Watch Live Poker: Poker in Movies (part 2)
Some time back I offered you to watch the best poker movies that were ever produced in Hollywood, and take part in our poll. According to various polls on poker movies, there’s no evident leader on the list. There’re not any hidden reasons behind that. The only question: do you like watching live poker or not?
Did you already ask yourself, “How many movies concerning poker can you name?” It doesn’t matter, and I can’t insist on taking a personal interest in poker movies if you opt for other consuming activities. IMHO, movies should make appeal to emotional side of human beings.
Hollywood often uses gambling, but rarely shows realistic poker scenes. Poker playing has always been a popular theme in the American film industry. All movies display big bets and winnings with great hands. Writers and producers have an intention to attract and delight by arousing interest to this kind of activity.
The most important point, however, is that Hollywood should shoot a TV show devoted to gambling. Sure thing the main character is talented and possesses out of the common abilities to play card games professionally. He proves himself every time playing in the high-stakes matches. He creates his own system and has to keep a secret from others (just like Clark Kent).
Besides, main heroes and characters put up a show how they’re skilled at gambling. I picked up a number of movies devoted to the best card playing scenes. I tried to sort out those ones that related to gambling one way or another. Even if some of the Hollywood films are not very good and display poker in a ridiculous manner, watching card games on the big screen is great fun (Most of these movies can be ordered via Amazon.com and imdb.com).
11. Sunset Trail (1939). “There’s no braver man than a scared one when he’s cornered.” One of the classical western poker movies, where we meet well-known Hapolang Cassidy (as William Boyd). This cowboy really was a very talented chap. By the way Francis Nevins devoted his book to this out of the common person, called The Films of Hapolang Cassidy. An unconquerable bumpkin is good at pistols and fists as well as hole cards.
12. The Gambler (1980). You’ve got to know when to hold’em, know when to fold’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Brady Hawkes, The Gambler, receives a letter from his son indicating he needs help. This sends Brady to the rescue. Along the way Brady meets up with Billy Montana, a young man who thinks he knows everything about playing cards. Brady teaches Billy a few lessons along the way and they end up forming a strong friendship and team up together.
13. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). “Er, bad breath, colorful language, feather duster… what do you think they’re gonna be armed with? Guns, you tit!” Guy Ritchie is one of my favorite writers and directors. It’s no coincidence that this dynamic film turned out to be part of the list. Surely, the movie is not about poker, but about the high-stakes underground game of three card brag that puts the whole film in the movie.
14. A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966). The biggest high-stakes game in the West draws the attention of a man named Meredity (as Henry Fonda), who stakes his whole family fortune to get into the game. Great cast elevates film based on TV version of story. A homesteader and reformed gambler passing through town learns of the annual high-stakes poker match about to take place. He recklessly throws the family fortune into the pot but soon must turn over his chair to his wife who manages quite well to handle the cardsharps across the table.
15. Lucky You (2007). “Change your game. Change your life.” A hotshot poker player tries to win a tournament in Vegas, but is fighting a losing battle with his personal problems. Everybody who enjoys the television popularity of poker will like this film due to the doses of the game itself and a WSOP pro.
16. Shade (2003-2004). Shade is set in the world of poker hustlers working the clubs and martini bars of Los Angeles. The tale unfolds as a group of hustlers encounter “The Dean” and pull off a successful sting that results in their pursuit by a vengeful gangster. Fake poker movie. Why? It’s not about poker, but they say it’s NL Hold’em. Anyway, the movie worth a watch if you don’t play poker and don’t know rules. Great actors should learn how to play poker in order to play their parts appropriately.
17. Four Dogs Playing Poker (2000). A group of best friends and amateur thieves steal a valuable statuette for a ruthless black market art dealer. After the thieves botch the delivery of the objet d’art, the art dealer forces them to ‘find’ $1 million by the end of the week or face certain death. The desperate friends concoct a plan whereby each of them takes out a $1 million life insurance policy on themselves. Consequently, if one of the friends die, the others will collect on the policy and pay off the dangerous art dealer. The thieves then enter into a lethal lottery to choose who will be the victim and who will be the killer.
18. Poker Alice (1987). The Wild West is about to get wilder! Alice Moffit, ‘Poker Alice’, has been disowned by her Boston family because of her incurable penchant for gambling. She is travelling the West with her cousin, John, when she wins a house in a poker game on a train. The ‘house’ turns out to be a bordello, which she decides to run until she can sell it. She falls for a bounty hunter, Jeremy Collins, who is about to settle down in California. Marrying him would mean ending the life-long relationship between the two cousins.
19. Città gioca d’azzardo, La (1975) (aka Gambling City). A professional gambler goes to work for a crime syndicate, and becomes a favorite of the organization’s boss because he makes them so much money. However, he falls in love with the reluctant mistress of the boss’ son, who finds out about it and tries to turn his father against the gambler in order to have him killed.
20. California Split (1974). A down on his luck gambler (George Seagal) links up with free spirit Elliot Gould at first to have some fun on, but then gets into debt when Gould takes an unscheduled trip to Tijuana. As a final act of desperation, he pawns most of his possessions and goes to Reno for the poker game of a lifetime. A film set mainly in casinos and races, as the two win and lose (but mainly win), get robbed, and get blind drunk.
Make your selection! An appropriate poker related movie should assist everybody to perfec his skills. Find out more about those card-playing movies that you still didn’t watch. Keep an eye open for the next poker movie selection.
Watch Live Poker: Poker in Movies
Have you ever asked a question, “How many movies concerning poker can you name?”. And what do you usually answer? I believe just about everybody can easily remember some films related to poker players or games somehow or other. Surely, professional card players probably know many more motion pictures.
All movies display big bets and winnings with great hands. Writers and producers have an intention to attract and delight by arousing interest to this kind of activity. Hollywood often uses gambling, but rarely shows card playing. Generally, real aces at poker and just poker amateurs familiar with this sport activity (dull, boring, prolonged) not by hearsay.
The most important point, however, is that such card-playing movies are great helpers if you have an eager desire to learn these technical skills. Live and learn. At the same time, you see only the most spectabulous moments in movies, that’s why poker films are not realistic, but very exciting.
What else? Main heroes and characters put up a show how they’re skilled at poker. I picked up a great many movies devoted to the best card playing scenes. I tried to sort out those ones that connected with poker one way or another. (Most of these movies can be ordered via Amazon.com and imdb.com).
- Rounders (1998). In The Game Of Life… Play The Cards You’re Dealt. I find this film really exciting, but the main character leaves much to be desired. By the way, the term “rounder” refers to a person whose sole means of earning a living is by playing cards. Some poker scenes are useful, some – absurd. But with the growing popularity of Texas Hold’em and other poker games, Rounders has become a cult hit. That’s we don’t pay much attention to slip-ups.
- The cooler (2003). When your life depends on losing… the last thing you need is lady luck. The film follows a so-called Las Vegas casino “cooler” who spreads bad luck to those who are winning. William H. Macy plays the titular character, whose luck takes a turn for the better when he begins a relationship with a waitress at the casino, played by Maria Bello. This causes friction between him and his boss, played by Alec Baldwin. “The Cooler” is a must to see just for Alec Baldwin’s memorable play.
- Maverick (1994). The greatest gambler in the West has finally met his match. I bet you won’t find any realistic poker scenes in this movie, but still Mel Gibson does all his best (as usually) to win the heart of the audience following his own style of performance. Bret Maverick (as Mel Gibson) is a professional card-player traveling to a major poker game. He wants to win the poker championship for money and to prove that he is the best. The plot is rather shabby, but the play is too funny. All of the poker episodes are Five Card Draw.
- The Cincinnati Kid (1965). He’d take on anyone, at anything, anytime ….it was only a matter of who came first! Eric Stoner or The Cincinnati Kid (as Steve McQueen) is a professional card-player who travels to New Orleans to play in the high stakes poker game against Lancey Howard (as Edward G. Robbins). Surely, The Cincinnati Kid tries to prove himself in this high-stakes match. The game throughout the film is Five Card Stud. It should be mentioned, that the play is quite realistic. But even look back those days we can’t but agree that poker was considered a sport.
- The Big Blind (1999). “This remarkable adventure will keep you guessing. Who cashes in, and who cashes out… Who will live, and who will die?” This movie is truly shot for poker players. It’s not for guys who are interested in actions and like watching films in general, but for curious about poker. To tell the truth the Big Blind offers a lot of training scenes. The motion picture tells us about the lives of poker players at a California card room. The drama of the situation is that most of the characters are losers and crooks. It is of great value due to realistic scenes and actors’ play. Nothing unnecessary, nothing colors the truth.
- Honeymoon in Vegas (1992). It’s a love that’s All Shook Up! The film is opposite to the previous one due to its attitude to poker. Jack Singer (as Nicholas Cage) teamed up with a wealthy gambler (as James Caan), they love the same girl. The problem is that Singer’s fiancé reminds the gambler of his ex-wife. Tommy Korman arranges for Singer to lose $65k to him a poker game (they’re playing no limit five card draw). Thus, Singer has to break his word given to his mother on her death bed that he would never get married.
- The Sting (1973). Doyle, I KNOW I gave him four THREES. He had to make a SWITCH. We can’t let him get away with that. The Sting should be estimated at its true worth being among the best poker pictures ever made. Frankly speaking, it’s not about poker, but it contains one famous poker scene where Henry Gondorff (as Paul Newman) cheats the crime boss in a high-stakes game onboard a train, and also a scene where he shows off a very skilled cheat shuffling. As I have said there was not that much poker playing shown, and most of it revolved around cheating. The poker was limited to five card draw.
- High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003). Gambler. Addict. Loser. Legend. The movie is about the life of master card-player, self-destructive junkie, Stu Ungar (as Michael Imperioli). Ungar was known as “The Kid”, who high-rolled himself to an unequalled three World Series of Poker championships, winning a reported $30 million is his brief career. Viewship can’t but agree that Unger had a special gift with cards.
- 21 (2008). This film is based on a true story, telling us about a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor (Kevin Spacey) who teaches a group of students to use mathematics to count cards and increase their odds of winning at Las Vegas casinos. The students are able to bring home millions as a result.
- The Madison Kid (2007). In 1989, the 24-year-old Phil Hellmuth became the youngest World Champion of Poker by defeating the two-time defending champion, Johnny Chan, in the World Series of Poker main event. Hellmuth attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for three years before dropping out to play poker full time much to the chagrin of his father, a professor at the school.
Make your selection! An appropriate poker related movie should assist everybody to perfec his skills. Find out more about those card-playing movies that you still didn’t watch. Keep an eye open for the next poker movie selection.
What Makes People Play Poker?
At first sight we can’t but agree with the statement “Life is like a game of poker: If you don’t put any in the pot, there won’t be any to take out”. On the other part, the answer to the question “Why people play poker” seems intricate. To be or not to be, to play or not to play?! Sometimes we play just for a play itself getting excited. Money, addiction, job, etc. are main reasons of the occasion.
Let’s take a look at real reasons:
Money. In spite of the fact that many people play poker for fun, some of them really like making money at it. Money rules the world and loves to be counted. Of course poker players crave for a lot of money, but these people are few. At the same time gamblers can get the works for losses. And this is the reverse of the medal. Besides, the more you play the more you have chances to improve your poker skills. And to lose much money as well.
Entertainment. Just about any game demands analytical skills and experience. If you want to win in such a competitive game like poker, you should bend every effort to understanding poker rules, the game necessitates the bit of luck, and master the art of card game. Only after that poker will become a consuming activity. Loads of people find this enjoyable and compare poker to playing sport. Keep in mind, don’t get swept up in the ‘entertainment’ nature of poker, because it is possible to lose a lot of money at the game.
Social communities. Many men prefer making friends over the card table. One may invite neighbors and colleagues to hang out and play cards, the rest can’t live without numerous online poker rooms available on the web, or casinos. Moreover, such friendly competitions remind me very much of everyday life persistence.
Education. Needless to say games as well as gambling (namely poker) develop memory, exploit a success, help to improve judgment skills (reading people) and sharpen logical and strategic skills.
The more facts of the matter we know, the more we know ‘the how and why of things’. Well, make up your mind and find an appropriate reason why play poker!? Poker is one of the few forms of wagering where you can actually win if you haven’t got gambling problems.
[tags] poker, poker rules, gambling, card games, casinos, online poker, money [/tags]
Little Known Ways to Recognize Poker Addiction
“Just because you are prone to addiction doesn’t mean you’re going to become addicted. It just means you’ve got to be careful.” Dr. Glen Hanson
Information for reflection. The term ‘addiction’ was previously applied exclusively to chemicals such as alcohol, drugs, or nicotine. With recent research on the brain and its processes, we now understand that many behaviors can become as chemically addictive as a substance. The term is often reserved for drug addictions but it’s sometimes applied to other compulsions, such as problem gambling, and compulsive overeating.
By the way, compulsive gambling can be categorized into two types: action gambling and escape gambling.
- In action gambling, the gambler is addicted to the thrill of risk-taking as his or her “substance of choice,” much in the same way that a cocaine addict is hooked on cocaine. The action itself becomes the drug. Action gamblers typically engage in games with other players, since part of the adrenaline rush is in the appearance or identity as a “winner.”
- Escape gambling occurs when the gambler seeks to blot out some discomforting feelings or emotional life crisis. The action of gambling is secondary to the numbing effect of the activity. Escape gamblers prefer more singular outlets such as slot machines, where they can avoid human contact. Men tend more towards action gambling, and women tend to become escape gamblers.
Just about everyone can become poker (gambling) addicted by act of law on gambling. With an explosion in legalized gambling around the country and more than 800 casinos in 28 states, the days when gamblers headed to only Las Vegas or Atlantic City are long gone.
According to the American Psychological Association, scientists find teenagers and young generation several times more likely to become pathological gamblers than adults. It’s not a secret that pathological reckless players use tobacco, alcohol, drugs more often than do other groups.
Statistics say that four to seven per cent of all people playing casino games are gambling addicts. But unfortunately only few of them understand the danger. And most of them have no idea their passion for gambling has become a disease.
How to recognize the “hidden illness” symptoms? And in general should we do that? The American Psychological Association reports ten diagnostic criteria for determining the extent of gambling addiction. These criteria are:
- Preoccupation – Preoccupied with gambling (e.g., preoccupied with reliving past gambling experiences, handicapping or planning the next venture, or thinking of ways to get money to gamble)
- Tolerance – Needs to gamble with increasing amounts of money in order to achieve the desired excitement
- Withdrawal – Is restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop gambling
- Escape – Gambles as a way of escaping from problems or relieving dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression)
- Chasing – After losing money gambling, often returns another day in order to get even (”chasing one’s losses”). Chasing is a classical behavior pattern characterizing pathological gambling.
- Lying – Lies to family members, therapists or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling
- Illegal acts – Has committed illegal acts (e.g., forgery, fraud, theft or embezzlement) in order to finance gambling
- Risked significant relationship – Has jeopardized or lost a significant relationship, job or educational or career opportunity because of gambling
- Bailout – Has relied on others to provide money to relieve a desperate financial situation caused by gambling
- Loss of control – Has made repeated unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop gambling
Five or more of these signs = pathological gambler
Three or four = problem gambler
One or two = “at risk” gambler
If you realized that you are crazy about spieling and can’t live without poker. It’s your mania?! There are some organizations of anonymous gamblers that help folks from all round the world.
But I really believe it’s not you! Steer the golden mean!? Know how to cope with it?! For you it’s nothing more than amusement like beer, pool or snooker, football or basketball?! And you rarely play for vast sums of money!
[tags] poker, gambling, money, gamblers, casino, games, pool, snooker, play, addiction, reckless players, action gambling, escape gambling [/tags]
If You Don’t Get to Know More About Poker Hands Ranking Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later
Who knows absolutely nothing about poker and card games in general, has to remember that there are 52 cards in the pack. Keep in mind, the ranking of the individual cards is ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. There is no ranking between the suits – so for instance the ace of spades and the ace of hearts are equal.
Taking into consideration poker, certain combinations of cards (hands) outrank other hands based on the frequency with which one or another combination appears. The player with best poker hand at the showdown wins the pot.
As a rule a poker hand consists of five cards. Any hand in a higher category beats any hand in a lower category (so for example any three of a kind beats any two pairs). Although used in poker, these hand rankings are also used in a variety of other card games.
Royal Flush. This is the highest poker hand. It consists of ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all in the same suit (clubs, hearts, spades, diamonds). As all suits are equal, all royal flushes are equal.
Straight Flush. Five cards of the same suit in sequence. Between two straight flushes, the one containing the higher top card is higher. An ace can be counted as low, so ♥5-♥4-♥3-♥2-♥A is a straight flush, but its top card is the five, not the ace, so it is the lowest type of straight flush. Also a combination may be as follows: ♣4-♣5-♣6-♣7-♣8.
Four of a Kind. Four cards of one rank – such as four kings. The fifth card can is a kicker. This combination is sometimes called as “quads”, and in some parts of Europe it is called a “poker”, though this term for it is unknown in English. Between two fours of a kind, the one with the higher set of four cards is higher – so K-K-K-K-2 is beaten by A-A-A-A-10. It can’t happen in standard poker, but if in some other game you need to compare two fours of a kind where the sets of four cards are of the same rank, then the one with the higher fifth card is better.
Full House (aka Full Boat). This consists of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank – for example ♥3-♠3-♥3-♦6-♠6 and two tens (”threes on sixes” or “threes full” or two pairs). When comparing full houses, the rank of the three cards determines which is higher. For example 9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of a kind were equal, the rank of the pairs would decide.
Flush. Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two flushes, the highest card determines which is higher. If the highest cards are equal then the second highest card is compared; if those are equal too, then the third highest card, and so on. For example ♠K-♠J-♠9-♠3-♠2 beats ♦K-♦J-♦7-♦6-♦5 because the nine beats the seven.
Straight. Five cards of mixed suits in sequence – for example ♠Q-♦J-♥10-♠9-♠8. When comparing two sequences, the one with the higher ranking top card is better. Ace can count high or low in a straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10 and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but 2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind of straight, the top card being the five.
Three of a Kind (Trips/Triplets/Set/Prile). Three cards of the same rank plus two other cards. When comparing two threes of a kind the hand in which the three equal cards are of higher rank is better. So for example 7-7-7-4-2 beats 5-5-5-K-Q. If you have to compare two threes of a kind where the sets of three are of equal rank, then the higher of the two remaining cards in each hand are compared, and if those are equal, the lower odd card is compared.
Two Pair. A pair is two cards of equal rank. In a hand with two pairs, the two pairs are of different ranks, and there is an odd card to make the hand up to five cards. When comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins, irrespective of the rank of the other cards – so J-J-2-2-4 beats 10-10-9-9-8 because the jacks beat the tens. If the higher pairs are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so that for example 8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K. Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd cards are compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 beats Q-Q-5-5-4.
Pair. A hand with two cards of equal rank and three other cards which do not match these or each other. When comparing two such hands, the hand with the higher pair is better – so for example 6-6-4-3-2 beats 5-5-A-K-Q. If the pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking odd cards from each hand; if these are equal compare the second highest odd card, and if these are equal too compare the lowest odd cards. So J-J-A-9-3 beats J-J-A-8-7 because the 9 beats the 8.
High Card. Five cards which do not form any of the combinations listed above. When comparing two such hands, the one with the better highest card wins. If the highest cards are equal the second cards are compared; if they are equal too the third cards are compared, and so on. So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-6-4 because the jack beats the ten.
[tags] poker, gambling, games, cards, rules, hand rankings, flush, pair, house, clubs, hearts, spades, diamonds, ace, king, queen, jack [/tags]