Bristol Bay Prods. has hired husband-and-wife writing team Yuri Zeltser and Cary Bickley to pen a family comedy centered on a Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

When an enterprising eighth-grader unintentionally loses his older sister's savings, the entire family is compelled to converge in Las Vegas for a high-stakes poker match as they learn the true meaning of family along the way.

Texas Hold 'Em is a mild obsession of the writing team as Zeltser has participated in many professional poker tournaments. He recently wrote and directed "The Circle," a 96-minute feature shot on digital video in one uninterrupted take.

The scribes are writing "The Tattooed Map," a mystery based on Barbara Hodgson's novel, for the Jim Henson Co. They were nominated for a 2005 WGA Award for "Spinning Boris," a black comedy about three American spin doctors who ran Russian President Boris Yeltsin's re-election campaign.

Senior vp production Jackie Levine and creative executive Bonnie Solomon are overseeing the project on behalf of Bristol Bay Prods. Senior vp business and legal affairs Frank H. Smith negotiated Zeltser and Bickley's deal on the company's behalf.

Zeltser and Bickley are represented by the Summit Talent & Literary Agency.