At this moment Poker is the hottest game around. It seems like everybody is playing poker, while some time ago it was considered a dusty card game for bored old man. How did poker became so popular and where did the game come from? To answer these we'll have to go back in time and discover the history of the game poker.

There is not only one story about the history of Poker, many countries and people claim that they invented this great game, and who is telling the truth is until now, still unclear. What everyone agrees on is the fact that the game comes from many different card games.

A plausible story is the German one. In Germany existed a game called 'Pochspiel' and this is considered to be the forerunner of the Poker game we know today. There are several similarities in the rules and name of the game. Another theory originates from China. Many believe that around 900 AD Poker was invented in China. The Chinese didn't play this game with cards, since cards weren't invented yet, but with dominoes, that were beautifully painted. In 969 AD the Chinese Emperor Mu Tsung introduced the game called 'domino cards'. This is believed to be the oldest form of poker. Poker could also come from India, from the card game called 'Ganjifa'. This game has same of the same rules of Poker and existed of 96 painted playing cards. Betting was an important part of this game.

These and many other theories could all be true, but the most realistic theory is the one that says that Poker was born in France, from the game 'Pogue'. The game Pogue was played in the 15 th century, with a deck of cards like we know it today; 4 suits and 52 cards. Pogue included betting and bluffing and lots of thinking. The game was brought to Canada through French colonials and after Canada, the game traveled to the United States in the beginning of the 17 th century. The Pogue game became really popular in New Orleans, in the 18 th century and during the American Civil War many soldiers played the game, to kill their boredom. Different versions of Pogue were developed like Stud and Draw.

in 1834 by a gambling card player called Jonathan H. Green invented the name Poker. He played card games in prison, were he discovered he had a real talent for these games. When he got out of prison he went to the Mississippi River and here he became a professional card player, winning lots of money with his skills. He discovered Pogue, and loved to play the game. Since he couldn't find any name for the game Pogue, he decided the game should be called Poker.