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Poker History Began in China
Poker history is thought to have evolved over a period of more than ten centuries. It seems to be the result of a mixture of various games, all based on the principles of ranked card or domino combinations where bluffing is used to mislead and deceive opponents. A history of the development of playing cards says that the year 969 is recorded as the earliest certain date for Chinese playing cards. There is an entry in the 'Liao shih' of T'o-t'o, a history of the Liao dynasty (907-1125) written in the 14th century saying that Emperor Mu-tsung played cards on New Year's eve.
Poker History: In Egypt
In the 12th and 13th centuries the Egyptians are known to have used a form of playing cards, and in 16th century Persia "Ganjifa" or "Treasure Cards" were used to play a variety of betting games. A Ganjifa deck consisted of 96 elaborate cards, often made of paper thin slices of ivory or precious wood. The Persians played "As Nas" which utilized 25 cards, rounds of betting and hierarchical hand rankings.
Poker History: In Europe
In the 17 & 18th centuries the French game "Poque" and the German game named "Pochen" became very popular, both developed from the 16th century Spanish game called "Primero" which involved three cards being dealt to each player. Bluffing, which meant betting high stakes while holding poor cards to deceive opponents, was an integral part of the game. Primero dates back to 1526 and is often referred to as "poker's mother" as it is the first confirmed version of a game directly related to modern day poker.
Poker History: In America
When French colonials arrived in Canada they brought their beloved game of Poque, the national betting card game of France, with them. When a hardy group of French-Canadian settlers founded New Orleans, Poque spread from the state of Louisiana up the Mississippi river and from there through the whole country.
Poker was "The Cheating Game"
In 1834, Jonathan H. Green made reference to poker when he mentioned the rules of the "Cheating Game" which had become famous and was being played on Mississippi riverboats. Gamers embraced the new game as it was a more challenging and honest gamble than the notoriously rigged 3-card game they played. Green took great interest in the new game and took it upon himself to formally name and document the "Cheating Game" in his book, "An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling". This was the birth of poker as we know it today. Poker soon spread via wagon and train to other parts of America.
Poker is Here to Stay
Poker grew in popularity, soaring during the American Civil War when the soldiers of both armies played. When the joker was introduced as a wild card in 1875, the influence of European Poker came to an end. Poker has never looked back and its popularity has never waned. From a humble beginning on the banks of the Mississippi - to thousands of online casino sites - this widely played game has grown in leaps and bounds and even today Poker is still reaching new heights of popularity.
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