The absolute exhilaration of victors, the involvement of raw emotions in Poker Games, and the crushing despair of players who make it so close to the win-all of tell us why the game is so popular amongst regular and new players.
Poker has been conjuring our minds for centuries. It started as a bluffing game, invented by the French and modernized by Germans and the British. Today, the community stands grand with 60 million US poker players and 100 million worldwide. The numbers outrank the fan following of some other popular games like Tennis or Golf.
A look at the past
The origin of Poker is not linked to a particular date or an inventor. The theory has it that Poker first came to play in America in the 1800s. It was a derivative of the popular game Poque. After that, it spread to the French through sailors and traders. Some also believe that the Poker was incepted as a version of Brag, which was a British bluff game. The colonists and the merchants then brought it to America. Brag also led to the earliest versions of Poker, such as 20-card games.
It was in New Orleans that Poker originally became popular. The port was a central trading point on the Mississippi River and was closer to the place where the river met the Gulf of Mexico. It opened the way to the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean as well. Millions of traders and merchants would arrive at the port and introduce the game of Poker to the locals. The game spread through the town and deep into the country from there on.
Poker has not changed in 100 years
The decks, the hand combinations, the rules, and the standard set of guidelines-all of these haven’t seen any modification in the last 100 years. Yes, there might be variations in different parts of the game. But the achievable result, in the end, is still the same -to make the best possible 5-card poker hand. And the strategy to bluff if you don’t have the cards to win the pot is also identical for a century.
During its origin, a 5-card draw was the popular choice of Poker game. However, with time, the gameplay shifted towards stud and expanded to a 7-card rule. Then, we saw the introduction of Split-pot games which further led to the invention of Texas Hold ’em. This version totally changed the perception of the Poker games, allowing as many as ten players to be part of the phenomenon at a single table.
Poker and technology
In the late 20th century, industry leaders suspected a major change in the casino industry. The modernization of Poker with advancements in computer technology exploded the game’s popularity in the international market. Millions of online poker sites offer an engaging experience to anyone in the world. One could easily play Poker online without downloading an app or any other software.
The players would engage in the virtual gambling scene for hours from the comfort of their homes. Furthermore, they would not need any deck or cards to enjoy the game. As technology kept improving, better versions of the game came into play. The cross-platform and cross-device poker games would allow anyone to play while on the go using mobile phones. Many websites offer poker games free of cost to anyone, even without going into the hassle of creating an account.
Casinos and Modern Poker
With the onset of online poker games, Casinos soon realized that their business would not easily take the inclining growth bar. So, instead of fighting the technology, they joined hands. In other words, most casinos now offer their own version of online games. They provide their members and users with an online gaming experience for not just Poker but other games as well, such as Roulette, Blackjack, etc.
Modern-world casinos are feature-rich with technological assets. They offer big screens for sports betting, creative slot machines, poker-scoring LED signages, attractive casino lighting, visual displays on the ceilings, and many more tech-driven features. This has somewhat helped get the crowd back to the brick-and-mortar casinos. Differentiating between the online and real-world experience, casinos are always on the run for money to make the best use of their revenue to attract more games worldwide.
What is so special about poker games
Watching all the advertisements and hearing reviews from your friends, it might be intimidating to try Poker for yourself. One can easily do this by searching for poker games home addition or playing online. When you understand the game, it might be love at first sight. Getting obsessed is not a hard thing with Poker. The simple card game can absorb a major part of your gaming life.
What is so special about Poker, you may ask? Well, it’s the thrill of the game, along with the high intensity of pressure and psychology, that does the trick. Adding cherry to the cake are the tournaments with high stakes, the massive bluffs, the strategic all-in moves, the revealing moments, and of course, dollars on the line.
Many people adore the game because you can simply turn a small amount of money into a quick session. You can win a single game and get plenty of betting money. For many other people, the level of competition attracts them to the game. The simple act of out-smarting other players without even saying a single word is an extravagant experience. This is the prime reason many players love the online version of the game, where they don’t have to invest real money. They just love the eternal delight of the competitive frenzy they dwell in.
Is poker fare square?
Winners write the world of Poker. No matter how many games you have played, you can still be overrun by the newbies. No wonder how much money you have, you can lose it all in one single hand. Everyone loves the guy who ends up winning. No one cares about the guy who came third or second.
This shows that Poker highly revolves around an absolutely level playing field. Anyone can write their story in the game. The game’s rules and math won’t bend to anyone’s will. Yes, misfortune and some bad days happen in the game, as they would in any game. But Poker is just like life. Nothing seems fair unless it’s your lucky day. People get lucky breaks at the most unexpected times.
Many players chose to practice hard and make their own luck. And they make it happen too. Others depend on luck and wait for their time to arrive. Poker gives everyone a fair chance.
Even in online games, many people suspect that the cards are dealt as per a pre-defined game algorithm that repeats the number in a particular sequence. That might be true. But since real players are in the game, the game gets totally unbiased. Even if the sequence of cards drawn by the computer is repetitive, the players choose to play as per their own will and mindset, which makes the game even.
Poker and some amazing facts
Poker games have their own encyclopedia when it comes to facts. Here are some to amaze you:
The longest poker game
A game of a few hours might seem the longest in Poker. But that is nothing as compared to the game in The Bird Cage Theater in Arizona. The game started in 1881 and lasted for 8 consecutive years, five months, and three days. The winning sum was around $42 million, which makes Poker a highly lucrative game above the likes of baseball, basketball, etc.
The highest poker win
The biggest poker win belongs to Antonia Esfandiari. The win that increased the game’s popularity internationally amounts to around $18.3 million. The buy-in was $1 million.
The first Poker online game
The first online poker game was launched on New Year’s eve of 1998. The game featured $3/$6 Limit Hold ’em Games.
Is Poker shown on TV?
The first game of Poker to be telecasted on TV was in 1973. The first-ever televised poker show created a ripple in the entertainment industry and elevated the popularity of the game manifold.
The Secret Poker Player
Poker games feature players of different origins and characters. However, there was a player by the name of Isildur1 who was the most mysterious. He was a legend but did not have any sponsors. No one knew where he came from. He would go on to beat the gaming masters such as Tom Dwan, Phil Ivey, and Patric Antonious.
The Darkest Day of Poker
It was on April 15th, 2011, when most leading online poker companies faced the wrath of the Department of Justice. Many companies were seized without any warning. At that time, millions of players left huge sums of money in their accounts and never got it back. The day ended with huge losses for the gaming world, and many convictions followed.
Concluding
Poker games are the entertainment industry’s past, present, and future. The game that doesn’t require anything to get started is safe enough, offers an unimaginable thrill, and should be promoted worldwide. We hope you enjoyed knowing about poker games as much as we did narrating the facts to you. Good luck. Have a good hand…
