There are many movies that have had poker as the central axis of the story. Great titles starring Paul Newman or Clint Eastwood have had their place in the seventh art.
Even sagas that have lasted for decades in cinema, such as the James Bond film universe, have used poker in a thousand ways as a casual background, and in the 2006 adaptation of Casino Royale, as the undisputed protagonist of a script that has been praised since its release.
But if there is one film that has masterfully used poker in its story and transcended for its sensitive, realistic and inspired treatment of the game, it is undoubtedly Rounders. Matt Damon stars in this poker movie that has been considered by many as the best representation of poker on film.
Even many players who have come to play professional poker games have come to recognize that their inspiration was found in the poker movie with Matt Damon in the lead, leaving Rounders in a very good place.
By the way: if you like movies, be sure to check out this list of films where poker plays a crucial role in the story. If you liked Rounders, you’ll like these too.
What is Rounders, Matt Damon’s poker movie about?
The plot of Rounders revolves around Mike McDermott, a law student and excellent poker player who sees how his soulmate Norton has serious debt problems when he gets out of prison. Under the threat of a dangerous criminal, willing to risk even Norton’s own life to get the money, Mike takes to the tables to help his buddy.
But Mike’s road to the final pot is paved with tough opponents, and he’ll even have to take on Teddy KGB to pay off the debt and get both Norton and himself out of harm’s way.
Actually, this Matt Damon poker movie is about personal relationships and uses poker as a tool to achieve a goal. But it is in the way of representing that tool that Rounders exhibits all its advantages, drawing inspiration from real players and situations that recent poker history has already known. In fact, it is already known that the final hand of the film is a reflection of the play that Johnny Chan made to Erick Seidel at the 1988 WSOP.
What you can learn from Matt Damon’s poker movie
There’s a lot to scratch in this poker film with Matt Damon. Not just because of him (his character is sublime, with a depth that manages to use poker as the leitmotif of his emotional triggers), but because of the set of protagonists and the plays they star in throughout the film.
If we put the focus on the development of the key hands, this poker movie, where Matt Damon also stars in some of the top plays ever seen in a poker story, is an invaluable source of wisdom.
One of the most iconic hands in Rounders is the one starring the Mad Russian. Hand data:
- Blinds: 100 / 150.
- Mike’s cards (BUTTON): A♣ 9♣
- Mike speaks: he raises to 500. SB folds.
- Teddy: calls with A♥ A♦.
- Flop: A♠ 9♠ 8♣
- Pot: $1,250.
- Action: Teddy checks. Mike bets 2,000.
From here, Teddy calls. The turn brings 9♥. Teddy checks. Mike checks.
Here’s an interesting reading. Teddy has turned the tables with respect to the first pot. The film uses narrative devices to imply to the audience that Teddy will improve on the river. It shows that both players know how to perform well here. Teddy could have gone ahead on the turn, but Mike plays smart, with a hand that blocks the aces.
One of the big unknowns here is why Mike decides to pass Teddy, because it gives him a chance to improve on the river or bluff. The answer lies in Mike’s aces. Those blocks make it more likely that Teddy will have a draw, hence Mike puts him in that position.
Rounders is known as the Matt Damon movie playing poker, but it’s not just him to watch. The supporting cast and the villains are extremely important if we use the film as a learning tool. Matt Damon’s character is the protagonist of the story, but poker is not a one-man game, so let’s not get carried away by the narrative, which tends to put (as it should) Damon at the center of every situation.
Let’s continue with the hand: the river gives 3♠. Here, the pot is already $5,250 and Teddy is up to $15,000. At this point you can see that both Mike and Teddy are enjoying their overbets. But there is a certain inconsistency in the decisions: Mike’s first overbet is weak to hold, and here Teddy suffers from the same. It is not a very fine play because, although he implies that he is looking for a straight flush, the bet could cause Mike to fold.
On the assumption that Mike here had a flush, a normal bet might give him a chance to raise. This would be an amount of money equal to the overbet. Teddy here could attempt a check-raise, leaving the door open for Mike to bluff, something to consider considering that Teddy blocks aces a lot. The check-raise here makes more sense, no doubt about it.
Finally, Mike raises to 48,000. Teddy calls, and from here it all goes wrong for Mike. The second pot drags Mike down and doesn’t allow him to shove. Not even against a x3 overbet. This is the first time the audience can empathize with Matt Damon’s character.
Poker in Rounders is shown from a fictional but visceral perspective, with scenarios not 100% real, but very inspired by situations that could happen in reality perfectly well, and it is that inspiration by the plausible that makes Mike’s bad game feel so painful.