We can't run from who we are!!

For a change, let me talk about a fascinating movie!

Movie is “Rounders” which revolves around poker game. Matt Damon plays the lead role and Edward Norton plays as his friend. I was randomly picking the movies and got this movie without even reading the plot. But, I started loving this movie the moment it started as it starts with below narration.

 “ If you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table,

   then you are the sucker.

   Guys around here'll tell ya... you play for a living.

    It's like any other job. You don't gamble. You grind it out.

   Your goal is to win one big bet an hour, that's it.

   Get your money in when you have the best of it, and protect it when you don't.

   Don't give anything away “

Any trader would be delighted when a movie starts with such a voice over narration :)

Movie is about a law student - Matt Damon, die-hard poker passionate young kid. Gambling is in his blood to the extent that he can risk his term fee of law school in a poker game. One day he bets huge and lose everything at one shot. He quits the game and does part time driving for his survival and studies. But, things start to take a toll when his childhood mate Edward Norton joins him after released from his sentence. Circumstances push friends to a situation that they have to earn 15 grand in just five days time. Halfway in the process, they draw a wrong card and get hit badly. Friends split and finally Matt Damon is the lonely man who decides to finish the job to earn his reputation in the livelihood but his life is already in stake with just one day dead line.

Plot is simple but I liked the movie due to the poker game back ground, detailing in the movie and the catchy dialogues.

I believe every trader would like this movie. Matt Damon narrates the game, talks about psychological and emotional condition when you are in game, explains the importance of “sitting tight” to wait for your chance to beat your opponent and tells you when to “quit”, he talks about success and failure mindsets and a lot more throughout the movie.

As a trader, I could correlate with almost every dialogue in the movie. Some of them are here :)

Matt loses all his money in one go. His well-wisher consoles him.

“Man, I lost my case money. I lost my tuition.

 It happens to everyone. Time to time, everyone goes bust.

 You'll be back in the game before you know it.

 I'm done. I'm out of it.

 They all say that at first.”

Law school professor talks about his past and tells his student about following a passion. This gives Matt Damon some strength and he later decides to take the help of the game on a do or die situation when he is pushed to the corner. He gets inspiration from what professor told him.

"We can't run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us"

Matt is asking help from his senior poker player who is a well-wisher of him. He plays game for his survival and he has no other job. He is a full timer and a known pro in the clubs for his temperament and consistency. When he refuses to lend money to Matt, he gets angry and yells at his senior.

 “You see all the angles. You never have the stones to play one.

  "Stones"? You little punk.

  I'm not playing for the thrill of f*cking victory here.

  I owe rent, alimony, child support. I play for money.My Kids eat.

  I got stones enough not to chase cards, action...

  or f*cking pipe dreams of winning the World Series on ESPN”

Just wanted to share few dialogues but there are many more :).

If you are a trader, who trades with a passion rather than making money, then watch this interesting movie. Trading is a zero sum game. Money switches between the pockets of right and wrong traders on the given period. We always try hard to deny the sucker title. right ??!! :)