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Poker 230: History Of Poker |
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The origin of poker is hazy at best. There are several different theories as to where poker began and it is likely that it formed from a number of different games. The most popular belief is that the Chinese invented the original game of poker around 900 A.D. It was possibly derived from Chinese dominoes. |
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Others believe that poker originated from a Persian game called "as nas". This is a five-player game, which uses a special deck of 25 cards with 5 suits. This game is only recorded back to the 17th century. |
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Poker may also be the ancestor of a French game named "poque". Many believe that the word poker is derived from the word poque. Poque is a card game that involves bluffing and betting. It has been stated to be the first known use of a deck consisting of spades, diamonds, hearts, and clubs. The French who settled New Orleans around 1480 played poque. |
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There are still other theories that trace poker back to the German game "pochspiel" or the Indian card game of "ganjifa". Fragments of playing cards have been dated back to 12th or 13th century Egypt. |
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The American history of the game is a bit easier to track. The first written reference to poker occurred in 1834. Jonathan H. Green wrote about a game played on Mississippi riverboats, which he referred to as the "cheating game". When he found that this game had not been previously recorded, he chose to call it "poker". The game was played with 20 cards - Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks, and Tens. The game was played by two to four people, each dealt five cards. |
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Poker made its way from New Orleans up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers by steamboat. The game then made its way West via wagon and train. During the Wild West period, a poker table could be found in saloons in almost every town across the country. Stud poker, draw poker, and the straight became popular during the Civil War. |
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In 1910, the state of Nevada made it a felony to run a betting game. However; the California Attorney General declared that draw poker was based on skill and therefore immune to antigambling laws. Stud poker remained illegal, as it was a game of pure chance. Because of this, draw poker continued to develop and grow. |
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Despite the shady beginnings of poker, it has stood the test of time to become one of the most popular card games today. Now there are countless versions and variations of poker. Poker is popular in casino gambling, online gambling, social neighborhood games, and even on television. Basically, no matter where poker came from, it's certainly here to stay. |
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Return to Poker Courses |
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