This always bothers me so much! It always comes down to one hand, and it's ALWAYS presented prior to the deal, that this is the hand that has to win, and the hero gets a royal flush.

Oh wow. He got REALLY lucky and it required no skill at all. 🙄

That's not poker, that's multiplayer Balatro lol

That poker hands reminded me of the episode in Malcolm in the Middle where they're playing and suddenly realize there are 6 5s in the deck

As someone who plays a lot of chess, (10-20 matches per day, one day I might get decent at it), a queen sacrifice is not a big whoop, and I doubt it would result in any audible gasps from an audience if there were spectators. Those who are dorky enough to watch chess (that includes myself) knows this.

As for movie-poker, a movie named Maverick comes to mind (Mel Gibson, iirc)

Also, they always play until checkmate. If there are two geniuses playing chess one of them would resign at least 3 moves before reaching checkmate.

I guess I'm a bit confused what is meant by battle of wits, is it supposed to mean, like two super geniuses going at each other? Or?

Because there are 7 year olds that would wipe the floor with me in chess, but get absolutely sent into the shadow realm in every other category mental or physical lol

Chess is a game and being good at it, maybe means you are disciplined? Patient? But intelligent, not really, not any more than any other average person or gamer.

I just want a film to get it right. I want the hero to realise he needs to fold out his amazing hand based on instincts and skill.