The History Of Poker: How It All Began

It is unsure how poker began but it is believed to have been adapted from the elements of various games being played in different countries. Over the centuries, such games have been known for using ranked cards and "bluffing" to trick their opponents. Many people believe that poker has traces of European ancestry. For instance, in the 16th century, the Spaniards played a game called "Primero," wherein three cards were dealt to each player, and bluffing and betting high stakes were involved.

Later on, the French and Germans created poque and pochspiel, respectively. These were popularly played in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the German game, bluffing was likewise used as a strategy.

When the French imported the game to Canada, the settlers spread the game to New Orleans, then Louisiana, and then throughout the New World. Poque soon surfaced on Mississippi riverboats as the "cheating game," which soon replaced the 3-card monte among gamblers.

In 1834, Jonathan H. Green took interest in this new game and wrote about in his book "An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling," in which he named the game "poker." This game could be played by two to four people, dealt with five cards each, and used only aces, kings, queens, jacks and tens. The reason behind its growing popularity was the fact that most gamers thought this to be a more "honest" game compared to the 3-card game.

One theory of how the name poker came about is that it stemmed from the word, "poke," which was a term being used by pickpockets. Gamers may have used this word, and added an r, using the word poker as a code. With increasing popularity, one could find a poker table in every town and saloon during the Wild West in the United States. In 1931, the state of Nevada legalized casino gambling, giving into public sentiment that the game of draw poker was a game of skill, and therefore not merely a betting game.

In recent times, variations of poker have rounded the gambling circuit. But the most popular of these is the Texas Hold'em, otherwise known as the 'cadillac of poker.' It is the most popular poker game in the world. As the game began to be televised in The World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour, and online gaming variations have taken virtual gaming by storm, poker experienced a newfound taste among a wider section of the populace.

Perhaps it is due to the inherent challenge that the game poses, or the level of skill required to play that makes poker an enduring game throughout the years. The history of poker will continue to evolve, and one can only guess how it will develop in the near future.