Texas Hold 'em

Although Bonds favorite Casino game might be Baccarat Chemin de Fer (played by Bond in the original novel Casino Royale, the movies Dr. No, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and GoldenEye), in the latest movie Casino Royale 007 shows great skill in the most popular form of poker, Texas No Limit Hold 'Em (also spelled Texas Hold'em or Texas Holdem).

The "no-limit" betting form is used in the high stakes game in the casino of Montenegro, where Bond beats Le Chiffre after a thrilling game, with a straight flush.

Poker expert Thomas Sanbrook was brought in to work with the actors on their playing techniques and their behavior at the table. Part of their preparation was also to participate in poker tournaments to hone their skills and get familiar with the game, which turned them all into quite good poker players by the end of the process. The game became so popular that cast and crew played games between takes throughout the filming of the movie and even after it had wrapped. The popularity of Texas Hold 'em became even bigger after (and because of?) Casino Royale, and is now probably the most popular internet casino table game.