The History of
Poker
The
origin of Poker is widely disputed. There are as many
possible birthplaces as there are variations of the
game. The most popular belief is that it was invented
by the Chinese around 900 A.D., possibly derived from
the Chinese dominoes. On New Year's Eve, 969, the
Emperor Mu-tsung is reported to have played
"domino cards" with his wife.
Others
state that Poker originates from the Persian game
"as nas". This is a 5-player Persian game,
which requires a special deck of 25 cards with 5
suits. However, this is only recorded back to the 17th
century. Another theory calls on the French "poque".
The French who settled New Orleans around 1480 played
Poque, a card game involving bluffing and betting.
This was stated to be the first use of a deck
consisting of spades, diamonds, clubs, and hearts.
Fragments
of cards have been tentatively dated to 12th or 13th
century in Egypt. Some propose that modern cards
originated from the Indian card game of Ganjifa. We
can see that narrowing down the exact origin becomes
as difficult as pulling a royal straight flush.
The
history of poker in the United States has a bit more
consistency. Poker traveled from New Orleans by
steamboat up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The game
then spread via wagon and train. Modifications such as
stud poker, the draw, and the straight became popular,
during the Civil War. European influence of poker
ended when the joker was introduced as a wild card in
1875.
In
1910, Nevada made it a felony to run a betting game.
The Attorney General of California declared that draw
poker was based upon skill and therefore the
antigambling laws could not stop it. But stud poker
was illegal, as it was based solely on chance. With
this decision, draw poker games developed and grew.
This caused Nevada to reverse itself in 1931 and
legalize casino gambling.
Through
all the varied theories on the origin of Poker, one
thing comes shining through. This is a game which has
stood the test of time and becomes more rich and full
with each generation. That is the joy of
"Dealer's Choice" poker. Each person who
makes his or her own variation adds another piece to
the vast and fascinating history of poker.
