Both movies and poker have been mainstays in home entertainment for decades. If you are planning a night filled with poker games along with your friends, what could be better than watching a great poker flick while playing? There are several wonderful movies that involve this legendary card sport, but some classics are listed below. The next time you plan a poker game with your friends, try incorporating one of these titles into the night; if your friends love poker, they are sure to enjoy them.

Rounders

This 1998 film helped to turbocharge the poker craze. Here’s an overview from our review:

“Rounders” offers an inside look at the world of high-stakes gambling through the eyes of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a New York City law student with a natural talent for a good hand and the ability to read virtually any opponent. After dropping $30,000 one night to local poker thug Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), Mike turns away from the game forever to focus on his studies, much to the approval of his girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol). Working a dead-end job to pay off his school loans, Mike remains clean for nine months until his best friend Worm (Edward Norton) is released from prison with a giant gambling debt to his name. When Mike takes a stake in the debt, putting his own head on the chopping block, he must return to the card table and play the game better than he ever has before in order to meet Teddy KGB’s 48-hour payment deadline.

The poker scenes are excellent in this film, which focuses on the psychology of the game as much as the game itself. If you can’t read people, you’ll never be a great poker player.

A Big Hand for a Little Lady

In this film, Mary is the wife of a poker player who puts their entire family wealth on the line for a large poker tournament. She does not approve, but gets put into a tight situation. When Meredity (Mary’s husband) suffers from a heart attack, she steps in to play in his place. This movie is a masterpiece in poker related drama, which might strike the interest of female players.

Maverick

In this film you meet a character named Maverick, who is on a journey to compete in a large poker tournament. However, he lacks the necessary funds to pay for the entry fee. He knows he has a solid chance at winning, but must raise $3,000 before the tournament. He starts by trying to recover old debts, but this quickly turns into a nightmare. He finds himself being pursued, as certain people are out to stop him from competing. He is continuously betrayed and rivaled, so this comedy doubles over as a drama. It has several twists in the plot, making it a wonderful post-game flick. The main character in this movie is Mel Gibson, and it was released in the 1990’s.

The Cincinnati Kid

This is an older film; a classic in the poker world starring Steve McQueen as “The Kid.” Most diehard poker fans have seen this movie, due to its suspenseful climax. The Kid is an ambitious poker player that wants to try his hand at a game with a renowned poker player; who just happens to come into town. During the showdown, cheating makes for an interesting twist, but does not exactly affect the outcome. During the course of the movie, The Kid loses nearly everything, including his girlfriend. This classic poker flick will have experienced poker players on the edge of their seats, especially if they have yet to see it.