Suspense and the unknown, they’re major elements of cinema. They’re also major elements of poker so when you combine the two correctly, you’ve got a magic combination that will hold almost all audiences spellbound. Even the ones that don’t play cards!

Over the years, numerous movies have centred on the topic of poker. A game widely believed by the uninformed to be one of chance has time and time again been displayed as a skilful game that offers underdogs a path to redemption and, subsequently, offers audiences a feel-good ending.

So, what titles might feature as the most iconic vehicles for poker-based storylines? Read on to find out…

Casino Royale (2006)
Casino’s focus heavily in the Bond universe and that’s no surprise, considering the high-rolling lifestyles associated with international spies and master criminals! However, Casino Royale is the only Bond feature to centre solely on a poker game specifically.

As Bond sits at a table with Le Chiffre, a financier for international terrorist organizations, he finds himself shoulder to shoulder with players that include another international agent from the CIA. A lot rides on Bond’s success in this exclusive game - Not only does the audience want their protagonist to prove himself the ongoing embodiment of charm and guile, but Bond’s winning will help to prevent funds from falling into the hands of a particularly unpleasant, machete-wielding terrorist.

We won’t give too much away about the scene itself, as this might prompt a few readers to seek it out. However, the tension at the table, coupled with a concurrent, near-death experience for our hero, make this a favourite among audiences and one of the best poker movies in this list!

Rounders (1998)
Okay, you got us - Rounders doesn’t take part in a casino but it would be criminal to omit it here! The movie follows Worm (Norton) and Mike (Damon) as they attempt to win enough money to cover a debt by playing poker in high-stakes games with other career card players.

After losing his money to Teddy “KGB” (Malkovich), Mike promises his girlfriend that he’ll quit gambling but is pulled back into the world of pro poker when his friend, Worm, gets out of prison and given five days to pay off an old debt.

Avoiding any spoilers, we can say that our favourite scene is when Mike comes face to face with Teddy “KGB” in the movie’s climax and the back-and-forth that ensues.

Also, never underestimate the importance of how you eat an Oreo cookie - It can give a lot away.

21 (2008)
Often slated for lacking realism, 21 has been the subject of heavy criticism over the years. But who goes to the cinema for realism? We say that, from time to time, you should just let your imagination run wild and enjoy the entertainment for what it is - fiction and fun. Those readers who can’t suspend reality in the name of entertainment might do better to find a list of documentaries about poker!

The best scene in 21 (in our humble opinion) has to be when Ben (Jim Sturgess) dons a disguise that would make the creators of the popular board game “Guess Who” proud and proceeds to work table after table with the help of his team.

Rain Man (1988)
If you’ve seen Rainman and ever attended an event that meant you rode an escalator in your best clothes, then there’s a good chance you’ve pretended to be either Tom Cruise or Dustin Hoffman, escalating into shot and dressed ready to take on the house and win.

Charlie Babbitt (Cruise) is a car agent under pressure to repay the creditor who financed the purchase of four luxury sports cars when he learns his father has died, leaving a $3 million dollar estate. Things become complicated, however, when Charlie learns that the estate has been left to an unnamed trustee and eventually finds out that beneficiary is his severely autistic brother, Raymond (Hoffman).

Without giving away too much of a film that earned Dustin Hoffman an Academy Award for best actor, the story culminates in Charlie utilizing his savant brother’s skills to count cards at a blackjack table.