Although the origin of the game of poker is the subject of considerable debate, it is thought to date back to the 15th century in Germany with a game called “Pochspiel.” Poker also resembles the game of As Nas that was originally played in Persia. Pochspiel was the first game involving betting, bluffing, and hand-rankings while there was no description or reference to As Nas prior to the late 19th century. The game of Poque was being played in France and was considered to be a relative of the game of poker.
Interestingly enough, in the 1937 edition of the “Complete Hoyle”, written by R.F. Foster, the author was quoted as saying that the version of poker which was played in the US involved a 20-card deck, not the standard 52 of today, and that this was undoubtedly the game of As Nas. By the 1990’s, numerous gaming historians began to challenge and debate what Foster had claimed. In addition to this, evidence was discovered attesting to the fact that the French game of Poque was being played near the region where poker was believed to have originated.
The derivative of which of the early games poker was is still unclear, as is the region where the game actually originated. However, there is still no definite proof that the game was a derivative of any of the games mentioned above. According to gaming historians, the English game of Brag (formerly Bragg) descended from the French game Brelan and incorporated the strategy of bluffing. Only one thing is certain, it has been surmised that the game of poker could probably be related in one way or another to all of the games above.
Professional poker playing developed throughout the twentieth century and is still very popular with huge money prizes. Gamblers are also now playing from the comfort of their own homes through the advent of online video poker.