Increased Poker
Poker has been around for over a century, but it’s really in the last ten years that the game really had a resurgence in popularity. So what has changed to affect the popularity, and where the game does come to enjoy such popularity?
Although the origins of poker is a bit murky, with links to the Persian game Nas and Poque as French game, it is known to have really started to gain ground in the early 19th century, along the Mississippi with another type of game that is played on boats where the game was a common pastime.
During the Civil War and continuing thereafter, variations such as stud poker, jokers, and community card poker were all introduced tot he game. In Las Vegas, regular tournaments were held in an attempt to attract the players ready to play high stakes games, but have failed to attract crowds and players want money, despite the improvement from casinos to accommodate these players. In the second half of the 20th century, poker tournaments, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP) began in American casinos, finally gets the kind of player he wants. The game also began to appear regularly in popular culture, including TV shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and in films like The Players.
In the 21 century game saw a considerable increase in popularity for several reasons. The introduction of online poker has allowed anyone to play the game in the comfort of their home without the need to convene a group to play or go to a casino. In addition, television poker tournaments, with the team-card camera, poker turned into something of a spectator sport, with Texas Hold ‘Em variety to enjoy the game especially since it became the most played version, especially during the WSOP.


