The History of Poker

The card game poker has a number of apocryphal origins. In European history, it is thought that the word poker comes from the 17th-century French game poque. From this game, the English word poker was derived. The word is also derived from the German version, pochen. In North America, the game was brought by French settlers. They used their knowledge of the language to modify the rules and eventually spread it throughout the country.

In poker, players almost always use poker chips. Games with seven or more players should supply chips for the players. The lowest-valued chip is the white one, while red chips are worth ten or twenty or even more. The other two, four, or five chips are “reds,” which represent the cards of the dealer. In the game, players “buy in” by purchasing chips. Each player will usually buy in for the same amount of money.

While the game of poker is played for money, it has seedy roots. Originally, the word “poke” was used by pickpockets to refer to playing cards. These thieves used the word as a slang term to swindle unsuspecting opponents. To make things more complicated, players added an “r” after the word to confuse other players. Despite its seedy history, poker is an incredibly popular game and is played for real money.