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When you visit Resort World Catskills, you can anticipate a world-class gaming experience that is as luxurious as it is fun and exciting. It seems like no visit to Resort World is truly complete without a stop at the Poker table. The next time you find yourself in the recently renovated Poker Room putting your best strategies to the test, consider the game’s origins and how it gained popularity, becoming the universally beloved pastime that it is today.
Poker’s Early Origins
While the exact origins of the game that we’ve come to know as Poker remain largely debated by historians, it’s generally acknowledged that its roots date back nearly one thousand years. Some credit a Chinese domino-card game as the earliest ancestor of modern Poker, while others cite a Persian card game called As Nas as the source of the popular game. Most historians would agree that a French game known as Poque, based on a Spanish game called Primero, is the most direct predecessor to American Poker. In these early games, players were each dealt three cards and could win by producing pairs, three of a kind, or a flush. By the 1700s, betting became a common component of the game.
Poker Was Born In The United States
As French Colonists began making the settlements in North America towards the end of the 18th century, the game of Poque came right along with them. When the United States made the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, French settlers in and around New Orleans introduced the game to English-speaking settlers, who changed the name of the game to the modern “Poker” and established the basic features of the game we know today. By 1834, Poker was played with a fifty-two card deck and players began the game with five cards instead of three.
From New Orleans, Poker traveled up the Mississippi River on riverboats, which was an epicenter for transporting various goods up and down the waterway for national distribution. Thanks to the crew members on these boats, the game began spreading throughout the country alongside the cargo. As time wore on, Poker saw a rise in popularity as the game was widely adopted by soldiers fighting on both sides of the Civil War, during which time a lot of the rules of the game considered standard by today’s definition were conceived. By the mid-to-late 1800s, Poker spanned all of America, becoming a staple table game in frontier settlements and Wild West saloons.
The Spread Of Poker Around The World
In 1871, Colonel Jacob Schenck, the U.S. Minister to Great Britain, was explaining the game of Poker to a group of gentlemen including members of the British Court when Queen Victoria caught wind of the conversation. Upon learning of her interest, Colonel Schenck drafted a copy of the rules and sent it to her personally, citing it as, “our national game.” Over the years that followed, Poker remained only in the periphery of European gaming until World War I began and the American presence in Europe led to a more widespread acceptance of the game. For nearly 100 years, Poker was considered to be a game reserved for men and was not thought appropriate to be played in mixed company. However, by the middle of the 20th century, studies revealed that Poker had become not only the favorite card game of American men, but the third most favored card game by American women. In Great Britain, Poker remains one of the most beloved card games to this day.
Play Poker at Resorts World Catskills
Over the years, different variations of modern Poker have evolved from the original five-card draw. At Resort World Catskills, guests can choose from several versions, including Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud Poker, Caribbean Stud Poker, Let It Ride Poker, Pai Gow Poker, and the reigning favorite, Texas Hold ‘Em. Though the rules of these various types of Poker games differ, the origin story that brought them to the United States and into Resort World Catskills remains the same. You certainly won’t forget Poker’s rich, deep history the next time you find yourself seated at Resort World Catskills’ Poker table, holding your winning hand close to your chest.
