There’s nothing like a new poker movie, and, with the absence of Rounders 2, we caught up with the director of For Love or Money, Michael Bailey, for a Q & A about the brand-new poker documentary that follows the journey of players trying desperately to win a WSOP bracelet.
What led you guys to make a movie about the motivations of winning at poker?
I made this movie with no budget. I did everything myself from the writing, to the filming, to the editing. I simply wanted to give back to the game that has given me so much. I grew up with a father that played poker to pay the bills [during] the months his business was failing. I’m sure he loved the game, but from a kid’s point of view, it didn’t look like all fun and games. I watched him struggle at times. I have seen close friends come and go in this game. Very few people last over time and I wanted to see what motivates those that do.
There’s a myth that everyone wants to win in poker but could it be a little more like a line from The Hustler when Fast Eddie is ‘looking for a reason to lose’ and is there a battle within the mind that should take place before ever sitting at a poker table?