The Art of Playing Poker

It doesn’t happen often that the opening credits of a movie grab my attention. I’m usually still stumbling around in the dark theatre guided only by my mobile phone light over the manmade obstacle course consisting of people's legs, popcorn, softdrinks and the occasional lost toddler.

Casino Royale turned out to be the exception to the rule. I got to my seat early and by the time the opening credits rolled I was mesmerized by the flying poker cards and James Bond interacting with them in a colorful kaleidoscope. The Art Direction on the opening credits was so superb that I realized then and there just how inspiring and exciting poker as an art form is.

Just think about the famous Dogs Playing Poker paintings done by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge in 1903. ‘Four Aces’, ‘A friend in Need’ and ‘A Bold Bluff’ are part of this whimsical poker dogs collection and without a doubt the most recognized gambling paintings ever created. Replicas have adorned the walls of basements, bathrooms, and card rooms across America for a century and the poker dogs achieved national recognition by appearing on calendars and in various other advertising media.

In the modern world that we live in, art is so much more than just oil on canvas. Art is movement, creativity, expression and in the case of Poker – it’s a skill. Perfecting the art of playing poker can take a long time when you have a lot of things to take into account. You need to know how to bet, how to play with the chips, how to look at your cards, how to throw your cards in, how to stack your chips and how to bluff convincingly.

Casino Royale Director – Martin Campbell, realized this when he hired nine people, all coming with various degrees of experience, to play Texas Hold’em against Bond at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. While other actors are often rehearsed in the techniques they will need for the movie, be it horse riding, surfing or dancing Campbell called upon poker expert - Thomas Sanbrook. Thomas had the diligent task of training each actor on the technical skills of poker and helping them master their own individual style of playing like a pro.

The music comes to a crescendo and the closing credits are about to appear… but before you get up from your warm seat and leave the theatre, let me just end off with a final thought: The art of playing poker is a fascinating journey, and although it only takes minutes to learn Texas Hold'em, it takes a lifetime to master.