Monthly Archives: August 2023

Earlier this year, the WSOP App announced their inaugural Thrill Team, which was made up of seven poker superstars who have won several millions dollars, gold bracelets and circuit rings in the live poker world, and are now going all-in to win virtual bracelets, rings, and trophies on the free-to-play app.

Samantha Abernathy was one of seven members alongside Patrik Antonius, Espen Jorstad, Vanessa Selbst, Adam Hendrix, Landon Tice, and Ethan Rampage Yau.

Abernathy, who is currently based in Andorra, a small country in the Pyrenees mountains in between Spain and France, recently chatted with PokerNews about her experience with the app thus far.

Im frequently traveling, trying to see as much of Europe as possible and embrace the differences in life over here, she told PokerNews. These days, Im mainly playing live and online multi-table tournaments (MTTs). Most recently, I participated in the European Poker Tour in Prague, Paris and London, as well as WSOP Europe, and of course the WSOP in Vegas.

World Series of Poker (WSOP) Social App Review & 1 Million Free Chips Bonus

It was while in Vegas that Abernathy made a deep run in Event #67: $1,000 Ladies Championship, ultimately finishing 31st out of 1,295 entries for $5,385.

The WSOP is always a thrilling time, and this year was an enriching experience as always. One highlight that stands out was my deep run in the ladies event. I witnessed tons of newer players sharing the passion for the game, which made it such an amazing environment to play in. While I didnt cash the Main Event this year, I am always grateful for the opportunity to participate and eagerly look forward to the thrill of next year.

"Since the WSOP apps launch 10 years ago, it has been downloaded millions of times and has helped introduce poker to so many players."

While at the Horseshoe and Paris, Abernathy was able to represent the WSOP Thrill Team alongside her teammates.

I feel an immense sense of responsibility as an inaugural Thrill Team member the game of poker has done so much for me and I'm excited to use my platform to bring awareness to the free WSOP mobile app so that the thrill of live poker can reach even more people, said Abernathy.

She continued: Since the WSOP apps launch 10 years ago, it has been downloaded millions of times and has helped introduce poker to so many players. In fact, my Thrill Teammate Ethan Yau and I both started playing poker through the WSOP app. The WSOP believes poker is a game for everyone, and it offered a supportive space for me when I began my journey. It was a real full circle moment to be asked to be an ambassador for the app that gave me my start in the game.

Meet The WSOP App Thrill Team

Not only did she represent the WSOP Thrill Team on the felt, but she also took part in a special VIP event for players on the app.

As she told it: To celebrate the WSOP Main Event final table, the official WSOP free-to-play app flew VIP players to Vegas to compete in a private poker tournament. Before the tournament kicked off, I was able to meet the users and hosted a Q&A. It was awesome to meet players who, like me, have perfected their poker skills through the WSOP app as I mentioned, I began playing poker through the WSOP app. The WSOP has enabled these players to experience the excitement of poker by testing their skills on the free-to-play app, but with this event, WSOP went one step further and brought them together to recreate that feeling in real life.

For those interested in playing with Abernathy, they can do so at the online tables and in the new feature called WSOP Teams where you can create your own poker team, add other players, and play poker together.

So, whats next for Abernathy?

I will definitely be going to EPT Barcelona, its one of my favorite stops. Ill likely go to Cyprus, and I might try to make it over to the Bahamas for the new WSOP series this winter!

You can follow Abernathy on her Instagram @samabernathyy.

Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.

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Thrill Team Member Samantha Abernathy on Virtues of WSOP's ... - PokerNews.com

On the way out the door, Phil Ivey concluded his 2023 Triton Poker London experience with his second win of the series, this one the $25,000 Short Deck Ante for $280,500.

He wasn't the only player to double up on victories during what was an exciting series. Jason Koon, also one of the best ever, wrapped his series with two wins, including the $60,000 Short Deck on Thursday for $828,000. The GGPoker ambassador also took down a $60,000 No-Limit Hold'em 7-Handed event for $1,570,000.

Check out the Triton Poker Hub on PokerNews here!

Earlier in the 15-event series, Ivey collected $1,007,000 for winning the $60,000 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo. The 10-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner wasn't done as he finished the series with his fifth career Triton victory in a short deck event.

Ivey didn't enter the final table with the chip lead but his 75 antes were good for second place. Danny Tang was the biggest stack with 145 antes and would perform quite well at the final table. But he just couldn't quite outlast the Poker Hall of Famer.

The tournament had just 31 entrants (18 unique), creating a prize pool of $825,000. Eng Ewe was the first to go among the final table of six, the only players who cashed. He took home $57,800.

Thai Ha (fifth for $74,200), Daniel Dvoress (fourth for $94,900), and Stephen Chidwick (third for $193,800) were the next three out. That left just two players remaining Tang and Ivey.

By the time heads-up play began, Ivey had taken over the tournament and held a 7-1 chip advantage. It took him little time to brush off his final opponent and take down the $280,500 first place prize. Tang received $193,800 for his second place finish. For Ivey, it was his second title of the series to go along with second place and sixth place finishes.

Ivey now has over $40.7 million in lifetime live tournament winnings, according to the Hendon Mob. He's won in virtually every major poker series (WSOP, WPT, Triton) and has done so for over 20 years.

Phil Ivey Captures $60k Triton Victory

*Lead image courtesy of Trition

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Phil Ivey Wraps Triton Poker London Series with Second Title - PokerNews.com

Poker is the most played gambling game in both online and brick-and-mortar casinos, and it involves strategy, skill, and some luck. The only way to become a professional poker expert is by engaging in more practice and developing exceptional strategies. The primary principle of this game is to place wagers against other players depending on their poker hands value.

Due to poker games popularity, some poker variants have been featured in various impressive movies. If youre a poker player, lover, or a newbie interested in learning the game, you might find poker movies actually enjoyable. Such films provide an easy transition, especially for beginners, as theyre very educational. They can also develop a persons interest in the game. In this article, we have created a list of great films that showcase the artistry of poker.

This movie appeared 58 years ago but is still an incredible poker film. It reveals the story of Erick The Kid Stoner, an aspiring poker player who is interested in challenging Lancey The Man Howard, the poker master. Erick wants to take the title The Man by dethroning Lancey in a high-stakes poker game. However, viewers can only understand this challenge metaphorically.

After watching the game, some people might argue its storyline has the least truthful depiction of the game. However, the movie focuses on showcasing the life of poker players. It also has a thrilling plot and an unforgettable final scene which makes it an incredible poker film.

Unlike most popular poker films, this one doesnt feature famous Hollywood actors, but it is worth your time. This movie displays the life of Stu Ungar, a true poker legend. Ungar began his wagering career in his teenage years and advanced to become a pro poker player. However, at the age of 20 years, he had to escape from New York due to numerous enemies.

In this movie, Stu plays strategically and with advanced skills in several high-stakes games. The film covers poker extensively, showing how Stu approaches the game professionally by bluffing tactfully and calculating poker odds. Moreover, the odds help him in calculating pot odds, making draws, and hitting certain hands effectively. His tactical gameplay gave him an edge over other players, and this is what made him a legend. Besides showing the reality of the game, this movie also covers the history of gambling.

This film showcases the story of a man who gave up playing poker games but decided to help a college student learn poker. While providing the lessons, he finds himself back in the realm of gambling again. This moment comes when his trainee decides to sign up for the upcoming poker tournament and he cannot resist the urge to participate, irrespective of his initial decision.

The tournament is the movies highlight as the trainer and his protg enjoy an impressive run eliminating other players. The student seems highly talented in the game and becomes the trainers most formidable opponent. Later in the movie, they face off in a high-stakes game. Deal is a classic film where the student beats his teacher in an epic showdown.

This Hong Kong movie set in Macau isnt shy to display the realities of the poker world and the challenges befalling the players. However, dont be quick to assume the film isnt impressive due to its clich storyline. Although its concept is simplistic, the execution is exceptional. Therefore, it is a fantastic film you can watch alone or with friends.

This film is about a young man that fancies playing online poker and risks losing his fathers inheritance if he cannot prove that he is mature enough. The movie effectively shows pure passion and love for the game, making it worth watching. Poker King originated from a region where gambling was restricted until recently. Therefore, its success proves that people in many areas now have a new perspective on poker.

If you need a film that captures poker in perfect detail, consider watching All In: The Poker Movie (2009). This movie covers the entire history of poker; from its beginning, through the remarkable Moneymakers 2003 Main Event win to the notorious Black Friday scandal. It also showcases poker legends like Chris Ferguson, Phil Laak, Daniel Negreanu, Antonio Esfandiari, Annie Duke, and Moneymaker. As you watch it, you will know how poker became the most famous card game in the US and globally.

Furthermore, All In: The Poker Movie provides the best history lessons for players and poker lovers intending to refresh their knowledge of the game. It is all-inclusive and this makes it an excellent source of valuable insight even for experienced poker players. If you desire to dive into the deeper realm of poker, ensure you watch this movie.

There are many ways to learn more about the poker world. Watching movies is an excellent way of getting to know this games aspects as well as having a glimpse of its thrill. Some poker movies are funny and lighthearted, while others are exciting and serious. Despite the differences in these movies, they all point to the fact that this game is popular worldwide. If youre a poker lover, there is a good chance that you will find something valuable in these movies.

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Movies that Showcase the Artistry of Poker Features Film Threat - Film Threat

The poker world may soon be overrun with artificial intelligence influences. Over the past few years, the industry has seen an influx of ChatGPT usage, and it appears that the AI option is taking over. We have seen the tool used for gaming, with players utilizing ChatGPT to learn how to play better or even make decisions in a game. The use of this technology is mixed, as some players feel it is a good option while others feel it is cheating.

New Study Reviewing ChatGPT and Poker

Legal U.S. Poker Sites recently conducted a new study involving ChatGPT. Amazon Mechanical Turk was reviewed, and it was determined that ChatGPT usage is on the rise regarding online poker. With over 1,000 online poker players surveyed with at least three years of experience, it showed that the majority had used ChatGPT at some point.

The study consisted of 67% males and 33% females. The majority were Gen-Z at 41%, and 34% were millennials. The findings of the study revealed that players are supportive of AI. Around 93% are in favor and 40% of those surveyed had used it to elevate their gameplay. Around 45% believe AI helps them to become better players.

Is It Cheating?

From the survey, around 22% said they have used AI to win online poker. Millennials are more likely to use technology during gameplay than others. Around one in five respondents have used ChatGPT to win, which is essentially considered cheating. They had the help of a bot to find the right decision for their hand.

The opinion of ChatGPT and poker cheating is mixed. Some feel that no clear rules say you cant use this tech, so its not cheating. Others feel that any outside help at the poker table should not be allowed. There are rules in place at online poker rooms that restrict players from using bots, so we may see that ChatGPT is added to the list in the future if the tech becomes an issue.

Using AI to Better Your Poker Game

Those who have not used ChatGPT during gameplay utilize the option to experiment with different strategies or simulate different hand scenarios. Players can easily take hand histories from an online poker site and input them into ChatGPT to see what the outcome should have been. This helps with decision-making when that hand type pops up again in gameplay.

More than half of poker experts feel that AI bots will rule the game of poker in the future. It would make it almost impossible for a human to win when up against a computer. Gen Z players who go up against AI are losing over $1,000 on average. Millennials are losing a bit less at around $750.

Poker Community is Split

Even though ChatGPT and poker players are coming together, players have mixed feelings on the topic. If you visit Reddit or Twitter, you can find forums that discuss tech usage and how players are divided. Some are not sold on the idea and feel that ChatGPT offers bad advice.

Others feel that it can be useful in learning how to play online poker, especially with game variants you are unfamiliar with. Others feel that using this type of technology takes away from the game and removes skill. If players are using AI to figure out hand decisions, they have an upper hand against someone who is relying on skill.

Either way, tech and poker will always have a symbiotic relationship, and that will not change any time soon. We expect the future of poker to include even more ChatGPT usage and other technology. Hopefully, we see the tech help the game rather than destroy it.

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How ChatGPT Could Be Changing Poker - MacSources

In the world of online gambling, there are many different types of games and activities players can enjoy in, but one definitely stands out amongst the crowd, and thats poker. This is the game where you can hone your skills and become an increasingly better player by spending more time playing it. Because of that, weve decided to make a list of the top 5 online poker rooms in Canada. These are going to be the best platforms on the market. Well take a look at everything they offer, from the visual aesthetics of the website, to all the different poker variations and tournaments they are offering. After reading the list, youre certainly going to have your next favorite poker room.

100% up to

$/1,000

+ 250 Spins

100% up to

$1,000

Were kicking things off with an industry giant thats been dominating the poker market for decades at this point. Of course, we are talking about PokerStars. Even if youre only starting out as a beginner player, chances are youve heard of this name before. Plenty of people who dont even play live dealer poker know about them, and thats only a great testament of this platform.

First and foremost, we have to say that the software itself is something to be admired, for sure. The design is incredibly well done, with lots of space and cool color pallets. In terms of visibility, everything is clear and concise, which is exactly what we like to see in our poker rooms.

Another thing that PokerStars is well known for are their fantastic mobile apps. Its safe to say that they have one of the best mobile optimizations in the industry, with the iOS and Android apps working beautifully. It should be an example of how other poker operators should design their mobile apps.

Of course, all this wouldnt matter if there wasnt a great selection of poker variants and tournaments, but luckily, this is something where PokerStars also shines. There are over 20 different variants of poker to choose from. When it comes to tournaments, there are multi-table options, Omaha, Holdem PKO, and plenty of others.

Cash games are also a very famous choice for many players here. Another popular option is the zoom poker, alongside the mixed games, short deck games, pot-limit and no-limit titles, and many, many more.

We also have to mention that PokerStars has an excellent customer support team and plenty of poker guides for those that are only starting out, and thats why we believe this is the perfect stepping stone for all the beginner punters out there.

Next up on our list we have another fantastic platform for you to play poker on, and thats 888Poker. This is another name that doesnt need a lot of introduction, as they have also been on the scene for quite some time now, and they have been famous for delivering a fantastic poker experience.

While the software design isnt on par with the PokerStars one, we still cant say that the developers didnt put any effort into it, because we would be lying. The platform works flawlessly with no bugs and lag. The mobile application is also great, with all the games working as intended. At the end of the day, functionality is the only thing that actually matters, and these guys have definitely accomplished that.

There are plenty of major poker variants to choose from when playing, and those are Texas HoldEm, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Snap. There are also Progressive Knockouts (PKO), Blast, 5 Card Draw, HORSE, Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, 5-Card Omaha, Badugi, Chinese Poker and Short Deck. Most of these versions have Sit & Go Variants which is also fantastic.

While it certainly isnt on par with the last poker room we mentioned, there is lots of space for you to explore and experiment with. There are famous options that everyone is familiar with, and then there are those that arent as frequent. This means that if youre someone who doesnt like playing games over and over again, youll have a pretty good time here.

All of this combined with some great promotions results in a very competent online casino poker room. We believe that 888Poker also does a great job in allowing their players to utilize many different banking options such as credit cards, e-wallets, and all the other options that most of the playerbase use. Unfortunately, there isnt an option to utilize cryptocurrencies yet, but that doesnt mean it will stay like that in the future.

Were continuing with another fantastic name in the industry thats also been incredibly popular amongst people. WPT Poker, or World Poker Tour Poker is a platform that is also functioning as a real-life tournament organizer. They are the masters of organizing real tournaments, but theyve also been incredibly successful with catering their services to normal online players.

WPT boasts very strong and optimized software which weve certainly liked. It has everything that you would expect from guides to FAQs. Players wont experience any cluttered space, as theyll be able to navigate through the platform without any issues whatsoever.

Exactly the same thing can be said for the mobile version of the poker rooms. Some would even agree that the dedicated iOS and Android apps are even better than their desktop counterparts, and we can definitely see why some would think so. At the end of the day, we think that they are both quite equally good, so both types of players are going to enjoy it in the same manner.

As for the game selection, the main three variations youre going to be seeing at WPT Poker are No Limit Holdem, Pot-Limit Omaha and Short Deck.There are also the Pace and Bomb games for you to spice things up.

The place where WPT shines is their tournament selection. Private Tournaments, Live, Satellites and Specials are just some of the most popular options you are going to be seeing here. The number of tournaments going on at any given time is something that players simply love here.

Another great thing is that these tournaments dont require players to have a lot of money, while those that wish to spend big can also accommodate their needs. There are low and high stakes tournaments that are designed to suit every players needs and budget limitations.

A fantastic loyalty program is something that punters really love here, as it is definitely one of the best in the industry. There are various creative and enticing rewards being given out to those that prove their loyalty to WPT.

PartyPoker is the next poker room were going to be taking a look at, as we also believe that it is definitely worth your time and money. These guys have also been competing for the top spot in the online poker industry, and they have been doing a great job since.

With great software for both desktop and mobile users, punters can freely explore the platform without any problems. During our time spent here, we havent noticed any errors here. Visually everything is appealing and easy to navigate.

These guys have an appropriate balance between their cash games and tournaments, so the different types of poker players can enjoy different types of content, and that is something we certainly like to see. There are plenty of poker rooms that dont try to accommodate all of the players, and this isnt one of them.

There are cash games like No Limit Texas HoldEm, Fixed Limit Holdem, Short Deck Holdem, and Pot Limit Omaha, with different stake entry levels for both low and high-wagering players out there.

As for the tournaments, the choices are also pretty wide, with the Main Event, The Contender, the Title Fight, the Predator Hunt, and the Omaha tournaments just being some of the most popular. Those that enjoy Sit & Go tournaments will also have a perfect time here.

The last name on our list is none other than BetOnline. While some of you might know these guys from the amazing sportsbook betting or the casino that has lots of fantastic table and slot games, they also have incredibly well-put online poker rooms.

Thats right, BetOnline has a rather large selection of poker variants, with 32 Card Draw, 7 Card Stud, Holdem, Omaha Hi/Low, Omaha Poker, SitnGoes, Texas Holdem being the most popular. They offer these titles on an amazing platform that is both functional on mobile and desktop devices.

While these are some amazing versions of poker to enjoy in, there is also an abundance of tournaments to participate in. From various Sit & Go variants like Windfall, to already known turbo, re-buy, and bounty tournaments, the choices here are really varied, and that is definitely one of the strong points of BetOnline

BetOnline is also famous for their pretty huge promotions that are always changing and adapting. They also accept cryptocurrencies alongside very popular banking methods, which gives players the ultimate choice when it comes to how theyre going to be depositing and withdrawing money.

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Top 5 Online Poker Rooms in Canada The Best Sites | 2023 - Casino Reports

Its February in Berlin and Michael Cera is dodging bullets. Whats it like, one reporter asks, to be a new dad? Its like a new obsession, the actor explains, its all you care about. Filming Juno? My memories are very nebulous, but it was fun! Keeping in touch with Elliot Paige? We dont speak very often, but its always nice when we get together. Can he talk about Barbie? Ive been told I would be punished. Working with Greta Gerwig? A really confident and very fun and collaborative director. Being mistaken for Jesse Eisenberg? He told me he gets that, too! His dream role? Zuckerberg? Dustin Guy Defa chimes in, getting a big laugh, That would be the best.

The director and star are seated at a roundtable for their new film The Adults. Its Defas first as director in six years, the last being Person to Person, a sprawling Brooklyn portmanteau in which Cera appeared as a goofy reporter. In The Adults, Defa puts Cera center stage as a young man who returns home from Oregon to the leafy North Easta place called Newburgh, Defa explains, Its across from Beacon. Beautifulto see his sisters for the first time in three years. His youngest, played by Asteroid Citys sprightly Sophia Lillis, is ecstatic. His elder, played by Hannah Gross, perhaps less so. The film, a nicely sweet and sour family drama, is as much about the complex dynamic of their relationshipfleshed out in the film through some infectious, theatre-kid play-acting (characters, impersonations, musical numbers and such)as it is about the pains of returning home and feeling all that carefully constructed adulthood melt away. Of course, its also about poker.

Amongst the hubbub, we got some questions in about the sting of regression, card movies, and shifting from Persons interweaving narratives to a more focused approach.

The Film Stage: To go from Person to Person, a film with five separate arcs and an ensemble of actors, to this more intimate project is an interesting switch. Was it part of your thinking when you wrote it, a desire to focus in?

Dustin Guy Defa: Definitely. I mean, that movie was very hard to do. We were in New York City, so there were many locations, many characters. I did the best I could, but it was really like my mind was in a lot of different places. What I learned from that was that I wanted to be more relaxed and focused, and be very present with the actors. Person to Person was sort of like a rushjust like, GO. So yeah: it was a very intentional thing.

We had an amazing production. It was so special and it was built to be calm and focused. I went from ensemble thinking with all these characters to, like, okay, Im gonna hone in and get very intimate with these charactersbasically these three people. I needed to go deeper and it was the way to go deeper.

When you were filming Person to Person together, did you start to have a future collaboration in mind?

Defa: I sort of hoped that wed do something but we didnt know what it would be.

Michael Cera: Yeah, me too. But also, like: since then you worked on so many scripts. I didnt know what you were gonna do.

Defa: [Laughs] I know, I didnt know what I was going to do.

The film kind of presents regressing to childhood roles as being not always necessarily a negative thing. I was wondering what kind of experiences you were drawing from.

Cera: For me, going home is similar in a lot of ways. You know, going back to people that knew you when you were little and trying not to become your little baby self again. Its very relatable. But everything thats in the movie was fully developed in Dustins writing, and theres nothing really particular to my relationship with my own sisters which is reflected that I can think ofother than the general feeling of reconnecting with your siblings that youve known your whole life and checking in with them at a new moment in your life when youre a different person.

Im also a middle sibling and were just a few years apart. I kind of feel like, in a family dynamicat least in my familyyou kind of fill in whatever role is needed in a certain situation. Like: if people are arguing, maybe you try and lighten it up, or if people are too happy, maybe you bring a bad mood just to mix things up. You know? You kind of find your lane.

Defa: I was definitely inspired by my own childhood, my own relationship with my sister. My sister and I loved each other so much when we were kids; we really were each others world. When we were children I think we just knew each other. And now shes had so many different experiences and Ive had so many things that we dont know about at all. And shes her own person and we still havent figured each other out as people. So that is sort of the place I was coming from, a desire to try to understand that a little bit more.

The dynamic thats represented in the movie is similar. We really had our own world in our own bubble. There was nobody else there. And she looked up to me in a way that is very similar to how these sisters look up to Eric and how much love there was before and how that love is either no longer possible or being retained by Eric.

Photos by Jen Koch at Berlinale 2023

We learn about their shared history, in a way, through the songs and characters that Eric and his sisters perform together. Michael, you have a background in Second City in Toronto. Did that experience help in developing these sequences?

Cera: To be honest, I didnt really go very deep in Second City. I did weekend classes where you play improv-based games with other kids. I had so much fun doing it but they were just fun classes. It wasnt with any kind of purpose of going onto the stage or anything. But it teaches you to listen, so its a good class for people who want to become actors in any wayjust because youre making everything up on the spot. You have to listen to what other people are saying or else you get lost.

The characters and songs in the film was stuff that was very scripted, but we all worked together to flesh it out and make it very distinct so that we didnt have two characters that occupied the same kind of energy or anything. We just needed to lay everything out very technically.

Defa: Writing them was actually sort of easy for me, just because I did it so much as a kid. With my sister, we didnt have a whole locker of characters that we would break out, but Sesame Street was a fundamental thing for me. I was really attached to it, so I think the influence of that really seeped into me. The truth is, still as an adult I constantly make up little songs about things at home. So actually its sort of natural for me, and I dont take it too seriously so theres no pressure of like making something good. If its a child it just needs to be. Its just stuff.

Poker plays a big part in the movie. Do you play?

Defa: [To Cera] Are you a good poker player? You are.

Cera: Its very subjective. I dont know. Weve played poker together for a long time and it just became part of the language of this character and this movie in a very organic way. It was a big part of our life during lockdown, playing online together with other people. You know, very small stakes, just a way to spend time together. So that kind of seeped into this, it made a lot of sense.

If you have a very overactive brain or if you like puzzles or that kind of thinking, its just so rich because its constantly changing. One hand will end and a new one comes inits a completely different set of circumstances. So if you have a brain that just needs food like that, its like a beaver chewing on wood, its just a way to just get your brain relaxed.

Defa: I mean, its weird. Theres a part of poker where you learn how to deal with the pressure. I mean, you learn that if you get emotional when you play poker you will run into trouble. Thats a very interesting part of yourself to develop. Its not that I dont want to be emotional, but theres something very interesting about honing that.

For the film, it really became very helpful to have this other part of Erics life, like transferring the play and games to an adult place where he can use that same energy. Like hes using that energy over here with these adults and at the same time, in another way, over here with his sisters.

Did you watch any poker films for inspiration?

Defa: There arent many poker films. I mean, I dont want to say Rounders is, you know, not a good movie. [Laughs]

California Split?

Defa: I mean California Split is amazing.

Cera: Yeah!

Defa: I love California Split but I didnt watch it for the movie. We wanted to get something about poker that wasnt in a movie before. What was helpful was watching Daniel Negreanu. I dont know if you know who he is but hes a very good person to watch. He talks a lot at the tables, about what hes thinking, what other people are thinking. And that helped, because if you have a character speaking about what theyre thinking or what other people are thinking, it often wont work. But it works because youre at the poker table and Eric is able to say things that you normally wouldnt say in a movie.

Cera: I think thats probably the other aspect of it that really felt like it would be good in the movie: how people interact at the poker table and what we experience playing with these people. It was fascinating, kind of seeing certain personalities cornered in a certain situation and seeing how people react.

The Adults opens in theaters on August 18.

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Michael Cera and Dustin Guy Defa on The Adults, Poker Cinema ... - The Film Stage