In case you haven’t heard of it, poker is a great game you can play with friends or family. More than most card games, it is purely skill based and really tests your bluffing.
The original poker game was likely invented before the 15th century, but it didn’t really take off until the mid 1800s, when gambling became legal.
Although it was originally brought to North America from Europe, poker quickly developed into different gambling games. Information on how stud poker was introduced varies widely, but it is believed that this new game came about on riverboats in the late 1800s. The term ‘river card’ is said to have been named because of the possibility that a cheater might be thrown overboard if he dealt a card that improved his hand.
By the time of the California Gold Rush in 1849, poker had become a universal game of frontier America, with new variations being invented yet still based on its Cincinnati predecessor. In the decades preceding and during the Civil War, the game was especially popular in gold rush towns and military outposts such as Fort Laramie, Wyoming. Poker was an attractive way to make money because it allowed individuals to participate with a low initial investment. Because no hidden cards were dealt, an experienced player could recognize whether an opponent’s hand was rigged or contained a winning combination.
Poker has grown since then and is now played across the entire world in various forms and different styles and has also influenced popular culture as well, with several movies and books being made that revolved around poker.
With the popularity of the Internet, people’s entertainment is gradually moving to it. Online versions of poker games have also emerged, which has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment on the Internet. The choice of sites offering poker continues to increase, which makes it easier and safer to enjoy this great game from the comfort of your own home.