Undeniably, the world’s most widespread card game – Poker has a wealthy history that began well before the early 19th century, when the game as we know it today came into being. For over ten centuries, numerous cultures enjoyed playing games of chance with simple dice, dominoes, and cards similar to the playing cards in use globally nowadays. This is why 702 ENT thought it was high time to go back in time and delve deeper into the history of one of the most famous card games in the world…
The actual origination of card games, as we know them, was first chronicled by a Swiss Monk named John of Rheinfelden, after recording a card game played in 1377 with a deck of 52 cards. The cards ranged from 1 to 10 in value. This seems to be the best indication that 1377 is the initial year that history documented a card game being played with a 52 deck of cards.
The Chinese were recorded as participating in the actual playing of card games around 950. However, even though evidence shows that the Chinese were probably the first to play a game with cards, the card deck didn’t contain 52 cards as a modern deck and their game was more similar to dominoes than poker. Historians concur that the Chinese game of domino cards contributed greatly to poker’s growth.
Invented circa 969 CE, when Emperor Mu-Tsung and his wife celebrated New Year’s Eve with a commemorative, rousing game of chance that blended elements of Poker and Mahjong. Various betting games continued to grow in popularity as time went by. 12th and 13th century Egyptians enjoyed games played with cards, and 16th century Persians invented Ganjifa, also known as Treasure Cards, for use in a variety of games. Ganjifa decks were much larger than standard poker decks; they contained 96 elaborately decorated cards made of wafer-thin slices of wood or ivory.
Early varieties of Poker were called “The Lying Game” or “The Cheating Game”, names coined by writers such as Joseph Crowell and Jonathan H. Green. Around the 1850’s the Riverboat gamblers were born and said popularity plied the Mississippi, and quickly, 3-Card Monte, was replaced by Poker, which was then among the most popular cardsharp games. Both in the old west and riverboat players became early innovators of Poker, and were made up of a curious amalgamation of professional card players, gamblers, gunfighters and cheats. It’s assumed that gun fighting skills were crucial if one wanted to survive cheating at cards. Players liked poker for its challenges, it proved an excellent way to fill time, especially when other forms of entertainment were rare.
Much like poker, the historic Persain game of As Nas was extremely popular. About the same time, a Spanish game called “Primero” also was gaining popularity; it involved three cards being dealt to each of the players who would bluff or increase bets while holding poor cards. As in poker, bluffing was an integral part in this historic card game. Germans soon began playing a game called “Pochen,” and the French started to play a game called “Poque;” these originated from Primero, which is often referred to as the mother of modern poker. When French colonials came to Canada, they brought their cherished game with them; it was the national card game of France. Eventually it became popular throughout the world, traveling from New Orleans, up the Mississippi River and throughout what would later become the United States – where modern poker was developed.
Soldiers, cowboys, and gentlemen of every streak enjoyed poker during the 19th century; both Union and Confederate throngs enjoyed the game throughout the Civil War, and it was so prevalent across the West that just about every town prided itself on having a saloon with poker tables. Till this day, Poker remains popular whether in-person or online, worldwide, unlike other games that have faded into the archives of history.
There’s no denying that the game of Poker will continue living on with its extensive popularity. If you’d like to try your luck with a deck of cards, we assure you, there’s surely no better place than Las Vegas!
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