That said, here are my nominations for the top poker scenes of all time.ĭisclaimer: I’m not suggesting these are the “best poker movies” of all time. And as hands play out, they must reveal something significant about the players sitting in the game, and ultimately their fate. My view is that for a scene to work, it must convey what it feels like to sit at the table, or at least be in the room as an interested bystander. The revelation comes slowly over time - hand by hand, card by card, and decision by decision until in the immortal words of writer Tony Holden, “we are stripped bare at the poker table.” The game is an acid that slowly burns away the outer layers of hope and confidence of those who lose. More important, the very best poker scenes are not really about cards at all, but rather about people.

As long as poker scenes convey some sense that what we’re watching could actually happen at a poker table, I’ll play along. But in the movies, straight flushes typically steamroll full-houses.ĭespite infrequent realism, I tend to be forgiving when it comes to how poker is portrayed in movies. Real high-stakes poker games and major tournaments are often won with ace high or a single pair. That’s not exactly the cinematic backdrop you want for a great movie.įor this reason, films have a tendency to amplify confrontation. The game can be wickedly dull - not just to watch but to play. In real life, most of the time, poker players sit around.

Its subtleties are invisible to the naked eye. Poker’s essence and intensity are difficult to capture. When it comes to poker, conveying realism in film is a challenge.

Rounders bad poker scene