The History of Poker
There is no doubt that Poker has a long and rich history, however, tracking down its provenance proves difficult. A popular understanding is that Poker, in its earliest form, was born in the 15th century from the German game Poch, also known as Pochspiel. It is clear that both games share common similarities, most notably the reliance on card rankings and the concept that chips are bet and resultantly won or lost. Despite these similarities, many attempt to debunk Poker’s roots in Pochspiel, instead choosing to subscribe to the idea that it was born from the Persian card game Nas, or even the French game Poque.
The game gained increased press and popularity once ‘The World Series of Poker’ began in Las Vegas, in 1970 - initially comprising of approximately thirty gamblers huddled around card tables in a small casino in the city. The tournament gained far more credibility in 1972 when Thomas Austin Preston Jr, aka, ‘Amarillo Slim’ showed a degree of skill and professionalism to defeat his rivals and take the championship crown, along with the $60,000 prize. ‘Slim’ gained much national attention in light of his success and even published a book in 1973, ‘Play Poker to Win’.
Poker gained further appeal during the early 1980’s, when a throng of young, exciting and seemingly carefree players were introduced onto the circuit. Stu ‘The Kid’ Ungar, a New Yorker, made Poker history when he won the aforementioned ‘World Series of Poker’ in successive years, 1980, and 1981. He is commonly regarded as the greatest player of all time; especially in the Texas Hold ‘Em form of the game (page three of the site shall allude to the differing variations of Poker). As Ungar, and a host of other high profile players intensified the game’s reputation, American casino’s began drawing gamblers from across the globe to compete in regular tournaments and events. Along with Las Vegas; Altantic City and New Jersey soon became Poker hotspots. In the late 1990’s television audiences worldwide became familiar with the game, celebrity matches were beamed on satellite television, and the 21st century brought with it a new phenomenon, Online Poker – skyrocketing the game to unprecedented levels of popularity.