The History of Poker

Poker’s complex origins remain fodder for much mystery and debate. Some scholars believe that poker is an offshoot of Chinese domino cards, a game popularized by Emperor Mu-tsung in 969 AD; others insist that poker evolved from the Persian game “as nas,” which required a special deck of 25 cards with five different suits. The modern, recognizable form of poker skyrocketed in popularity during the first half of the 1800s, when the 52-card deck became the status quo and Southern steamships from New Orleans to the Mississippi promoted all sorts of high stake card tournaments. By the end of the Civil War, stud poker, the draw, and the straight were incorporated into contests and poker had become an American institution.

Vegas seized upon poker’s explosive popularity by hosting exclusionary competitions, including the first World Series of Poker in 1970, where the top poker players betted and bluffed their way to the final table. ESPN began broadcasting World Series of Poker highlights a decade-or-so later, and with the advent of the hole camera, which allowed a television audience to view each players hands, poker became a multimedia phenomenon. 100 million Americans play poker on a regular basis including movie stars, sports heroes, politicians, Supreme Court Justices, and Nobel Prize winners.

Unlike traditional casino games, poker is a game of skill and cunning in which players participate against one another, as opposed to the house. For this reason, poker in and of itself is NOT gambling, but a form of intellectual competition and shrewd gamesmanship. Like NASCAR drivers, skilled poker players navigate their cards through pitfalls, hazards, and all sorts of false turns, battling fatigue, taking risks, and competing with their rivals to emerge victorious.