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Poker is quite possibly the most famous card game in
the world. There are several variations of the game, but all
operate on the same basic level: players place
wagers into a central pot, which is then awarded
to them should they hold the best hand of cards at the end.
This type of game is called a "vying" game, and Poker has
a wide ranging reputation for being played in any environment
from the kitchen table, to glamourous casinos, to dark and
smoky backrooms and bars. In 1829, an English actor by the
name of Joseph Crowell reported a game being played in the
gambling houses and saloons of New Orleans, involving 4 players
betting on a deck of 20 cards, as to which was most valuable.
In this version of the game, there was no "draw" and the range
of combinations was limited. The ultimate unbeatable hand
was 4 Aces, or 4 Aces and a King, which is different from
the classic Poker of today, where the Royal Flush, can be
matched with another suit.
The birth of Poker has just as many influences, ranging from
origins that lie with the Indian game "Ganjifa", the German
"pochen", the Renaissance game of Primero, the English game
of Bragg and even the early Persian game of As Nas. The most
likely origins lie with the French game however, as "Poque"
involved making bets and bluffing. One theory is that the
game of Poker was developed by French settlers in New Orleans,
and that the southern accent anglicised the word "Poque" in
to the pronunciation of "pokuh", which then became "Poker".
Although "Poque" was originally played with 3 players and
32 cards, the game may well have been created within small
communities who had knowledge already of the 20 card game.
In 1813, Jonathan H Green was born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
and by 1829, he had ran away from his employers, been thrown
in jail, and picked up extensive card playing habits. He is
now famously known as "the reformed gambler", but he is significant
because he is the man who made one of the first references
to the card game we know as poker. In 1834, he made mention
of the rules of "the cheating game" being played on the river
boats of the Mississippi. The game was seen to be far more
legitimate than the other popular card game of Three Card
Monte, and players came back again and again for more.
By the mid 1830's however, the 20 card game was losing its
footing to the game being played with a full 52 card deck.
This may well have been to allow for more players at the table.
The 20 card game was fading away, although the last remnants
were still being noted as late as 1857, where the author of
a New York City guidebook mentioned it as "one of the most
dangerous pitfalls to be found in the city". The 20 card game
did not last however, and only warranted the briefest of mentions
in the 1845 edition of Hoyle's Games, by Henry F Anners.
So the real origins of Poker are varied and remain very much
open to debate. Over hundreds of years, the game has evolved
to such an extent that there are now many different variations,
including Draw, 5 Card Stud, 7 Card Stud, Texas Hold'em Poker
and many others. In 1970, Poker was brought even further into
the world merging gambling with entertainment when Benny Binion,
Casino owner extraordinaire hosted the first ever World Series
of Poker, allowing entry only to the best players in the world.
This game costs $10,000 to buy in and has no betting limits,
and continues to be televised today.
And so it is that regardless of level, the variety and challenge
of the Poker, in all its forms continues to have a wide appeal
to players, whether as a prospect of winning money, or just
for fun.
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