The History of Poker.

There is wide dispute as to the original origins of Poker, it is more than likely that poker stems from a number of different games. One of the more popular beliefs is that pokers origins began around 900A.D, based on Chinese games with paper money. There is however some evidence to suggest that poker possibly derived from Chinese dominoes where the original use of tiles were simply converted into thin cards.

As card playing spread over various continents via trade routes from Egypt to Spain and Italy around the 14th century the style of the game began to change. Many of the first card decks only contained 20 cards before the Tarot Deck was created adding 22 trumps to the regular deck. The Suits of the cards still replicated those of early Italian and Spanish decks using swords, cups, coins and batons, these were known as the 'Latin Suits'. when poker reached England playing cards were still Latin-suited until they eventually adopted hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades that the French had began to use on there cards in the 1480's.

Just as the game of poker had been spread via trade route in the 14th century it had also began to spread to America only this time by Persian sailors. It started in New Orleans and gradually spread down river via Mississippi and on to Ohio later crossing other states by Wagon and Train. The Persian game known as 'As Nas' adopted by the French began to merge with the French card game 'Poque' which involved bluffing and betting as well as the English game 'brag' and the German game 'Pochen' (which means to bluff). As modifications continued to the game all European influence of the game was extinguished, with the introduction of the joker as a 'Wild' card in 1875.

A 52 card deck had come in to general use around the 1830's as well as poker becoming more standardized with the introduction of a poker rule book being written. It had become clear to many who had exceptional skills that there was a great deal of wealth to be gained, this was noted with great enthusiasm in the Old West. The game soon felt at home amongst the gun slinging wildness of the west and became part of its personality with the game always being played in Saloons and Bar's. The aggressiveness of the west clearly made way for poker to thrive meaning that the players had to keep there wits about them and take advantage of any opportunity that came there way. Poker was not a game for the faint hearted it demanded confidence and skill as it only managed to just survive clashes with the law.

By 1910 authorities in states such as Nevada recognised that poker games such as 'Draw Poker' required more skill than mere chance unlike 'Stud Poker' so therefore the attorney general of California declared that 'Draw Poker'' could not be governed by anti-gambling laws, however games based more on 'Stud Poker' could be governed by law and where therefore declared to be illegal, the actions of the attorney general meant that the game of 'Draw Poker' began to flourish. In 1931 the state of Nevada revised it's earlier ruling and became the only state in the U.S.A to legalise casino gambling, later in 1978 Atlantic City also got on the gambling wagon.

As Saloon's have given way to Casino's and Card Rooms there have been laws introduced to tightly regulate gambling to protect both players and Casino's. However Poker is still one of the most popular card games in the world today and has become somewhat of a sporting event with countries all over the world hosting tournaments and competitions. Poker is still played in more variations then any other game. Even facial expressions have been attributed to the playing of the game, using your 'Poker Face'.

By Sara Taylor.

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