The history of poker has been hotly debated over the years. Today, it is a very popular game, but many do not know its origins. The name “poker” probably comes from the French word “poque”, which evolved from the German word “pochen” (meaning “to play”). However, some historians doubt that the origins of poker are the same as games bearing similar names. The Persian game “as nas” is very similar to poker. Persian sailors may have taught the Persian game to French settlers in New Orleans. Additionally, poker has been linked to the “first” game, which was popular in the Renaissance. Bluffing was incorporated into the English game “brag”.
An English actor named Joseph Corwell said that the game was played in the city of New Orleans in 1829 with a deck of 20 cards. The game spread to the rest of the United States via the Mississippi riverboats that traveled up and down the Mississippi frequently. Gambling was very popular during river boat trips.
After the expansion of poker, the game began to incorporate an English deck of 52 cards. After deck changes, color was introduced. Draw poker, stud poker, and the straight were introduced to poker during the Civil War. The joker was developed around 1875 in the United States. Lowball and split-pot poker followed suit around 1900. The US military spread poker to many countries, including Asian countries.
Poker tournaments became popular after the World Series of Poker began in Las Vegas in 1970. American casinos have had poker tournaments and tables ever since. During the 1970s, strategy books became available for the first time. The first two such books were “Super System” by Doyle Brunson and “The Book of Tells” by Mike Caro.
In recent years, poker has grown in popularity for two reasons. The first reason is the introduction of online poker. There are many online poker sites today, and millions of people from all over the world log in every day to play poker. The second reason why poker has become so popular is because of the introduction of the hidden card camera. This camera has turned the game into a spectator sport. The World Series of Poker is frequently broadcast on ESPN and has seen a rapid increase in subscribers in recent years.
