Casino Royale, Rounders, Mississippi Grind – all great films, classics, that we love to watch for the story and the action. But how accurate are their depictions of poker? And can you actually use the character’s skills to play a game yourself?
In this guide, we’ll explore some classic poker movies, to see if there are any moves you can take away and utilise in your next game. So, if you want to bring out your inner Bond at the table, read on to find out more.
Casino Royale
The classic. The 21st instalment of the James Bond franchise, Casino Royale was released in 2006 and features Daniel Craig stepping into the suit for the first time. As Craig’s debut, it had to be a big hitter – so why not set it in an iconic Bond backdrop? A glitzy and glamourous casino? With a few supervillains thrown around the table for good measure.
The infamous scene, which acts as a catalyst for the movie, features the characters playing a highly strategized game of Texas Hold‘em. Seated around the exclusive table at a Montenegro hotel, the game plays out much like it would in real life.
Cautious play
The scene features Bond ‘mucking’ his hand many times – essentially folding when he knows he’s beaten. In one of the first rounds, le Chiffre shows his Full House of 2’s, and our hero – knowing he can’t compete – folds. He loses a cool $50,000, but that would be nothing in comparison to if he played his losing hand. This is a realistic strategy, and can be utilised across many game types, both when you’re playing online poker real money, and in-person.
However, even when you think things are going well, your luck can turn. At one point, Bond reveals a great hand – a Full House – thinking he won’t be bested. However, Le Chiffre’s four Jacks blow him out of the water, losing Bond an insignificant sum of $14 million. The lesson here? Always have your pot in mind, keep your cool – and don’t trust mysterious French villains.
Bluffs
At first, Bond believes he can see Le Chiffre’s (the movie’s main villain) bluff – essentially a ‘telltale’ subconscious twitch or gesture that poker players look for in their opponents. This is the first lesson we can take away. Playing an effective game of poker isn’t just about focussing on your own hand, it’s about being observant, not only of what’s been played, but how.
However, Bond is beat at his own game, and Le Chiffre eventually realises this tactic – and also spots Bond’s own bluff. Because of this, the villain essentially bluffs his bluff, leading him to win the hand.
Rounders
Moving across the Atlantic now, Rounders is an American Crime Thriller, which stars Matt Damon and Edward Norton. Released in 1998, it’s considered one of the best poker movies of all time, and follows Mike (Damon), who loses his money in a tense poker game. Disheartened (understandably), his girlfriend convinces him to give it up. However, when his perhaps not-so-respectable friend Lester (Norton) is released from prison, he sets out to earn the money back.
So, what can we learn from this scrappy film about risk and reliability? Well, not much it turns out.
Risky moves
Mike’s character is brash, and this film plays out to his advantage – much like the card games he plays towards the end of the movie. We’ve got to remember that this is Hollywood after all, and it’s likely that our hero needs to win in style.
While Bond’s win is subtle, albeit with an extraordinarily rare and improbable hand. Meanwhile, Mike raises his opponent a destructive over-bet of $33 thousand. While he wins (of course), in that particular situation, he could’ve called and still made a profit.
So, for this, we’d say, remember that life isn’t like the movies. Don’t play risky unless you’re certain in your pot and your hand.
Overtalking
Like we said, Mike is brash, cocky. And, for the sake of the movie, he talks a lot of talk at the table. This is a tactic that some poker players use – but there’s always a line. Within this talk, Mike also makes a lot of assumptions and, while it’s good to make educated guesses on your opponent’s hands and tells, we’d suggest maybe not being so sure of yourself at the table, in case things aren’t what they seem.
However, despite the script and the character himself, Rounders is a renowned casino movie, known for showing some of the most accurate poker games on-screen. So, if you’re looking for realistic strategy and hands, this is definitely one we’d recommend.
Mississippi Grind
Not as well-known as our other two picks, Mississippi Grind is a subtle, yet riveting depiction of everyday poker games. It sees Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn), team up with Curtis, (Ryan Reynolds, star of Green Lantern), to tour various games and win back some of the money they previously lost.
As you can expect with Reynolds so highly billed, this movie leans into comedy, bringing a much-appreciated lighter tone. So, can we learn anything from a few well-placed poker puns?
The pace of poker
Often, big movies depict poker as being all-action – big hands, big dramatic folds, tells twitching at the corners of eyes. However, in reality, games require much more subtle perseverance and engagement.
You don’t bet massively every round, in fact, in most rounds you may find yourself folding. Fold. Call. Fold. Fold. Bet. This movie shows the reality of the pace of poker, and reminds you not to get carried away in living for the big, blockbuster moments. In the movie, we see Gerry analyse the weakness of a player, which shows itself in their body language. As the game progresses, the player sits lower and lower, possibly signifying his weaker had – and his tiredness.
It’s a good idea to keep in mind that poker is often just a calm, intellectual game, where you need to persevere in your observations. Really, this is a key ability to master generally, is a good example of a poker skill that can be utilised elsewhere.
While you shouldn’t lean on depictions of poker in blockbuster movies to learn the game, there are some gems to be found. Films like Rounders especially depict accurate play, while Mississippi Grind illustrates the realistic psychological skills required to win. Whatever you think of these movies in terms of their accuracy, we’d recommend them as a Saturday night watch either way.
