Poker around the world

Poker is one of the most well-known casino games around the world, and it’s rare you’ll find any Online Cricket Betting ID without at least one version of the classic game and Poker around the world.

The game of Poker is said to have originated from a French game, known as Poque, as well as a British game called Brag. Brag was an adaptation of a popular German bluffing game, but is said to have heavily influenced the earliest forms of Poker, which was played with a 20-card deck.

Join us as we take a tour of how the game of Poker crossed the seas and dominated the world’s casinos, whilst visiting some of the countries where the game is most popular…

The countries where Poker is most popular

Over the years, as casinos have risen in popularity and Poker has become one of the most iconic casino games of all time, it’s no wonder that there are many countries where the game is most popular. 

Throughout the world, however, the top five countries that seem to enjoy Poker the most, in the modern day, include:

• Indonesia
• United States of America
• Canada
• Russia
• Brazil

What’s more, you can now even enjoy the game of Poker at your favourite online casino, such as karamba.com, where you’ll be able to enjoy all the variations of the classic game, from the comfort of your own home! 

But first, here’s a brief history to show you just how your favourite games landed in your lap. 

The origins of Poker

Poker began its life as a regional game in saloons in New Orleans and Louisiana, which was originally a French colony in the 1700s. a popular French game at the time, known as Poque, was imported to New Orleans by French sailors and traders, which ultimately lead to the creation of Poker. New Orleans, being a major port located on the banks of the Mississippi River – the largest waterway in North America – saw the rise in riverboat gambling, and in the 1800s, Poker was introduced to ports and towns along the river. The river meets the Gulf of Mexico and has access to the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, so was an ideal place for Poker to embark upon its travels. 

Around the world

Despite Poker as we know it having seemingly being founded in America, it was many other nations across the globe that had other popular games that would later inspire Poker. This not only includes the French game Poque, but France also enjoyed a three-card game called Primero, or La Prime, where the best hands included three of a kind, a pair, and a flux (flush). Variations of Primero were played in Italy, Spain and France from as early as 1525. In Italy, this game was known as Primera, and was played with decks that contained 40 cards. 

Germans played a bluffing game known as Pochen, and in Ireland, a variation of Pochen was played, known as Poca. The English also adapted Pochen, but made it their own when they changed its name to ‘Brag’. When the British colonised America, Brag was brought along, playing a huge a part in the creation of Poker, alongside Poque. 

Texas Hold’em

In the mid-1800s, a deck of cards expanded from 20 to 52 cards, and so Poker adapted with it. During the American Civil War in 1861-1865, Poker was played by both rebel and federal soldiers. At the end of the war, the game was taken home by many surviving soldiers, and so Poker was spread throughout the US. 

Poker was soon associated with the Wild West, as it was commonly played in saloons in an attempt to solve disputes. 

Stud Poker – five card Poker – rose in popularity on the West coast from 1849, with thanks to the California Gold Rush. Eventually, the game was expanded from five to seven cards, and other variations of Poker took to the scene in the late 1800s. Texas Hold’em is just one example of this.

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