Welcome to Poker Game Strategy's Poker History

Back in the sixteenth century, the Germans started a bluffing game they called "Pochen". Pochen means to boast of, which could be construed as to bluff. Eventually, around the eighteenth century the French took this game Pochen, and developed their version "Poque". The French version of Poque was carried over to New Orleans and played on the riverboats that plied the Mississippi.

The earliest written reference to the game Poker was made by Jonathan H. Green, in 1834. Jonathan H. Green referred to Poker as the "cheating game", in his writting. Soon after Jonathan H. Green realized that his was the first such reference to the game. It wasn't even mentioned in the American Hoyle yet, therefore he was the one that had the privelage of naming a game that had already been around for hundreds of years! Green decided to call it Poker. This game was played with 20 cards, using Aces, Kings, Queens, Jacks and 10s. played with 2 to 4 players., and everyone was dealt 5 cards.

It was during the Civil War that Stud Poker (a variation of Poker) came to play, and the main rule of drawing cards to improve one's hand was made. Poker eventually evovled to a game of 32 cards and then the modern deck of 52 cards. (not counting the jokers used in some variations of the game.

The many different possibilities of the beginning:

References also suggest that the name of Poker comes from the German game, "Pochspiel". In Pochsepeil there is the element of bluffing, and players would indicate a pass or open by rapping on the table chantin "Iche Poche".

Also there are references saying that poker came from the Hindu word pukka.

Another possibility is that the word poker came from a slangword 'poke'. And some beleive that the work poke came from 'hocus-pocus'... a term used by magicians.

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