The game of poker was first played as a child’s game. It is played with a deck of twenty cards, and participants place bets based on their hand’s rank. A pair, three or four of a kind, or four Aces are considered the best hands. Occasionally, players will bet on two or more cards. Once all players have made their bets, a showdown is held to determine the winner.
Gambling was common in the Wild West, and gambling was an essential part of the lifestyle. In many saloons, poker was an incredibly popular game. Even in lawless settlements, disagreements over the game could lead to deadly conflict. Regardless of the race, poker had plenty of fans in the Wild West. As a game of chance and skill, the game of poker was not unlike other games that spawned bloodshed and murder.
While the American version of the game of poker was still a new game, it was popular in the early 1800s. It is possible that the game first appeared in the American Hoyles in 1829. However, the game was not yet widely played in 1857, when J. Hildreth published Dragoon Campaigns to the Rocky Mountains. A few years later, Jonathan H. Green published Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (1843), and Joe Cowell published Thirty Years Passed Among the Players in England and America (1844-52).
Professional gamblers were the primary drivers of the game’s growth. These people regarded themselves as “professional gamblers” and exploited the newfound gambling addiction of Americans. Often cheated to win, they wore sleight of hand, and they were dressed sexy. Their success was based on luck, and occasionally, they even used their shooting skills. With the popularity of poker, it soon spread to other countries.
