| As the most popular and most played card game in | | | | holding five cards. No draws were done and bets |
| the U.S. and all throughout the world, Poker has | | | | were made on the following combinations: one pair, |
| evolved from a backroom game to a sporting event | | | | two pairs, triplets, full (using all 5 cards), and |
| with its pros enjoying the same celebrity status as that | | | | four-of-a-kind. As the game spread, variations |
| of world-renowned athletes. There are, however, | | | | developed. Soon the entire 52-card deck was used |
| some interesting facts about Poker that you should | | | | and Flush (five cards in same suit but not in sequence) |
| know. • Poker belongs to a class of card | | | | was added as a betting combination along with straight |
| games known as vying games. Vying games involve | | | | (five cards in sequence but not of the same suit). |
| betting on the quality of the card combinations in one's | | | | Today, several variations of Poker have evolved |
| hand rather than actually playing the cards out. Winning | | | | including the 5-Card Draw, the 7-Card Stud, and the |
| is achieved with a great deal of bluffing. • The | | | | Texas Hold 'em. The valid betting combinations, from |
| origin of Poker is obscure. Some believe Poker is the | | | | lowest to highest, are now: high card, one pair, two |
| by-product of a combination of different card games: | | | | pairs, triplet, straight, flush, full house, four-of-a-kind, and |
| As Nas (Persia), Ganjifa (India), Poque (France), and | | | | straight flush. • Poker's popularity has |
| Pochen (Germany) with its name derived from the | | | | influenced American culture and language. So many |
| latter two games. It is believed to share its ancestry | | | | common words and expressions in the English |
| with the Spanish game Primero and the French brelan, | | | | language have been derived from Poker. Some of |
| from which directly descended the English game bragg | | | | these expressions like ace up one's sleeve, ace in the |
| which utilizes bluffing as a means to winning. In the U.S., | | | | pocket, blue chip, call a bluff, cash in, poker face, upping |
| the first documented game of Poker was played in | | | | the ante, when the chips are down, and many others |
| New Orleans in 1829. The game was spread to other | | | | are commonly used today even by people who have |
| parts of the country in 1834 by Mississippi river boats | | | | never played Poker. The grand Poker tournaments |
| on which gambling was a favorite pastime. These | | | | held in various casinos, the rise of online Poker sites, |
| events were described in detail by author Jonathan H. | | | | and the publication of serious Poker strategy books |
| Greene in his book, An Exposure of the Arts and | | | | point to this game's great popularity today - truly a |
| Miseries of Gambling. • Elements of the | | | | great leap from the time writer Green described it as |
| Poker were added as the game evolved. As | | | | the game of 'cheaters'. For more information on online |
| chronicled by Greene, Poker during the early 1800s | | | | poker, please do visit - the premier resource for online |
| was played using 20 cards made up of only aces, | | | | poker players. |
| kings, queens, jacks, and tens by four persons each | | | | |