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Molly's Game: One Card Decides the Outcome in Kinopoker

The biography of ex-professional poker player Molly Bloom is now a film, portraying the journey of a secretive woman with no limits.

SymClub
May 13, 2024
5 min read
Newsonlinecasinosgermany
Jessica Chastain as the "poker queen of Hollywood" Molly Bloom.
Jessica Chastain as the "poker queen of Hollywood" Molly Bloom.

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Molly's Game: One Card Decides the Outcome in Kinopoker

The life story of Molly Bloom, a former poker queen in Hollywood, resembles a screenplay from a Martin Scorsese movie. Her biography, "Molly's Game - Alles auf eine Karte," has recently been playing in German cinemas. The film depicts the rise and fall of a woman who went after everything and got it all. However, in the end, she took one risk too many. Like a movie.

Molly Bloom recalls in her memoirs, "I can't go back to yesterday. I was a different person then. Nothing was the same after that night." This night took place in 2004, and it marked the beginning of her involvement in the high-stakes world of underground poker games. She served drinks to the super-rich for the first time in the basement of the famous celebrity club "Viper Room" in Los Angeles. Hollywood star Tobey Maguire invited her to play in a poker game without betting limits. Before she became the hostess herself, Bloom only worked at the club as a waitress. That night changed her life. She took home $3,000 in tips after serving drinks, and her newfound passion for poker drove her to pursue a new life in a world where money plays a secondary role and men hold all the power.

In the spring of 2013, exactly ten years later, FBI agents violently breaking down her door and pointing their weapons at her changed the trajectory of her life. Molly Bloom was 36 years old at the time. She had become a fixture in the world of elite poker, earning four million dollars a year and catering to the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, a power struggle with poker regular Tobey Maguire and the entry of the Russian mafia into her high-stakes poker games led to her arrest. She was charged with illegal gambling and money laundering worth millions. After a decade of excitement and fortune, Bloom found herself among the 34 arrested.

A rollercoaster ride full of extremes

Molly Bloom was born on April 21, 1978 in Loveland, Colorado, USA, and grew up with dreams of becoming a professional skier, just like her brother, a winter sports world champion. Her father, a psychology professor at Colorado State University, instilled a competitive spirit in both kids. Molly even reached the top 3 in North American mogul skiing until a back injury thwarted her dreams. Her relationship with her father deteriorated further, but she remained determined to succeed. She moved to California to recover and, eventually, attend Harvard Law School. However, her days in California yielded a different outcome.

Instead of attending law school, Molly Bloom became a popular figure in the shadowy corners of the Viper Room nightclub, where she honed her innate ability to read her audience. She combined her natural attractiveness with discretion and professionalism, establishing herself as a crucial figure in the circle of influential guests. She defied attempts by her boss to fire her and moved the gambling session with the casino high rollers to the luxurious suites of high-end hotels. Bloom became the head of what was likely the most secret and wealthiest poker game in the world.

A seat at Molly Bloom's poker table initially cost $10,000. There were ten seats, and the games took place six days a week. Bloom carefully selected her guests, considering their status a desirable privilege. She didn't allow bribes - gifts like expensive trips, gold bars, or luxury cars - to influence her decisions. The men in the circle respected her immensely. There were no sexist remarks. With time, the buy-in increased to $300,000. Bloom focused on the human side of her players, describing them as bloodthirsty predators united by unrelenting greed. She shared stories of men who lost more than $100 million in a single night.

Hollywood celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Tobey Maguire were among her attendees, as were wealthy business tycoons and CEOs. The film doesn't reveal any names, withholding information that could cast a shadow on these famous figures. After her arrest, she refused to cooperate with the FBI, even though she faced multiple years in prison. The name Molly Bloom represents absolute integrity. There were many requests to stop the movie from being released, according to a recent Stern report, as powerful people who played in her games were fearful of the stories Molly might tell.

So, Molly Bloom's life reads like an intense thriller, showcasing her journey from a skiing prodigy to the host of an exclusive poker game frequented by Hollywood's elite. Her story encapsulates her drive to attain success and the promises of power, wealth, and fame, only to see it all shatter upon her arrest. It's a testament to human ambition and its potential consequences.

Bloom didn't have kind words for anyone, but there was one individual she particularly disliked: actor Tobey Maguire. He was the main player at the table and introduced numerous wealthy gamblers to the game. Bloom referred to him as a "string-puller," describing him as a borderline character and a poor loser. For a $1,000 tip, Maguire wanted Bloom to crawl on the table and bark like a seal, which she declined multiple times. It was odd that the Spiderman actor, who is thought to be a polished gentleman, engaged in a power struggle with her—one that Bloom ultimately lost. Equally perplexing was the sentence Bloom received in 2014: one year's probation, a $1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. Not long after the verdict, Bloom released her book. It is said that Bloom learned what a comeback felt like while playing poker.

The movie "Molly's Game" was nominated for the "Best Adapted Screenplay" award at the 2018 Oscars. The film has been doing well at the box office. Since March 8th, it has been shown in German cinemas. According to Wikipedia, it has made approximately $46 million dollars to date. Molly Bloom's mountain of debt, consisting of legal fees and tax repayments, has decreased to just $1 million dollars. Maybe there's more to come.

If you're not interested in playing poker illegally in a dingy back room, there are other options. While you may enjoy playing games with your closest friends, the high stakes aren't typically found there. So, what do you do if you want to play a game late at night or gambling is difficult in your area? In a live online casino, you can play against real people and dealers 24/7. You'll feel the casino atmosphere, place high stakes without leaving your home, and legally gamble in the online casino while also playing at an online poker provider. Bonus feature: you can even play the games on your smartphone or tablet. If you're into cryptocurrencies, you can of course also play poker using Bitcoin.

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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com

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