Poker has been a preferred motif for filmmakers by the years, and Darren Elias just lately supplied up some critiques of card-playing scenes.
The four-time World Poker Tour champion was a visitor on the Enterprise Insider YouTube channel and gave his ideas on movies starting from Rounders to On line casino Royale to Molly’s Sport and extra. The Bond flick stood out for the unlikely hand that helped the key agent vanquish his opponent. Others on the desk held surprisingly stable fingers as nicely.
“In motion pictures, you’re at all times going to see these large fingers,” Elias stated. “Actually, the unrealistic half comes when everyone has these fingers on the similar time. It’s like successful the lottery whereas getting struck by lightning.”
Elias went on to touch upon different, extra real looking movies, together with the well-known “Oreo scene” from Rounders. He broke down the motion whereas additionally explaining how the sport is performed. The film is real looking, he notes, however discovering a inform primarily based on an opponent consuming cookies could stretch that realism a bit.
“Mikey McD laying down ace-five there,” he says. “I may see recognizing a inform and folding a very good hand. That in all probability wouldn’t be as apparent as a man solely eats his Oreos when he has the most effective hand. It will in all probability be one thing somewhat extra refined.”
The Pennsylvania native had two different criticisms in regards to the movie.
“The one knock on Rounders could be wager sizing, I feel, the place there’s $400 on this pot and Teddy KGB bets $2,000. So, for a participant to wager $2,000, 5 instances the pot, on the flop, is fairly uncharacteristic. It doesn’t occur fairly often. And you’ll assume a participant who, Teddy KGB, though fictional, is considered a good participant, in all probability wouldn’t be betting 5 instances the pot right here. Additionally, they might in all probability have a seller, is the one different unrealistic side, the place they in all probability wouldn’t simply be dealing to one another.”
The sorts of underground video games seen within the movie are actual, Elias says, and might include some danger for gamers. He complimented the 1998 movie on its realism and Mike’s makes an attempt to lure Teddy, giving the scene an eight out of 10.
Molly’s Sport additionally drew good critiques, however some others, similar to a poker scene in John Wick 4, didn’t fare as nicely. The scene options an attention-grabbing forged of characters gathered round a poker desk, with their lives on the road relying on the result of the poker recreation.
The sport is five-card draw, and Wick exhibits aces and eights, often known as “useless man’s hand” after well-known gambler, lawman, and gunslinger Wild Invoice Hickok allegedly held the hand when he was shot useless at the back of a saloon in Deadwood within the Dakota Territory in 1876.
Regardless of Wick’s stable hand, three opponents had been dealt the extremely unlikely fingers of 4 of a form, a royal flush, and 5 of a form (apparently there have been wild playing cards). Elias notes that the situation is “fairly absurd.”
“In all probability probably the most real looking a part of the scene is John Wick slicing the man’s throat with a taking part in card, the place that would really occur,” he stated. “Decrease-quality taking part in playing cards are made from paper or card inventory. However in case you’re in a on line casino otherwise you’re taking part in with a pleasant deck of playing cards, they’re made from plastic, they usually do have an edge. So, a person of John Wick’s talent units may in all probability reduce any person with a taking part in card. I’ve seen gamers that may throw a card and reduce by a banana or a cucumber or issues like that.”
Nonetheless, the scene didn’t earn a optimistic assessment. Elias, who has virtually $14 million in dwell match winnings, gave the scene a one out of 10. Watch the whole video beneath.
A couple of extra movies have been added to the poker style lately. In November, a documentary in regards to the WPT World Championship was launched. The 2024 film Useless Cash with Emile Hirsch additionally drew some good critiques.
