Bet on It

With the advent of video poker, poker has never been more universal. Once reserved for the professional gambler, poker has become a game for the Everyman. A staple of weekend get-togethers, game nights, and card rooms across the nation.

Poker History
Historians continue to debate the origins of poker. While some believe it dates back several hundred years to 16th-century Persia and the game of As Nas, others speculate its roots go back further – to Germany and the game of Pochspiel. Still others believe the game is a derivative of the French game Poque.

The key to all theories hinges on the art of betting, which of course poker is known for. Even today, poker’s betting system is what sets it apart. Because of this, many experts believe modern-day poker is so far removed from any one origin that it can only be said to be an American invention, emerging first in New Orleans.

Following this timeline, poker made its official debut in America in the early 1800s and quickly began moving westward. As it did, its rules and strategies began to take shape as well. Wild cards and bluffing for instance were added to give players more ways to win and gain the all-important upper hand.

Poker Games
Over decades of play, many variants of poker have surfaced – each with its loyal fan base. Poker, as a family of games, is generally classified into three main groups:

• Draw Poker: Players are dealt a complete hand, which is hidden. By drawing cards, players attempt to improve their hands for the win. The most well known version is Five-card Draw.
• Stud Poker: Players receive hole cards face-down, with the remainder cards face up. Multiple betting rounds are played, with a bet placed after each new card is dealt. The most well known version is Seven- or Five-card Stud.
• Community Card Poker: Players receive an incomplete hand, which is completed by shared face-up cards controlled by the dealer. The most well known is Texas Hold’em (seen in the World Series of Poker).

As said, within these groups are dozens of variants, each defined by its use of wild cards and special rules. This malleability is a big reason why poker had spread so fast and is today, so popular.

Did You Know?
Though poker tournaments date back to the Gold Rush, the biggest tourney today – the World Series of Poker – made its debut less than 40 years ago in 1970. To win this prestigious tournament is to be recognized as the Best of the Best. A title all poker players covet. Each year, thousands of players try and play their way into the high-stakes tournament, for the singular shot of winning it all.

Poker for Everyone
Yet poker isn’t all serious business. No longer is it meant for professional gamblers and outlaws. It’s a game anyone can play and though betting is inherent in its rules, you need not play for big money.

Indeed, among friends and online, a few cents can get you into the game. The beauty of poker is that, even with the pot being minor, the desire to win remains strong. As a result, the same tactics can be employed; the same strategies tried and perfected.

All players, both pro and novice, should keep in mind David Sklansky’s Fundamental Theorem of Poker, which states: "Every time you play a hand differently from the way you would have played it if you could see all your opponents’ cards, they gain; and every time you play your hand the same way you would have played it if you could see all their cards, you lose."

In short, it all goes back to gaining the upper hand.