History of Poker

Although the precise origins of poker are unknown, its roots appear to lie in a 16th century Persian card game called As Nas, and in the English game of Primero, which was popular in the Elizabethan era.

Bluffing was a vital component of As Nas which was played with up to Twenty cards. Primero involved betting money on certain hands. Good hands included pairs and three of a kind. Also valuable was three of the same suit. This was known as a flux and formed the basis of a modern day flush.

By the mid 18th century, the bluffing and betting aspects of Poker were present in a number of other games, including the French game of Poque, the German game of Pochen, and the English game Brag.

The versions of Poker that we are familiar with today were born in the newly colonised USA of the 1700s. It was the French that brought the game of Poque with them. Poque’s popularity began in New Orleans, from where it spread North via the steamboats of the Mississippi river.

By the mid 1800s, Poque had evolved into Poker and had been adapted to fit a 52-card deck. During the civil war its popularity spread nationwide, which was in no small part due to union soldiers espousing its virtues as they moved southwards.

By the turn of the century, Poker was firmly entrenched into American culture and was played not just all over the States, but all over the world.

In the early 1900s, a hybrid form of Poker known as Texas hold-em began to emerge. Although popular with underground gambling houses for the next seventy years, it was not until 1970, when the prestigious World Series adopted Texas hold-em as its official playing style, that its already widespread popularity mushroomed once more.

Despite that many variations of Poker exist throughout the world, by far the most popular versions are Texas hold-em and seven card stud. Although thought of as uniquely American, their appeal is international, and today, Poker ranks as one of the most popular card games in the world.