One of the most lucrative forms of entertainment is enjoying a game of Poker, Blackjack or other games at online Canadian casinos. Many individuals even opt for playing virtual poker games in order to make some extra money. While this can provide hours of thrilling experiences, some have wondered where the game of Poker originated.

The roots of Poker

The roots of Poker is said to go back as far as almost 1000 years and was played among several different cultures. While the exact place of origin is disputed, there are many who believe the game of Poker came from a Chinese Emperor in the 10th century. It is believed that the Emperor developed a type of domino card game and that is where the initial rules of Poker came to life. Others believe that the game of Poker originated from Persia in the 16th century from a game called “As Nas”.

Europe’s adoption of Poker

The first traces of Poker in Europe dates back to the 17th century. French players were used to playing a game called Poque which entailed each player being dealt 3 cards. The players then had to put up a bluff to make other players fold. The player with the highest number of cards at the end of the game won the round. This, in essence, had the same general rules as the Poker game we know today. This game was brought to America by Frenchmen in about 1803 and as English-speaking players started playing the game, the adjusted the rules to each person having five cards instead of 3. They also made use of an entire 52-card deck in order to add more entertainment to the game.

The revolution of Poker

Since players were not as fortunate as we are today to be able to pay the game of Poker online with gamers from right across the globe, the game was carried to other places by soldiers and shipping crews. The sailors travelling along the Mississippi spread the game across the country. During the Civil War, soldiers played the game to pass time in both the Northern and Southern parts of the country. For that reason, the game was seen as a saloon hit in the Wild West from 1870 to 1880. Poker became even more popular when Queen Victoria asked the minister of the United States for the rules of the game as she heard him talk about it with a few members from her court.

Modernising Poker

During World War I, many soldiers played the game and its popularity spread to almost every corner of Europe. From there, players began to adjust the rules of the game again and from that, several new versions of the game emerged. These games included Texas Hold’em as well as five-card draw, among others. In the 1970’s the game had reached such a popular state that it featured in the Poker World Series. These competitions were highly popular and enjoyed a lot of attention among Poker enthusiasts and experts alike.

Poker in the online world

When internet and internet games were introduced to the world, not only did the way of playing Poker change, but entertainment in itself revolutionised. Poker, once a game that entailed a couple of people coming together at home and playing with physical cards, was not only adopted by land-based casinos, but online casinos as well. This made it possible for Poker enthusiasts to play a game in the comfort of their own home. All they need to do is go onto the internet to find a Poker game to play. The virtual game consists of life-like card features that can be controlled by a simple click of a computer button. The game was also adapted if could be played on mobile phones. Keeping this in mind, Poker is now considered one of the most popular games in both online and land-based casinos. However, at online casinos, you are able to find a vast number of Poker variations as different countries have different sets of rules when it comes to the game.

Whether you choose to play a variation of the game or the classic form, Poker has a history that should never be forgotten!