Poker Can Lead to Big Things

I'd like to tell you a bit about a once-in-a-lifetime experience I was lucky enough to have as a result of my hard work in becoming a top poker player. I'm referring to the very exciting time I had playing a part in the movie Rounders. I had the opportunity to meet some very nice people – producers, actors, and all the supporting cast and behind-the-scenes people. I also had the opportunity to teach Matt Damon and Ed Norton a little poker. I was surprised to see how quickly both of them caught on. They had a natural ability for cards, and either one could probably be a champion if he had enough time to devote to it. First, we sat around and had a beer, and talked and laughed about lots of things, and then I explained some of the main concepts of how to play. I stressed things like position, what kinds of hands to play up front, and how you can take more flops from later position. When they asked me what it takes to be a great player, I told them, "Patience, a big heart, and knowing when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em."

I also was able to help the producers make the scene look more realistic by showing them how to cut the chips and giving them examples of how players might act during a hand. I explained checking and raising, and how some players splash chips into the pot when they raise. In the beginning, they didn't understand an awful lot about hold'em, but they were quick learners, so after a bit of instruction, we began to rehearse the scene. It took a while to rehearse and quite a few takes to get it right, but eventually it came out just the way they wanted it. They shot the scene from several different camera angles at the same time, so they could pick and choose what they wanted and be able to change from angle to angle during the scene. I was amazed that all of the people in the scene are actors and actresses. Everyone you see – the people walking by or talking on the phone, the cocktail waitresses, the sweaters watching the action, and so on- is a paid actor or actress. And the number of additional support people involved was incredible (lighting, sound, cameras, and stagehands). I was very impressed to see how much work went into just that one scene. It really gave me a great respect for the movie industry. When you actually see the finished product in a theater, you are not aware of all of the activity that is going on behind the scenes, and it is really astounding that it ends up looking so natural and authentic.

Another interesting thing is that the scene was shot at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on a Wednesday at about 3 p.m., if I recall correctly. The Taj has big glass windows, and hundreds of high school girls came by to watch through the windows as Matt Damon, Ed Norton, and I were shooting the movie. After we finished shooting the scene, I was walking out of the restroom when these girls approached me and asked, "Oh, you're Johnny Chan; can I get your autograph? Can you get Matt Damon's autograph for me?" That was pretty exciting, and I really enjoyed it.

As I mentioned, I thought both Matt and Ed had very good card sense. As it turned out, they came to the World Series of Poker a few years ago and Matt put up the $10,000 to enter the main event. He played quite well, outlasting about a hundred players, until his kings came up against Doyle Brunson's aces, and that was all she wrote.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the time I spent with both Matt and Ed. We laughed and talked about lots of things, like poker and movies, and what they were going to do after the filming of the movie was over. After they finished Rounders, they each had to fly off to start work on other movies. They really had pretty tight schedules. I was extremely impressed with how hard they worked. When it was all over, we exchanged phone numbers so that we could get together back in Los Angeles. I also have to say that the movie company executives treated me very well. They flew me first-class to Atlantic City, put me up in a beautiful suite at the Taj Mahal, and provided all the great food I could want – not to mention a nice paycheck, to boot!