THE EVOLUTION OF POKER

Poker is a huge part of any casino. It’s the number one game people think about when they picture gambling and it has had a storied history. Of course, saying Poker is a game is bit of a misnomer because Poker is actually an umbrella term that covers many different card games that all have the same basic elements.

Here, we explore the evolution of poker.

PRE-POKER

Modern Poker can trace its roots back centuries and has ancestors all over the world. In ancient China, people used to play games of chance with domino cards that had the same basic premise of Poker, meaning people won based on the rank of certain card or domino combinations and the ability to bluff opponents.

POKER SPREADS

Jonathan H. Green made one of the earliest written references to Poker in 1834 when he wrote about what he called the "cheating game." However, despite this moniker, Poker continued to spread, usurping 3 Card Monte on the gambling circuit. Ironically, people preferred Poker because it was a more honest game than 3 Card Monte, which was often rigged. Poker was also seen as more of a challenging game by players who liked the strategizing it involved. Green got behind this new game and gave it a push of publicity in his book 'An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling,' officially dubbing the new game Poker. 

MODERN ERA

Different variations of Poker have risen to the top of the heap to become the most popular for certain stretches of time. For example, 5 Card Draw became the most popular form of Poker for almost a century, rising up from the battlefields of the Civil War and remaining the most popular form of Poker into the 20th century, with help from some questionable laws.  

Poker is now watched by millions of people on television similar to how they would watch football and its popularity has never been higher. It continues to be played in massive tournaments and in the homes of millions of people.