While many have taken a stab at pinpointing poker history down to it’s roots, nobody really knows for sure the exact origin. When tracing it back, its deepest documented roots appear around the 16th century from a Persian card game using 20 cards dubbed “As Nas” and also from the Euro card game called “Primero.” (A very popular game in England.) In both versions bluffing was an important characteristic of the game. Poker history has also been detected back to Spain from a similar game called Primera. All versions were viewed as a form of gambling and included pairs, trips, and flushes.
Skipping to the Eighteenth Century, the game had evolved into a smaller game usually involving 5 cards. In England the game was called “Brag”, in Germany “Pochen” and in France “Poque.” When the French came to the states and settled into Louisiana it was said that they brought the game of Poque with them and it eventually evolved into being called “Poker.”
Moving to the mid Eighteen Hundreds, poker was now using a fifty two card deck and literature had been produced describing the different variations of poker. The most popular poker games during this period were draw poker in which all the cards were dealt face down and stud poker. Also in the 1800’s, the legend of Wild Bill Hickok was born.
In the early nineteen hundreds a new and exciting version of poker came about called Texas Hold’em Poker. It was very popular, especially in Texas (as it is now as well.) During this period, draw poker became less and less popular however it is still played in many brick and mortar cardrooms as well as online poker rooms. During this period, poker was popular but nothing like it would become once the inaugural World Series of Poker was played in 1970 in Las Vegas. The winner of this prestigious tournament would become known as the World Champion of Poker.
Current day, poker has really taken off in popularity especially since the World Series of Poker and other major poker tournaments have been played on national television on such networks as the Travel Channel and ESPN. The floodgates have opened and many people are flocking to poker rooms and especially online poker rooms in which they can play poker for real money in which this is 100% legit. Online poker players can now play in mini and satellite tournaments to win free seats to prestigious poker tournaments and in fact that is just what the 2003 World Series of Poker winner Chris Moneymaker did and how he achieved his fame and success in the poker world. As of time of print poker is becoming super popular not only in the United States but many countries around the world. The forecast over the short term is that it will continue to grow and become the most popular game in the world as millions are feeling the fever of Texas Hold’em.
Did you know you can play online poker for real money at legit online poker rooms? Check out our list of recommended places to play in which your money is safe and there are droves of players in which you can go head to head, play in ring games, play in tournaments, and even play for free if you wish including freeroll tournaments with real cash prizes!
