The Name's Hold'em, Texas Hold'em

Have you ever seen your favourite film star playing poker in a movie? Maybe in an espionage film series or a TV detective drama and wondered what all the fuss is about? Over the past 20 years, poker has seen a revolution in popular culture appearing in Hollywood blockbusters, television advertisements and recently even whole channels have been dedicated to the sport. This is mainly down to the success of a popular version of the game called Texas Hold'em.

The style of Texas Hold'em gives the players the chance to exercise skills of wit, patience, nerve and bravado in a 5 card game where you match your two cards to the 5 community cards. It also allows for the use of bluffing techniques to out-manoeuvre your opponents into folding their cards if you have a low scoring hand. This has made the variation perfect for the big screen providing moments for dramatic pauses and heart-stopping climaxes. Poker is not the only casino style game that has held the limelight as everything from bingo, blackjack, roulette and the slots has featured at one time or another. This wide coverage has certainly made an impression on the viewing public who want to experience the high drama that gambling can give you. Many can do it from their own homes thanks to the rise in online gaming websites such as www.chitchatbingo.co.uk which features the most popular casino games without needing to have the budget of a top super spy's high stake poker match!

There are also benefits and appetisers for seasoned players too. Many websites use the aid of commercial tie-ins with movies, musicians and television programmes to interest fans of popular culture whilst remaining true to the original games. So if you've never understood why your favourite star keeps shouting 'twist' in a game of blackjack or broke into a smile when an ace comes out as the final card during a game of poker, maybe now you'll understand!