Thursday List – Best poker films from the past

Poker has been increasing in popularity for years now, becoming a game of choice by many famous sports stars and well known actors, including Ben Affleck, Boris Becker and Rafael Nadal. In its online form, the game is played by millions around the world.

Poker certainly has changed a great deal over the years, with the biggest period of change arguably being over the past generation. Its evolution has been well captured in various movies over the years, and this is perhaps the best way to understand the evolution of poker and how its image has changed.

Here are a few of the finest poker flicks ever produced – enjoy!

The Cincinnati kid – 1965

Eric ‘The Kid’ Stoner sets out to prove that he is the best poker player in town. A game between himself and the oldest and reportedly the best player around, the films climax rests on a final hand of poker played between the Kid and Lancey ‘The Man’ Howard.

Starring Steve McQueen and Edward G Robinson.

Here are a few of the finest poker flicks ever produced. If any of these give you the poker bug, play online at www.pokerstars.com after the film credits!

A Big Hand for the Little Lady – 1966

A Western comedy drama, built around a high stakes poker game. A young impoverished family travelling through a town on their way to start a new life in San Antonio, find trouble and excitement when the father decides to take part in a poker game but dies of heart failure before the game is finished. His wife is then left to resume playing in his place, but of course, she knows nothing about how to play.

Starring Peter Fonda and Joanne Woodward.

California Split – 1974

A film about friendship and gambling addiction, two men pool their assets to play the game of their lives with a surprising conclusion.

Starring George Segal and Elliot Gould.

The Sting – 1973

This Academy Award winning film tells the wisdom of not accepting anything at face value, and the moral is that you cannot cheat an honest man. With twists and turns in the plot at every corner, this tale is told about a man seeking retribution for the murder of his friend, by setting up an elaborate ‘sting’.

Starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

House of games – 1987

A female psychologist sets out to help her patient who has a severe gambling addiction. She takes it upon herself to visit one of the men that her patient owes a lot of money to, but gets involved in the underworld when this man convinces her to help him out in a game of poker, by alerting him to the bluffs and hand gestures of the other players.

Starring Lindsay Crouse

Honeymoon in Vegas – 1992

Comedy ensues when Jack Singer loses thousands of pounds during a crooked poker game. His wealthy opponent agrees to erase the debt if he can spend a weekend with Jack’s fiancé, Betsy. Jack agrees but the man whisks Betty away to Hawaii and Jack has to track her down to rescue her. Warning, this film contains flying Elvis’s.

Starring Nicholas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Rounders – 1998

Two friends need to earn money fast by playing poker to pay off a large debt. A ‘rounder’ is the name given to those who travel from place to place seeking poker games for high stakes, and this is just what these chaps do in and around New York City.

Starring Matt Damon and John Malcovich.

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels – 1998

Four young men put all their money into one poker game and lose, resulting in them owing a huge debt to a gangland porn lord. With only a week to find the money, they set out to steal the money from a local rich kid marijuana dealer, but things do not go according to plan.

Starring Nick Moran and Vinnie Jones.