Of all the casino games, the history of poker is the most unknown. Its origins are shrouded in mystery. It may have come from games played in Persia, India, France, or Germany. The first face cards were believed to be brought to the United States from France.

On Mississippi Steamboats

One thing about poker is certain, however. The modern game was created on the steamboats that traveled along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. An early reference to the game came in 1834 by Jonathan H. Green, who describes the rules of what he called “the cheating game.” Green soon realized that his was the first reference to this new game, so he gave it a name – Poker.

Why poker? Historians are unsure of the exact reason behind the name, but considering that Green called it a cheating game, the name most likely came the slang work “poke.” Poke was a term used by pickpockets, and it is believed that the riverboat card sharks who played the game referred to their winnings as pokes. They may have added the “r” to poke when calling the game’s losers a “poker.” Riverboat card sharks used the term poker as a way to taunt losing players as they collected their winnings.

Evolution of Poker

The original poker game that Green wrote about was played with 20 cards – all the face cards, the tens, and the aces.

Since then, the game slowly evolved. The deck was increased first to 32 cards and then to the current 52-card deck. Poker began to make its way off the riverboats and spread across the country. It was a popular diversion for Civil War soldiers, and when the California Gold Rush hit, poker’s popularity spread rapidly across the west. By the 1880s, a poker table was found in virtually every saloon across the country.

To prevent its reputation as a cheater’s game from continuing, poker is strictly regulated by gambling laws. It has grown into one of the most popular casino games, and in recent years, poker has become as spectator sport as well, with The World Series of Poker and its huge television audience.

The game itself continues to evolve and reinvent itself. There are a number of versions to the game, from five-card stud to Texas Hold’em, and it is likely that more games will appear as time goes on. What remain a constant are the ways to win and the love of the game.

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