Sometimes we get inspired to play poker online when we see our favourite movies or we watch our favourite actors in movies. It has been more than 100 years already that Poker has found its way into the silver screen. In 1912 poker introduced with the silent movie “A cure for pokeritis.”
Since then many hit movies has tried to capture poker live scene to entertain movie lovers & poker game lovers. Many of the movies have been effectively successful in capturing the essence of poker game. Let us take a look at 10 popular movie scenes:
GOODFELLAS – 1990
Joe Pesci is frighteningly unhinging as Tommy DeVito in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. His presence at the game raises the tension levels all the way up. Thanks to a confusion he has with Spider, a dude who’s not even playing at the table. Spider forgets to get Tommy his drink. And, obviously, Tommy deals with this tiny error in the most exaggerated way possible. Never cross Tommy DeVito.
TOMBSTONE – 1993
Two essential scenes in this Spaghetti Western movie, featuring a cameo by Charlton Heston, deserve appreciation. One of the scenes had a sickly looking Doc Holliday portrayed by the unparalleled Val Kilmer.
COOL HAND LUKE – 1967
Luke portrayed by Paul Newman was a war veteran sentenced to prison. He earns the nickname “cool hand” due to his experience and skills in the art of trickery. There is one great scene where Luke plays poker with his fellow inmates and wins by showing his great bluffing skills. It is known as one of the most precise poker scenes.
THE STING – 1973
Robert Redford and Paul Newman starrer “The Sting” is about two con men scamming a mob boss and steal large amount of money. The movie is famous for the high stake Five Card Draw scene in a train where Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) plays against Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a mobster.
ROUNDERS – 1998
Mike McDermott portrayed by Matt Damon is a student of law and poker player who quits it after losing all his bankroll to a Russian gangster named Teddy KGB portrayed by John Malkovich. He comes back to play poker for helping his childhood friend Worm portrayed by Edward Norton pays his debts. The climax scene is all about a no-limit Texas Hold’em game played between Mike and Teddy and how Mike turns the table this time is epic.
FREEZE OUT – 2005
Freeze out is a comedy movie. M.J. Loheed, an American writer and director, financed the movie with his own poker winnings. A player seeks revenge from his friends for their bullying and trains himself in secret to defeat all of them at a weekly poker game. The movie received many prestigious awards at numerous film festivals.
LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS – 1998
Directed by Guy Ritchie, this movie of crime comedy genre is a complete package of entertainment. This one is about four friends who lost a big amount of cash in a poker game and have to pay the debts now any way possible. The movie fruitfully shows the darker side of the game and the risk issues involved. The movie got international cult status and also highly praised by critics.
CASINO ROYAL – 2006
This Bond movie portrayed by Daniel Craig has to defeat terrorist Le Chiffre portrayed by Mads Mikkelson in a high stake Texas Hold’em tournament. Even though criticized for least inaccuracy in poker rules and manners, the movie did well to combine the passion of a poker table and the grittiness and approach of a spy thriller.
So, which one of these movie do you love?
Enjoy reading and play poker online!