Poker Documentary Debuts in Vegas

The much publicized documentary, All In: The Poker Movie, premiered last week in Las Vegas and the critics have given the two hour film a thumbs up in terms of bringing together a detailed and interesting history of the game of poker in the United States.

Attended by a number of top poker dignitaries, thanks to the timing of the premier to coincide with the World Series of Poker tournament taking place several hotels away in Vegas, the film traces the beginnings of poker in the United States, from the Mississippi Riverboats to the Texas road gamblers and finally to poker’s modern days.

The film focuses on poker’s entry into the US mainstream culture, beginning with Amarillo Slim’s appearance on the Tonight Show many times after his big win at the 1972 WSOP. Poker is examined in film and TV, as well as its influence on cultural stereotypes such as the Cincinnati Kid.

All in: The Poker Movie also examines the growth of online poker since the mid 1990’s, looking at the birth of classic sites such as Paradise Poker, Planet Poker and Party Poker. UltimateBet and AbsolutePoker are also mentioned, albeit in a negative light involving the cheating scandal that rocked these sites last year.

Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP win is noted in the film as being one of the most defining moments in the history of poker in the United States. Much attention is given to Moneymaker’s rags to riches story, as he climbed from a $39 satellite entry to become the winner of one of the biggest poker prizes ever seen in a competition.

One of the main complaints heard about this film is that it does not place US poker in a wider global context. Critics have said that the UIGEA may have placed serious obstacles in the path of US poker, but it also created massive opportunities in other parts of the globe and caused a revival of the game in Europe and the United Kingdom. Also, critics point out that the film did not quote the opinion of one European poker expert – of which there are many.

Overall, however, All In: The Poker Movie, made an excellent first impression and is considered a must-see for all poker fans – whether online or offline.

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