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History

From Poker Chips to Texas Hold 'Em
The Fabulous World of Poker

Evolution of Poker

Picture it: A Persian, a Chinaman, an Indian, a German, and a French sailor all walk into a casino to play a friendly game of poker. Or is it As Nas? Or Ganjifa? Or Poque? Poker has evolved from games all over the world, from the domino games in China to the televised tournaments in the United States. Call it poker or brag or primero, but the game is still one of the most popular forms of gambling in the world.

It is believed that poker was started, in one form or another, in many different places. One story credits its invention to the Chinese, with a game that evolved from the popular pastime of dominoes. Another theory credits the Persian game As Nas, which involved five players, four suits, and twenty-five cards. Or, poker could have come from the Indian card game called Ganjifa. Any one or all of these cultures could have contributed to the birth of poker, which really took off over in Europe shortly after this.

Europeans took hold of poker—and card games in general—much later than those in Asia did, but their contributions to the games were crucial. For example, the Spanish and Italians made the first decks of cards with Kings and Queens on them, and it was the French who coined the term “poker” from the French word “poque.” Poque evolved from As Nas, which French sailors picked up from the Persians while stationed in Louisiana.

Poker in the United States originated in Louisiana. With the advent of steamboats in the early nineteenth century, poker spread across the country, using the Mississippi River as a connecting device. It was there that poker earned its nickname as the “cheating game,” beating out the popular Three Card Monte for its title. Poker then spread along the shores of the Mighty Mississippi and went west with the California Gold Rush of the 1840s. By the Civil War, poker was being played all over the country, and afterwards, it was the game of men from the North and South alike.

After poker took off in post-Civil War America, the game began to evolve into the version that it is today. The draw, the straight, and even stud poker became popular, and the Americans invented the Wild Card Joker in 1875. Ever wonder how poker became so synonymous with the Old West? Look no farther than the cowboys who moved west, hoping to make their fortunes in the hills. There were very few towns anywhere in the United States that didn’t have a local saloon filled with rowdy men, betting any gold that was found on a game of poker.

What about betting? At first, men gambled for money on the table; they had fistfulls of cash, diamond rings, and even deeds to houses. After a period of time, however, gambling became more advanced, and gamblers began playing for poker chips. Now, people don’t only play for those chips–they also collect them. Poker chips have become a hot commodity in the gambling community, almost as important as the game itself.

Take a look at Las Vegas. There are casinos up and down the famous Strip, and more are springing up every day. But would you believe that it was once illegal to gamble there? In 1910, the state of Nevada made it illegal to take place in a gambling game. It’s surprising to think that the unofficial gambling capital had once outlawed poker! The decision was turned over in 1935, however, and poker has since grown in Las Vegas by astronomical numbers.

History of the Poker Chip

Walk into any given casino in Las Vegas, through the heavy glass doors, past the slick counters, and over to the roulette table. Pick your number, any number, and lay down…a piece of ivory?

Painting a picture of poker chips through the ages becomes a colorful collage because of the many changes poker chips have through over the years. Poker chips were not always plastic, clay, or composite; actually, for a long time, they were not any of the three! Playing for an object that represented money started back in the 1700s, but poker chips certainly were not “rounded.” Instead, players played for bones and pieces of ivory. Over time, the pieces of ivory were engraved with the names of the casinos that used them—the start of the modern poker chip.

In the early part of the twentieth century, counterfeiting the ivory pieces became quite a problem in casinos, and casinos searched for replacements for the pieces. By the 1930s, poker chips were the newest piece of gambling equipment. Casinos made chips from primitive forms of plastic, but did not mark all of them with denominations. In some cases, the chips were made in different sizes for price designation.

Over time, poker chips continued to evolve as technology advanced. Casinos first introduced clay poker chips in the 1950s, along with custom engravings and multicolored edges. The famous “hat and cane” design around the outer edge of the chip made its debut in 1955, and is still a fixture on many casino chips today.

With poker being known as the “cheating game,” many precautions have been taken with counterfeit poker chips. Unlike the poker chips of yesteryear, which counterfeiters could copy in any basement, poker chips are no longer so easy to reproduce. The idea of injecting molds for poker chips and adding coin inserts have helped to narrow down the problem, as have the additions of UV dyes and holograms on the face of the poker chips.

So what about those “at home” poker chips that so many people use on a daily basis? They’re just another piece of the history of the fabulous poker chip. Clay composite poker chips like these are mass produced through injection molding, and are generally made from a composite material, many with a metal insert. The result is a hard-wearing chip that is long-lasting and enjoyable for home play. Or, if you really do prefer the setup of the casino, at home players can buy all-clay chips. Whatever the preference is, almost anybody can play poker at home or at the casino when they have chips in hand and money to burn.

Poker Today

Poker is rapidly evolving in the twenty-first century. Professional players and new players alike are finding themselves in the same games and tournaments because they all have a love of the game. People can play at home with a set of chips from the local drug store, or they can play in casinos with thousands of dollars at stake. The rush of adrenaline that goes through the body as the cards are turned over one by one can be an addicting thing, and many people play for the rush just as much as they play for the money.

Texas Hold ‘em poker is currently one of the most popular games in the world. With the tension of playing with only two cards in hand and the drama of playing for a pot in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, who wouldn’t want to give poker a try? Put in a twenty dollar buy-in, take your cards, and win a few times, and that twenty dollars could multiply before your very eyes. Both the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker play Hold ‘em, making it a household name in the United States and overseas.

Want to see all the drama of poker without losing your own paycheck? Just turn on your television. Movies based around casinos, gambling, and poker are everywhere. Just watch Ocean’s Eleven or Rounders for proof of that. Or, if real-life action is more preferred, just try “The World Series of Poker” or “The World Poker Tour.” Want to watch celebrities gamble away their money? “Celebrity Blackjack” or “Celebrity Poker Tour” are always on one channel or another. Don’t like TV? Then what about the computer? Internet sites have sprung up everywhere, and poker players are online in every country around the world at any time of day, all playing the game to earn a bit of extra cash, or even just for fun. Poker is everywhere and anywhere in the twenty-first century; it just takes a few minutes of time and a remote control or keyboard to find them.

Throughout the years, poker has evolved from a game that was played in Louisiana between a group of French sailors and Persians to a highly competitive battle of bluffs between players with thousands of dollars at stake. Yet despite all of its changes, poker has always kept one thing: its ability to hold the attention and the minds of players all over the globe. Each generation that has played poker has managed to add something new, making poker a fun game for all involved. What will be added to the game next? Only time will tell.

By Jessica Schoenherr
Copyright 2004, All rights reserved.