The place to maximize your game!

Poker Strategy

Recent Headlines

History of Poker

History of Poker

The history of poker is open for debate, as its exact origins are somewhat clouded.  While some believe it originated from the game of dominoes, first played in China in 900 AD, others feel it is a variation of an Indian game called Ganjifa.  In the 17th century, Persians played a card game called "As Nas", which bears some resemblance to poker.  As Nas used a deck of 25 cards, containing 5 suits.  It was very similar to 5 card stud, and used similar hand rankings.

How poker was named is also in question.  Initially, it was called the "cheating game" as coined by Jonathan Green, who wrote about it in 1834.  It was later renamed poker.  Some common beliefs about its origin:

• named after the French word "poque", a popular card game
• named after the German card game "pochspiel"
• after the common term used by pickpockets - "poke" (as it was originally played mainly by cheats and outlaws)

In the early 1800s, poker did not resemble the game we enjoy today.  Only cards 10 and higher were used, and there was only one round of betting.  Players were dealt 5 cards and no draws were permitted.

Poker in the US was widely played in New Orleans in the early 1800s.  With the large influx of travelers and speculators, poker quickly spread to the west through wagon trains.  With Southern influence, many Western towns passed ordinances outlawing gambling, which forced gamblers to take their game onto the riverboats.  This allowed poker to spread to new locales.

By the late 1850s, poker was evolving into the form that we are now familiar with.  The Civil War helped increase the popularity of poker, as soldiers enjoyed playing.  They introduced versions like stud and draw poker, and created the straight.  After 1850, wild cards and the ability to draw were added to the game, as well as an additional round of betting.  Jokers were added in 1875.

In 2003, the World Poker Tour began televising poker tournaments, and allowing viewers to see player cards.  This led to an increased surge in poker popularity, on a world-wide basis.  In 2004, the WPT total prize pool was over $8 million, with the top winner taking home $2.7 million.