The Beginnings of Poker
Despite gaining widespread popularity and an immense fan base all over the world, the exact history and origin of pokern is still unknown. There are a few commonly held beliefs as to how the game of poker originated. One of these is that poker is derived from the German game of “Pochspiel” and the French game of “Poque”. Both of these games combine the unique elements of what is modern day poker: bluffing about your hands and the element of betting and raising. Another common belief is that poker originated from the Persian game of “As Nas,” which is another betting game using 20 or 25 cards.
Even though the origins of modern day poker is still unclear, one thing is clear: poker gained widespread acceptance in the United States. During the 1800’s, it was very common for those looking for gold during the Gold Rush to gamble and look for riches. Thus, poker spread quickly with the increase of speculators and those looking to strike it rich. Poker became the favorite past time of drifters and gambling men. It is also during this era in which Jonathan Green wrote his famous book “An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling” in which he documents the creation of the modern game of poker. Up to this point, this is the most accurate information we have regarding poker’s history, but this could be similar to Christopher Columbus’ discovery of Americaprematurely declared and historically inaccurate.
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