Poker Player Blog

I’m always on the lookout for things to write about that involve poker but may be a little different from the usual poker blogs out there. I decided to delve into the archives and film and theater to find poker movies and plays that not only provided insight into the game but insight into the lives of its players and organizers. That’s how I came to spend this evening watching the 1998 British film “croupier.”

And I am so glad I did.

This gem of a casino drama set in London stars the well known Clive Owen as a master card dealer at one of the capital’s high end casinos. Jack Manfred is a wannabe writer who needs to play the bills. He decides to write a book about his life working at the casino and gets involved in a scam to rip off the casino and save an ex lover’s life.

It’s quite a story and poker lovers and gamblers of all kinds are hooked from the beginning. It’s sort of like being on the other side of the table, seeing your own game playing through the eyes of the workers in the casino.  Manfred’s home life is as complex as his work life and there is no lack of bruises, tears and lost winnings.

The movie slowly escalates into that classic final twenty minutes when things speed up and we watch as the casino heist begins. And…well I don’t want to spoil the movie for you but it’s a great ending for a great poker themed movie.

Watching poker movies may seem like a distraction from your gaming time but it can provide a more encompassing view of the world of gambling. It’s also a chance to learn tricks to cheat at 21, the rules of casinos and the desperation of many players. For me, it made me remember that the American dealer is the British croupier.