughout the film, McDermott is effectively playing in order to keep his friend, Worm (Norton), out of jail or the hands of the mobsters, and it all comes down to a final card game against the hilarious “Teddy KGB,” a riotous over the top portrayal of a Russian gangster from John Malkovich, which effectively steals the film.

By the end of the film, Mike has worked out KGB’s ‘tell’ and subsequently lures him in and wins back all that he is owed, resulting in his friend escaping the clutches of the mob and a tidy little nest egg for himself.

Throughout the movie, we are given an education into poker rooms, both big and small, and while it’s all a little bit ‘on the nose,’ it’s nonetheless entertaining, and the movie played its part in making poker very cool again.

Casino Royale (2006)

Daniel Craig successfully brought James Bond back to life following Pierce Brosnan’s slightly over-the-top run as 007, and in his first outing during 2006’s Casino Royale, he partakes in a big money poker game in Monte Carlo.

Unsurprisingly he’s going up against an ingenious madman who wants to destroy the world, as is traditional, but first, there’s the important matter of a card game played in a very opulent setting.

Of course, Bond wins after a poor start and pockets $100 million, further irritating La Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) when he gets a straight flush, beating his opponent’s full house.

Some players choose to do something else entirely and take a break, perhaps playing slots at real money online casinos. I’m more partial to enjoying a movie though and a while back, I had a major revelation watching Karate Kid 3. One of the movie quotes was so profound and inspiring it changed my whole approach to poker. Feeling enthused and inspired, I went in search of other quotes from movies that might give poker players something to think about.

Karate Kid 3: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita (1989)

“It’s okay to lose to opponent… must not lose to fear.”

This is not only a great poker lesson, but a quality life lesson as well. How many of us play ‘scared poker’? I’ll stick my hand up. I’ve changed my mindset because of this quote, and there have been several occasions where I’ve taken down the pot because I’ve decided to confront fear with aggression and confidence.

Fear can be a driving factor in poker, and if not confronted, it can cripple your game.

What holds us back from not raising a big hand when four others have limped in?

What’s holding you back from making that bluff? Are you scared you’ll look stupid in front of the other players if you get called?

A good poker player can smell fear. To combat that, you need to spray on some aftershave called ‘Confidence’ to mask that fear.

Rounders: Matt Damon, Ed Norton (1998)

 “If you can’t spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker!”

 A great quote from the best poker movie ever made. When I sit at a table, I might not play a hand for the first 20 minutes, but just sit back, observe everyone, and assign them a profile. Who are the calling stations and who are the players that only get involved in two hands an hour. Once you hook a fish, you want to reel them in slowly. You might lose them if you scale and gut them too quick. The real sharks in the poker room are the ones that circle the table looking out for their prey.

Color of Money: Paul Newman, Tom Cruise (1986)

“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.”

 I am dedicating this quote to all the suits who, after a hard week of grinding it out at the office, come down to the poker room and take home twice what they made that week at work. Let’s face it — while all this is going on, you’re visualizing walking into the office on Monday and telling your boss you’re quitting and moving to Las Vegas.

Any Given Sunday: Al Pacino and Denis Quaid (1999)

“You find out life’s this game of inches. So is football. Because in either game, life or football, the margin for error is so small — I mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it. One-half second too slow, too fast, you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us.

They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch, because we know when we add up all those inches that’s gonna make the fuckin’ difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying.”

I found this quote inspirational from a poker perspective because when you’re in a  hand, you’re fighting tooth and nail to win that pot. Those ‘inches’ in poker are all about extracting as much value from a hand as possible and striving to play each hand better.

Pacino also talks about timing, “I mean one-half a step too late, or too early, and you don’t quite make it.” This speaks to me about making the right bet size, or even folding to early or too late, which costs you either way. The plays in poker are all around us – we just need to recognize the right ones at the right time.

Rocky Balboa: Sylvester Stallone (2006)

“You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”

The first lesson poker teaches you is that life’s not fair. Last week I saw a player get Aces twice in three hands and both times they got cracked. You’ll get one-outed; flop a set against a straight or nut flush vs. straight flush.

Poker at times can be cruel and ugly. It’s how you handle the punches; the bad beats and bad runs that will determine how you move forward in the game.

Players can run bad for months and months. Winning is the easy part. It’s also easy to blame everyone else when you lose. Losing and fighting to rebuild your stack provides the real test of character.

The Godfather: Al Pacino, Marlon Brando (1972)

 “It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.”

We all know what happened to hot-headed Sonny in The Godfather.

How often has another player put you on tilt when all you want to do is destroy them, but in the end it’s you who gets destroyed? If someone shows you a bluff, it’s not a slight against you or something personal – it’s business. They want your chips and you want theirs.

Poker can be an emotional rollercoaster and players can push your buttons. Generally, the name on that button is ‘self-destruct.’ The wisest course of action is to take the emotion out of the game, and not let yourself be goaded into battle with someone because of ego.

Once this happens you can play methodical poker

Remember: There are generally nine players at a table, so if your sole focus is on one, then chances are you leave yourself vulnerable to everyone else.

Incredibles 2: Agent Rick Dicker

“Do you want to get out of the hole? First, you’re going to have to put down the shovel.”

We’ve all had those cash game sessions where we go through multiple buy-ins in the hope of breaking even or turning a small profit. Sometimes the best course of action is to call it quits and fight another day.

This way you can come back with a clear head and, hopefully, a positive mindset. The break is an opportunity to reflect on your game and where you might be going wrong.

Image Credit: Looper

Casino Royale: Daniel Craig (2006)

“Then you also know in poker you never play your hand. You play the man across from you.”

Sound advice from Mr. Bond. As an MI6 agent, Bond not only had to read his opponents, but stay one step ahead of them as well. Poker is a game where you look for patterns in your opponents’ play that you can exploit. You can’t just wait for your cards to hit. You must hit your opponent first.

In the big poker game at the end of Casino Royale, Bond was able to exploit a tell in Le Chiffre to win.

Forrest Gump: Tom Hanks (1994)

“Mama always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.'”

 The key to success in any poker game is finding the right table of players to exploit. You don’t know what kind of players you’re going to get. There might be tight players who only raise pocket Aces and bet the nuts, or players who will raise 6-4 offsuit. It can be a real mix at the table. Playing poker is like opening one of those boxes of chocolates as a kid. Unpredictable and exciting at the same time.

Aside from the players, there’s also real excitement when you flip your two cards over and see what you’re going to get. Will today be a pocket Kings day? Or a run of 7-2 and 3-8 off?

The Princess Diaries: Anne Hathaway (2001)

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.” 

How many times have you seen a player run a stack from $200 to $2,000 and then lose it all again? Then there’s the player who has been sitting on $300 for four hours without seeming to play a hand. Poker is about risk-taking. As they say, “No Gamble, No Future.” There’s an exhilaration in putting it all on the line. There’s a huge adrenalin rush. You feel like you’re in the moment and living. And that’s the best inspiration of all.

Grab yourself some popcorn and let’s check out some great poker films!

High Roller – The Stu Ungar Story

The life of three-time WSOP Main Event champion Stu Ungar was portrayed in this film starring Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”). It shows his childhood where he was raised by a mobster, his victories in Las Vegas and his problems with addictions. WPT commentator Vince Van Patten has a supporting role in the film. In my opinion I think the movie doesn’t do justice to Stu’s incredible life, but it’s still a good approach for younger people who don’t know anything about Ungar.

You can see it here:

Cold Deck

This film was released in 2015 and went unnoticed by the public despite featuring performances by Paul Sorvino (Paulie in “Goodfellas”) and Robert Knepper (“T-Bag” in the TV series “Prison Break”). It tells the story of Bobby, who is going through a rough patch at the tables and decides to rob a high stakes poker game, which will have dangerous consequences. The poker scenes are quite realistic, except for the fact that they use the traditional 4-color poker chips and ought to be using others in those private games so as to avoid cheating.

Watch it here:

The Grand

It’s the best poker comedy I’ve seen and laughs at the classic player stereotypes: the amateur, the European, the professional, the expert and the cowboy, among others. It features renowned players such as Doyle Brunson, Phil Gordon, Gabe Kaplan, Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari.

Among the actors is Woody Harrelson, known for films such as “Indecent Proposal”, “White Men Can’t Jump”, “The People Versus Larry Flynt” and the TV series “Cheers”. The cast also includes Dennis Farina, Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Richard Kind, Ray Romano and Jason Alexander.

You can watch it via this link.

Luckytown

This little-known film stars James Caan (known for “Misery,” “The Godfather” and the TV show “Las Vegas”) and a young Kirsten Dunst (“Spiderman”, “Little Women” and “Wimbledon”). James plays Charlie, a Las Vegas gambler who receives an unexpected visit from his daughter Lidda (Dunst) and must learn to be a father while playing dangerous games. It’s not a fabulous movie, but it’s nice to see a great actor like James Caan in a gambling movie again as in the classic “The Gambler”.

You can watch it via this link.

Rounders

I end the recommendations with what I consider to be the best film of all: “Rounders”. With the performances of Matt Damon, Edward Norton, John Turturro and John Malkovich as the unforgettable villain “Teddy KGB”. The screenwriter was Brian Koppelman and he showed that he knew poker by showing the book “Super System” in one of the first scenes. Brian used the private games he played in New York as an influence to write the script and is one of the reasons why the game scenes look so realistic.

Rounders is on, so it’s on my TV always. Just thinking about this fact:

I NEED a Rounders II.

We all NEED one.

Make it happen @briankoppelman!

It’s never too late to find out how Mikey McD made out in Vegas and beyond.

We need to know.

— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) September 21, 2019

This year marks the 25th anniversary of its release and it is still considered by most players as the best. The film was so well received by fans that many asked for a sequel and many imagined what could happen to Mike’s story. Despite repeated rumors of a sequel and a photo uploaded by Brian with a mug that read “Rounders 2” the project never came to fruition.

Let’s hope it can stay on YouTube for a long time. Enjoy the film while you can:

Once you have seen all the poker movies on this list, we look forward to your comments on our social media channels.

Some of these use poker, blackjack, and other popular card games as the vehicle to relay the excitement and visceral emotion that these games can engender in players and have resulted in films that can, to some extent, be used as tutorials for players or perhaps more effectively as a cautionary tale.

These live casino games are the bedrock of the tales created in the selection of movies we’ve compiled, all of which are thoroughly enjoyable viewing and also have a great deal to impart on viewers who may themselves fancy their chances of betting big, sometimes against the casino, and winning even bigger.

Rounders

This Matt Damon film has a cult following, and it’s not hard to see why. Everything about the movie oozes class, and by all accounts, it’s a fairly accurate representation of how the game works. It’s basically The Color of Money but with poker in place of pool.

All human life is here. The film shows us the different types of characters you might encounter at both a seedy game in a dive bar or high-end stakes action in a classy casino, and it’s a damn funny movie at times too.

Arguably John Malkovich steals the show with his outrageously over-the-top turn as Teddy (KGB) that has to be seen to be believed.

Mississippi Grind

This is an underrated movie and one that pushes all sorts of buttons. In this buddy tale, Ben Mendelsohn’s Gerry is a real loser, in more ways than one, and he decides to hitch up with younger, more charismatic Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) in a move to win back their respective fortunes.

It’s a relationship that is, of course, doomed from the start, but there is something lovable about the way they aid each other in their downward spiral. The movie has a sweet and smart ending, and though it didn’t prove a box office hit, it is a well-intentioned film that works on many levels.

The Sting

This classic isn’t solely based on poker, though one of its best and most memorable scenes takes place in a poker game on an Amtrak train. The George Roy Hill film sees Paul Newman and Robert Redford team up in a rip-roaring tale of deception and revenge.

Young grifter Johnny Hooker (Redford) sees his friend killed in cold blood, and he vows to make gangster Lonny Donegan (Robert Shaw) pay for it, taking up with experienced, but washed out, Henry Gondorff (Newman), who is there to help him take Shaw to the cleaners.

The film features an archetypal poker con on a train, where Newman successfully swindles Shaw in the first part of a series of tricks and rip-offs that lead to the big payoff.

21

This film takes the ideas around card counting that are touched upon in Rain Man and brings a twist with it. The film is based on a true story about how a group of MIT students who work out how to bag millions at a Las Vegas casino.

Here a group of mathematical geniuses, coached by Kevin Spacey and led by cocky youngster Jim Sturgess, run amok and, through a series of scrapes and clashes, win big but at what cost?

Much like when you play teen patti online, when playing poker there are general expectations one should follow to allow for a smooth and enjoyable experience. Poker is not always smiles, happiness, and winning, but it is a game that should be conducted with integrity and respect towards all individuals involved. Putting in countless hours at the tables, you will engage many different types of poker players and witness poor etiquette.

In this article I present five examples of poor judgement and etiquette in poker on film. I have chosen one example from each film, despite several examples of faux pas shown.

Berating the Dealer – Harlan (Molly’s Game)

Poker dealers are comparable to referees of the sports world. Their role is integral to maintaining game play and flow and should never be mistreated. If a mistake is made by the dealer, players should refrain from any form of abuse and call for a floor person to resolve the issue.

In Molly’s Game, Harlan, a solid player who frequented the Commerce Casino was introduced to the high stakes game. He was not well received by the other players as he played an “ABC” style of poker. However, one night he takes a beat from the worst player at the table “Bad Brad” and spirals into the dark abyss called tilt. Harlan unable to recover his losses and composure attempted to make his last stand, getting his money in well ahead on the flop and suffering a monumental loss on the river. He goes into a tirade directed at the dealer, hurling food as well as insults.

String Raise – Shaw and Lonnegan (The Sting)

A string raise is the forward motion of a player indicating a call, then in a quick second motion attempting to raise by verbal or moving chips forward. This type of action can be viewed as angle shooting as it may allow a player to determine the strength or weakness of their opponent based on their reaction to the string raise.

In The Sting, Shaw joins Lonnegan’s private poker game aboard a train. Shaw gets under Lonnegan’s skin and Lonnegan seeks to destroy him by fixing the deck. The next hand results in a string raising war between Shaw and Lonnegan, with each one believing they had the other beat.

Exposing Your Hand – Bret Maverick (Maverick)

Intentionally showing your cards to a player or the entire table during a hand is generally unacceptable. This display gives information to the other players and impacts their decision whether to continue, based on your holdings. There are some casinos/poker rooms that allow a player to reveal a card, but only when heads up in a hand is reached.

In the film, Bret Maverick joined a five-card draw game by promising the other players that he will lose for an hour. During the first hand dealt, Bret exposed his hand in a comical manner and proceeds to win pot after pot after picking up tells on each player.

No Preflop/Flop Action Provided (Casino Royale)

When I first watched Casino Royale in the theatre, I thought the poker scenes were amazing. People dressed to the nines playing high stakes poker while having the occasional cocktail; what’s not to like? I should mention that I started playing no-limit hold’em in 2005 and with the release of Casino Royale in 2006, I believed that was exactly how all high stakes poker was portrayed.

It is important to understand that withholding the preflop and flop action of a hand, the audience is only receiving half the story. In the final hand between the four players (Bond, Le Chiffre, Infante, and Fukutu) the pot is already 24 million with Bond first to act on the turn on a board of Ah 8s 6s 4s. If Fukutu had bet his remaining 6 million chips on the turn with the second nut flush, it may have allowed Le Chiffre to fold his two pair and not cost him his tournament life.

Splash the Pot – Teddy KGB (Rounders)

A player tossing chips into the pot rather than placing the chips neatly in front of them is referred to as “splashing the pot”. This action is simply careless and rude as well delays the game, as the dealer would be required to determine the correct pot size and the number of chips that were wagered.

In Rounders, Mike McDermott desperate to pay off Worm’s debt to Grama, issued a challenge to Teddy KGB. KGB having lost the first round of a $10,000 winner-take-all, goads Mike into a rematch. As the second match progressed, KGB becomes rattled when Mike makes an incredible lay down. The final hand resulted in KGB splashing the pot during all betting rounds. Mike feigned weakness and allowed KGB to dig his own grave.

Conclusion

Of course, just as real life is very different from movies, so too is the difference between real life poker versus what you see depicted on the cinema screen. Whereas scenes are dramatized for our entertainment in motion pictures, when you’re playing proper poker you ought to stick to the generally agreed upon rules of etiquette. Otherwise, you may find yourself dismissed to the rail rather than with a seat at the felt.

What was the Poker Boom?

It’s likely you know what the poker boom was, but for the uninitiated, it was a period between 2003 and 2006 where online poker’s popularity rose exponentially. It’s generally considered as being the point where poker went from being a game played in back rooms to a mainstream pastime enjoyed by the general public.

The most popular variant of poker played during the boom was Texas hold’em, but a lot of other variations were played too, including 7-card stud, 5-card draw, and Omaha hi-lo.

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Existing and new online poker rooms competed to attract new customers, many of whom were playing the game for the first time or moving from occasional casual games to taking part in online tournaments. Many sites did this with sign up bonuses like the bonus bets offered by BGO Vegas today.

Online casinos raced to add poker to their offering as well, with many opting for video poker instead of poker rooms. This is still the case today, with some also adding Caribbean stud poker to their live casino offering.

What Started the Poker Boom?

There was no single factor that led to the poker boom. Instead, it was a string of events that all contributed to the overall rise in popularity of the game.

Chris Moneymaker

An American accountant named Chris Moneymaker began playing poker online and eventually won the Main Event of the World Series of Poker in 2003.

At the age of 27, he was the first person to do so after qualifying to a place at the Main Event by playing online, a feat that others have since emulated.

His influence on the growth in popularity of poker has been dubbed the “Moneymaker Effect”, as many more people began taking part in online tournaments and attempting to replicate his success.

Moneymaker remains a prominent figure in the online and live poker scene today, playing in events across the Americas and Europe.

Rounders

Moneymaker didn’t start the poker boom single-handed. Another contributing factor was the 1998 film Rounders. Starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, the film follows Mike McDermott, a law student from New York who is a skilled poker player.

Mike is eventually forced to play in underground games against a mobster, Teddy KGB, to help pay off his friend’s debts before heading to Las Vegas to take part in the World Series of Poker.

The film gained a cult following, despite receiving mixed reviews from movie critics. Several professional poker players credit the film with getting them interested in playing the game, and it’s widely considered the best poker film ever made.

Poker on Television

Television has helped to make a commercial success out of many sports. From football to Formula One, fans from around the world can follow their favorite teams and athletes by watching them on TV.

It’s the same with poker. When games started airing on TV during the early 2000s, many more people fell in love with the sport. The World Poker Tour was broadcast on the Travel Channel in the United States, while ESPN began airing poker games to replace hockey games during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.

Poker can still be found on TV today, and there’s even a dedicated poker streaming network called PokerGO. Many more fans choose to watch poker via platforms like YouTube and Twitch, where countless hours of online and live games are available for consumption. Some argue that this increased access to poker content could be a factor in any future poker boom.

Since there’s clearly still plenty of time until the new movie comes out, it’s fair to wonder how the scriptwriters plan to continue the plot of the original film. Rounders ended with Damon’s character getting into a cab and heading off to the World Series of Poker. Thing is, the film was released way back in 1998… well before the poker boom.

Professional poker in today’s day and age is practically unrecognizable from its 1998 incarnation. There’s precious little video of WSOP tournaments prior to 2000, while today’s WSOP, in contrast, is practically a made-for-television event. Some stars of the pre-boom poker scene still shine brightly, namely players like Erik Seidel, Scotty Nguyen, and Phil Hellmuth, but a whole new generation of players has become rich and famous over the last decade namely due to the emergence of online poker.

With a lead character that’ll clearly have aged in McDermott, Rounders 2 scriptwriters will have to bridge the long gap. My money says what they’ll come up with will have something to do with online poker. To do so would be quite wise in my opinion, as it would pique the interest of the film’s cult audience of poker players.

Perhaps the opening scenes of the movie will feature a flashback of McDermott making his first deposit at a site like PokerStars? Maybe the plot will have McDermott finding success in live poker only to lose his money playing online? Perhaps McDermott’s live poker success would earn him the opportunity to become a famous spokesperson for an online poker room?

Bottom line: The only sure thing about Rounders 2 at this point is that this poker blogger’s gonna buy a ticket to see it when it finally comes out.

While “Rounders” ended with McDermott headed to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, “Rounders 2” has not officially begun production, so there’s no word on specifically how it will continue the plot of the original poker film. Also, there’s no word on whether Edward Norton, Juhn Turturro, and John Malkovich will reprise their roles as Lester “Worm” Murphy, Joey Knish, and Teddy KGB.

This may be hard for poker fans to believe, but “Rounders” was released way back in 1998, well before Chris Moneymaker’s historic WSOP victory that heralded the poker boom. The film became an “instant classic” since poker blossomed in 2003, especially it’s scene depicting Johnny Chan defeating Erik Seidel for the 1988 World Series of Poker Main Event Championship.

Other poker movies like Mel Gibson’s “Maverick”, Drew Barrymore’s “Lucky You” and Steve McQueen’s 1960s-era “The Cincinnati Kid” also enjoyed some success, but pretty much every poker fan agrees that “Rounders” was the best poker film ever made.

With more than 50 million people playing the game nowadays, “Rounders 2” sure has a lot to live up to if it’s to be as believable as the first installment. One thing’s for sure though – if it’s a good film, it’s going to rake in millions more than its predecessor, which had the misfortune of simply being released too early for its time.