Poker and “bluff”

Poker belongs to a class of card games known as “rivalry games” because players compete against each other to win the main pot by getting the right combination of cards. This combination of cards, AKA hand, may or may not be showed to the others players during the game, allowing for some “bluff” to take place. This is still true today, at the online casinos, and this is one of the reasons why Poker is such an exciting game.

The various origins of Poker

But the history of Poker is unclear as to its origins. Some argue that the name comes from the French “poque”, which itself comes from the German “pochen,” which means “beat”. Yet no one can be sure if the game is derived from the “poque” or another card game.

One tale suggests that a Chinese emperor, Mu-Tsung, created a game similar to poker in the year 970, which was played with dominoes. A different story mentions a game played by the Egyptians in the XII and XIII centuries, with ranking systems like those used in Poker.

Also, Poker has similarities with a Persian game called “as nas”. This game was played with 25 cards and 5 different series, and had a ranking system similar to the one used in modern Poker today.

As you can see, it is still unclear where Poker really comes from…

Poker in literature

In 1829 Joseph Crowell, an English actor, spoke in his book “Thirty Years Passed Among Players in England and America” of a game that was played with a deck of 20 cards and 4 players who were betting with combinations of cards of different values.

In “An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling”, a book by H. Green published in 1843, there is mention of the spreading of this game along the Mississippi, where it was a very appreciated leisure activity on the river boats.

Another testimony of the game can be found in the book entitled “Theatrical Management in the West and South for Thirty Years”.

Poker in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries

The game evolved in many ways since its inception and as it spread in America, in England, in the Pacific Rim… For example:

• The deck was changed to include 52 cards, thus allowing more players to play simultaneously,
• New hand combinations were introduced,
• New game variants were introduced.

But the game’s popularity really grew tremendously during the twentieth century, especially in America, where the first poker tournaments were held. The first prestige tournaments played in the USA were the World Series of Poker. Their success was at first very modest, but, in the 80s, they gained in popularity and players across the country now compete for first place.

With the incredible growth in popularity of the game of Poker, also grew the Poker industry: books, articles, newsletters and guides of all kinds sprung up like mushrooms. Most good Poker players would also write their own stories about Poker and help the industry grow further.

In the 90s, it’s technology that made the game evolve the most. Online Poker rooms and online casinos saw the day and offered Poker players the opportunity to play online with money. And as more and more Poker rooms and online casinos now support video, you can even see what is going on at the table.

Conclusion

While the exact origins of the game of Poker are still unknown, what is certain is that Poker has become an extremely popular card game. People of all walks of life play it, for the fun or for money, but always with a lot of passion. Thanks to the internet, players from all around the world can now gather around the same poker table and play from the comfort of their home, without having to worry about travel, accommodation, and what not.

Play Poker Now!