In relation to longform poker movies, all eyes are on 4 proper now as nominees within the “Finest Media Content material: Video” class on the International Poker Awards. They embody Behind the Swings: The Legend of Isildur1 (Miikka Antonen, Phil Galfond, Matti Harju), Davidi Kitai: Lifetime of a Genius (La vie du Génie – Winamax), The 4 Guidelines of the Poker Kings (Greg Clark, BBC Scotland), and The Final Stack (POKER movies).
Had the International Poker Awards existed 15 years in the past, one poker-related documentary that you simply in all probability have by no means heard of seemingly would’ve been a contender to win. What’s extra, that 2010 documentary is obtainable now on Amazon Prime to hire for $1.99.
Strike Cube! Betting on My Father is the poignant story of Natalie Picoe’s seek for her father, a playing addict, who’d been reported lacking in Las Vegas. I hadn’t beforehand heard of the documentary earlier than, so I gave it a shot and was glad that I did. It’s a bit of dated, it appears to be like prefer it was filmed within the early 2000s when the panorama of Las Vegas was fairly completely different. Even so, the message nonetheless hits the mark.
Right here’s a extra thorough description from IMDb:
Strike Cube! Betting on my Father is the transferring story of a daughter’s search to seek out her father – an addicted gambler – when he’s reported lacking in Las Vegas. With little info to go on, she ultimately finds him, however he bears little resemblance to the daddy she as soon as knew. Homeless, gaunt, and unwashed, he lives day-to-day on the streets of Vegas, and regardless of her greatest efforts, he’s unwilling to acknowledge his habit and settle for the assistance he wants. What’s a daughter to do? How do you assist your father when a easy handout will solely make him worse? Does it matter if he is by no means actually been a guardian to you and the remainder of your loved ones has given up on him?
The documentary, which is an simply digestible and entertaining 58 minutes, was directed and produced by Natalie Picoe, the daughter of Mike Picow, a Las Vegas gambler and poker participant recognized for his play within the Nineteen Eighties and 90s.
Picow is way from a family identify within the poker world; the truth is, he hasn’t cashed a match in three a long time.
In accordance with The Hendon Mob, Picow amassed $162,986 in lifetime match earnings relationship again to 1983. His largest money of $30,200 got here when he completed eighth within the 1989 World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) Primary Occasion, which was received by Phil Hellmuth. Picow’s final money got here in Could 1995 when he completed twelfth within the WSOP $1,500 Restrict Ace-to-5 Draw occasion.
1989 WSOP Primary Occasion Remaining Desk
Regardless of not being a recognized identify in poker – besides maybe to old-school gamers in Las Vegas – Picow’s story could also be of curiosity to the neighborhood. However make no mistake, it’s not as a result of it’s a feel-good story with a contented ending. Quite the opposite, Strike Cube! is a dive into the degenerate facet of Las Vegas, a peek behind the scenes of what occurs when an untreated playing habit reaches its inevitable finish.
“He wasn’t a superb man. He knew all people, however he was a jerk.”
I’m not fairly certain no matter grew to become of Mike Picow. I assumed he had seemingly handed, however I used to be unable to find any kind of obituary on-line. I requested a Las Vegas participant who has been round for a very long time and was informed they final heard from Picow round 2020, although it was allegedly him asking for cash.
“He wasn’t a superb man,” I used to be informed. “He knew all people, however he was a jerk.”
Picow wasn’t the primary poker participant to go broke, and he undoubtedly received’t be the final. Nevertheless, he is without doubt one of the few to have it placed on full show in one in all poker’s most poignant documentaries. When you’ve obtained an hour and $1.99 to spare, it’s effectively value a watch.
Click on right here to take a look at Strike Cube! on Amazon Prime
Chad Holloway
PR & Media Supervisor
