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"Rounders" (1 Viewer)

Encyclopedia Brown

Encyclopedia Brown

Footballguy
I am a poker novice, so if the answer is obvious, I apologize.

My local Irish bar has 90% of its tv's tuned to sports, and the other 10% to movies and music videos. I was there watching the Knicks game, but the tv next to the screen with the game on was "Rounders".

I was mostly paying attention to the Knicks (btw, David Lee is friggin' awesome. 15 boards in under 30 minutes :shock: ), but at the end of the flick when Malkovich overturns the table and starts yelling....

He trapped me! All night this guy, check, check, check.

I know about the Oreo cookie "tell", but what was Damon's strategy? What exactly did he do? And why did such a big-time pro fall for it?

Explain it like you're explaining how to play "Go Fish".

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Encyclopedia Brown said:
I know about the Oreo cookie "tell", but what was Damon's strategy? What exactly did he do?
Click to expand...
It was a basic slow play. Damon made a monster hand, and check-called to appear weak like he was chasing a draw, causing Malkovich to believe he was ahead and bet the hand hard.
And why did such a big-time pro fall for it?
Click to expand...
That's a big knock on the movie from experienced poker players. This is a very basic play by Damon that wouldn't work at that level. No poker pro is going to continue to massively overbet the pot when he gets called like that and not get suspicious.The reason for this is probably that the film's creators couldn't have anticipated the hold'em boom that would follow and never thought the hand would be analyzed so critically. They probably just assumed keep it simple.
 
I could be wrong, but didn't he get into KGB's head after he spotted the tell? IMO, KGB's game had to be off once he realized this...

 
"That Ace couldn't have helped you".

The same scenario earlier in the move cost Damon all his money.

 
It's a movie. They need to make the hand easy enough for Joe Blow to follow.

Also, it's pretty much an exact reenactment of the Chan-Seidel hand that Matt Damon watched over and over again earlier in the film.

 
Spartans Rule said:
Encyclopedia Brown said:
I know about the Oreo cookie "tell", but what was Damon's strategy? What exactly did he do?
Click to expand...
It was a basic slow play. Damon made a monster hand, and check-called to appear weak like he was chasing a draw, causing Malkovich to believe he was ahead and bet the hand hard.
And why did such a big-time pro fall for it?
Click to expand...
That's a big knock on the movie from experienced poker players. This is a very basic play by Damon that wouldn't work at that level. No poker pro is going to continue to massively overbet the pot when he gets called like that and not get suspicious.The reason for this is probably that the film's creators couldn't have anticipated the hold'em boom that would follow and never thought the hand would be analyzed so critically. They probably just assumed keep it simple.
Click to expand...
Excellent response. :goodposting: Another question. How plausible was Ed Norton's double dealing in the scene with the state cop's?

Would it really have taken them that long to figure it out? Could he really have been dealing Damon two kings, and then three seven's, without it being obvious?

 
Encyclopedia Brown said:
Another question. How plausible was Ed Norton's double dealing in the scene with the state cop's?
Click to expand...
Very plausible. Skilled card mechanics are very difficult to catch, especially in a noisy environment like a crowded union hall.
Would it really have taken them that long to figure it out? Could he really have been dealing Damon two kings, and then three seven's, without it being obvious?
Click to expand...
You've never gone on a heater before?
 
Encyclopedia Brown said:
Another question. How plausible was Ed Norton's double dealing in the scene with the state cop's?

Would it really have taken them that long to figure it out? Could he really have been dealing Damon two kings, and then three seven's, without it being obvious?
Click to expand...
It was the mechanics grip that probably made them suspicious. It was the hanger that got him caught.I say very plausible.

 
I haven't seen the movie in a while - I like it a lot but am not a poker player - but IIRC, isn't the final scene a follow up to the earlier showdown between the two in which Damon got worked? So even if Damon was using a nonadvanced tactic could it still have worked given the context of their earlier showdown? Again, it's been a while since I've seen it (damn shame b/c Gretchen Mol is smokin' in it).

 
i was more bothered by the notion that a player at that level would have such an obvious tell.

btw, what is a "hanger"?

 
Couple of thoughts on this. One, is there any indication that Teddy KGB is actually an experience pro? He's running a local underground card club, not playing the WSOP. Second, even pros do dumb things. Heck, I saw Matusow blow about 80k to Phil Laak on a stone cold bluff on high stakes poker. So, it's not out of the realm of possibility that even a top player could make that mistake. That's where reading comes in and deciding whether you can push someone off a hand with a big bet.

 
also Teddy may think damon is on the draw calling down hoping to win big..

He owed alot of money and that was his best chance to win. So Teddy could have also failed to realize this as he was playing Damon emotional state.

 
tribecalledjeff said:
Rounder said:
pinequick said:
MU Seminole said:
Again, it's been a while since I've seen it (damn shame b/c Gretchen Mol is smokin' in it).
Click to expand...
Please--not even the hottest girl in that movie. :thumbup:
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No way - find some pics of Gretchen Mol topless then come back and say Famke is still hotter. Not a chance. Gretchens breasts are amazing.
Click to expand...
Wow. Thanks for this. Indeed they are.
Click to expand...
Agreed, they are quite spectacular. Though overall I'm still going to have to go with Famke Janssen.Though if Mol looked like this all the time I could be convinced to change my vote. She definitely looks better when she's not so pale.

 
'Encyclopedia Brown said:
'IvanKaramazov said:
It's a movie. They need to make the hand easy enough for Joe Blow to follow.

Also, it's pretty much an exact reenactment of the Chan-Seidel hand that Matt Damon watched over and over again earlier in the film.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I think he was pissed off at getting check-raised (or sandbagged). It used to be sort of frowned upon when poker started getting popular but has become more part of the game in recent years.

 
The don't splash the pot line is so underrated here!!! Teddy can't get that out of his head and is just jumping to splash the f*%} out of it.

 
'CGRdrJoe said:
The don't splash the pot line is so underrated here!!! Teddy can't get that out of his head and is just jumping to splash the f*%} out of it.
Click to expand...
That is the other big component to that scene, the fact that Damon is teaching/lecturing Teddy on proper poker etiquette at his own table in his own club riles Teddy up and helps the tilt moment out too.
 
Anyone who has ever been in a relationship while trying to gamble in peace wants to choke Gretchen Mol to death.She must be a good actress.

 
I used to think this movie was only good because I loved poker and the poker craze was everywhere. Nope. Still a great flick

 
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