The Beginning

There is no exact date for the invention of the game of poker, nor is there a James Naismith, an inventor, of poker. While the modern version is considered American, the Persian game of Âs Nas was possibly played as early as the 16th century, though the earliest evidence of descriptions of the game of As-nas do not occur until the 1890s. As Nas was played with 25 cards with 5 different suits. It played similarly to 5-card stud poker and it has similar poker hands ranks.

 

Europe

As many ideas in history, the idea of As Nas was probably brought back to Europe through trade or possibly through peaceful naval interactions. It was known as "pochen" (to brag as a bluff) by the Germans or "poque" by the French.

 

The Birth

There is no doubt that the modern game of poker was born and evolved in the United States. Poker features very unique betting steps that do not appear in any known older game.

 

Poker appeared in former French territory of New Orleans, Louisiana, which was ceded to the young United States through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Just like you might picture, Poker likely was born on Mississippi steamers, some which were practically floating saloons, which began to trade around 1811.

 

 

Game Evolution

Even the game played in the saloons of riverboats was not the modern day version of the game of Poker. The following were evolutions of the game:

- The original game was played with a 20 card deck until the change to a full 52-card English deck in the early 1800s. The flush became part of the game at this time.

- The draw was likely added just before 1850.

- During the American Civil War, five-card stud poker was introduced as was the straight.

- The community card poker games developed around around 1925.

- The Texas State Legislature officially recognizes Robstown, Texas, United States as the birthplace of Texas Hold'em Poker in the early 1900s.

- Texas Hold 'em was introduced to Las Vegas in 1967 by a group of Texan gamblers and card players, including Crandell Addington, Roscoe Weiser, Doyle Brunson, and Amarillo Slim.

- In 1970 tournament play became popular in American casinos after the World Series of Poker began.

 

History of Poker Resources

Poker Tips - One night in 1832, four men played poker aboard a Mississippi steamboat. Three of the men were professionals and the other was a helpless sucker from Natchez. The game was rigged so that the young man from Natchez would lose all of his money and he in fact did.

Legends of America - Whether on a riverboat atop the Mighty Mississippi, or in the smoky dimness of a mining camp saloon, a lucky draw could turn a broken man into a winner. In the days of the frontier west, poker was king with the mustachioed likes of Wild Bill Hickok, Doc Holliday, "Canada" Bill Jones, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and hundreds of others.

WSOP HIstory - It's hard to believe that when the World Series of Poker began back in 1970, there were fewer than 50 poker tables in the entire city of Las Vegas. There were only 70 poker tables in the whole state of Nevada. Binion's Horseshoe, the host casino, did not even have a poker room. The contest that would come to decide poker's first world champion was held inside an alcove about the size of an ordinary hotel room. Thirty or so gamblers shoehorned themselves around a few poker tables. They didn't know it at the time, but they were making poker history.

Poker - The history of Poker is thought to have evolved over more than ten centuries from various games, all involving the basic principals of ranked card or domino combinations and the use of "bluffing" to deceive opponents.

One popular belief is that a game similar to poker was first invented by the Chinese sometime before 969 A.D, when The Emperor Mu-tsung is reported to have played "domino cards" with his wife on new years eve.