Poker term
Hollywood
Over-acting at the table — agonising, sighing, staring at the board — to sell a story about your hand. Mild hollywooding is part of live poker; taken too far it shades into slow rolling.
Frequently asked questions
What does Hollywood mean in poker?
To act out agonising over a decision — sighing, counting chips, talking about folding — when the decision is already made. The point is to mislead the opponent about your strength.
Is Hollywooding against the rules?
Not in itself, but tournaments allow any player to call the clock, and stalling that serves no purpose except to burn time can draw a penalty. Online, time banks make the tactic largely pointless.
Does it work?
Against observant opponents it can backfire badly: strong players read the performance itself as information, and an obvious act often reveals more than silence would.