Poker: Myth and Fact -- I

Poker. Do you know the game?

Life's a gamble, so we all should.

But do you know the historical facts and myth of poker? Neither do I, but I did a little fact checking, research, and embellishment. And I'll reckon you don't care which is which, unless you're a poker purist, and want my head on your trophy mantle, if you are actually good enough to have one. After all, a little bit of research, coupled with having watched the movie Maverick, makes me an expert, according to the current standards the government is using. So, widdat established:

The game of poker tends to conjure up images of the 19th Century American West, paddle-wheeled river boats, and smoke-filled rooms of card-playing, gun-toting card sharks, victims and cheats. However, my research suggests that poker had a much more ancient beginning, from which over 70 game variations have grown to date, with more being created. Poker is known and played all over the world, virtually anywhere that gambling, dating, international politics or fireplaces exist.

According to incomplete, oft-times no longer extant Greek and Roman texts, the earliest known forerunner of poker first appeared in Macedon, around 355BC. The game was originated amongst the soldiers of King Philip II of Macedon, but it had nothing to do with cards: it was a game of skill, chance, risk and bluff, involving two soldiers taking turns lofting pikes (spears) at one anothers' feet. The game was, at this inception, meant to enhance eye-hand coordination, and introduced the element of bluff, so integral to later evolutions of poker. The first competitor to 'flinch' at a near-miss (or impalement) would concede by crying out "Poker!" (in, of course, the Macedonian equivalent, which I couldn't find in the fragmentary texts).

Due to higher than anticipated casualties after a night of drinking and poker play, Philip put a kabosh to this inaugural version, at least during conquest season.

Poker resurfaced in the armies of Philip II's successor, his son Alexander the Great, in 331BC. But the game was vastly different: it introduced the playing card, of which there were only four to a deck, one each of four suits (a fig, a spearhead, a horse, and a snake). This version's originator, whose name is lost to the ages, also introduced the idea of playing this version for money. He would select a player , bade them to put down a wager, which he'd match; then he'd lay down the four cards, face-down, and invite them to pick up any pair. Without fail, the other player would pick two cards, the scheming entrepreneur would pick up the two wagers, and declare himself the winner.

This lucrative practice -- and game variant -- came to a halt in 324BC, when he tried it with Alexander himself. Not finding losing to his liking, Alexander was also quicker with a dagger.

The game once again disappeared from the known world scene until about 56BC, when Roman Consul Julius Caesar encountered it during his campaigns against the Gallic and Celtic tribes in current-day France and England. Between pillagings and burnings, Caesar made note in his Commentaries of a strange card game with Macedonian origins, from Gallic prisoners which they referred to as "poquat". The game now consisted of 10 cards, with values of 2 through 11. Four players would draw two cards each and make the best hand they could, wagering gold tourques (the gold bracelets worn and coveted by the Gallic tribes). The high hand total won.

While Caesar found passing fascination with the game, his legionnaires found more interest in booty, and focused on gleaning all the gold tourques they could scavenge. Caesar made no further mention of the game in his famous seven book Commentaries, and again poker faded from official accounts, and into the muck of history.

But poker proved a very resilient game, with elements of the Macedonian origin turning up in Persia, France, Germany, and gradually throughout Eurasia. The Persian variation was called As Nas; the French version became Poque, while the German variation was called Pochen.

As Nas -- often referred to as the great-great-great-infidel grandmother of American poker -- was played with a 20 card deck for four players, or 25 card deck for five players. Playing card designs incorporated the equivalent of today's ace, king, queen, jack and ten, in five suits (formal, casual, desert contemporary, leisure and armored). The game rules were simple: five cards, face down, were dealt to each player; after checking their cards, each player either placed a wager, or passed. Players then either raised their initial wager or folded. The best hand remaining won, and was determined as follows: four of a kind, full house (three of a kind plus a pair), three of a kind, two pair, and one pair. As Nas also made full use of the art of bluffing -- to convince other players that your hand was unbeatable, and have them fold.

The ability to bluff was well-enhanced when the player was also the baddest cat at the table with

a scimitar.

Next up: Part II -- Coming To America