Beginner · History
Many believe that poker originated in the United States during the 1800s, drawing inspiration from different sources. One influence was the French game Poque, introduced to New Orleans by French traders and sailors. Additionally, the British game Brag, which derived from a popular German bluffing game, made its way to America through merchants and colonists. Brag played a role in shaping early poker, which initially utilized a 20-card deck.
As time passed, around the mid-1800s, five-card poker transformed into a draw game. The deck expanded from 20 to 52 cards, introducing more excitement with an extra betting round. This period marked the inclusion of 'flush' in hand rankings for the first time, denoting five cards of the same suit. Subsequently, in the 1870s, 'straight' was also added to hand rankings, requiring five sequential cards.