The History of Poker - Part 3 of 3 - Published: 9/6/2006
This article is continued from Part 2
Between 1830-1845 poker was increasingly played as a 52-card game, enabling more than four to participate. In addition to the draw, already familiar from English Brag, the flush was an additional combination. This increased the game by adding a second level of betting and enabled poor hands to be significantly improved. The first published mention of draw poker was in the 1850, American edition of Bohn’s New Handbook of Games.
In 1875, the joker was introduced as a wild card, ending the European influence. The game was essentially American from then on.
Curiously, in 1910, betting games were considered a felony in the United States; and, you couldn’t play the game of poker in Nevada, because it was considered a betting game. However, a California law determined that draw poker (closed poker) was a skill game; therefore, outside the realm of antigambling laws. Stud poker (open poker) was luck; and, therefore illegal. Draw poker exploded in popularity. In 1931, Nevada reversed its’ rulings, legalizing casino gambling.
Following draw and stud, another substantial variant of poker were the games involving one or more communal cards. Wild Widow (1919) is the earliest, with a card dealt face up immediately before each player received a fifth card. The winner was the player making the best five-card combination hand from his own and the turned up card. Deuces wild first appears at this time, too.
During the 1930’s and 40’s, high-low poker achieved popularity. In this, the pot is divided equally between the highest and the lowest hands. Subsequently, this gave rise to lowball, when only the lowest hand wins.
During World War II, 7-card stud flourished and maintained its supremacy for almost 40 years. Nevertheless, Texas Hold’em rose to prominence in the 1970’s, being featured as the title game in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the rise of modern tournament play. In 1998, the first online card room was established and was the only online destination for card players, with others following quickly. Poker’s popularity increased, again, with the introduction of the hold (hole)-card camera, changing the game from a viewer’s game to a spectator’s game on cable and satellite broadcasts. Adding to poker’s popularity one more time, low buy-in online satellite qualifier tournaments have grown major poker tournaments fields where the prize is an entry into a major tournament.
Just as the game of poker evolved over time; the jargon of poker has become part of the culture. For example, the phrases “ace in the hole,” “ace up your sleeve,” to “call your bluff,” “up the ante,” and “when the chips are down” have infiltrated everyday usage.
Furthermore, poker entered the realm of Hollywood, being featured in such films as “The Cincinnati Kid,” “The Sting,” “Rounders,” and “Ocean’s Eleven.” Like the films, poker became an American “export,” introducing global play. Major poker tournaments are held world wide from Africa to the United Kingdom, including Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Canada, Denmark and France.
Since its historic origins, poker has changed and diversified, spreading across the globe. It has been dubbed the most popular card game played in the world. There are many forms of poker that are played and the popularity of each variant has also changed. The first was the game 5-card draw or stud. This game rose from relative obscurity during the time of the American Civil War to dominate the poker scene for almost a century. Next was the game 7-card stud. This game took over prior to World War II and prevailed for approximately forty years. Seven card stud’s popularity was, however, aided by the booming Nevada gaming industry during the 50’s and 60’s. Presently, No Limit and Texas Hold’em poker is the pre-eminent poker game. Since 1998 the internet, cable and satellite television have thrown the doors of world wide poker wide open. Poker draws young and old, men and women, across nationalities; reshaping the face of the game and raising this competitive, vying game to new levels.
