The game of poker has many apocryphal beginnings. Most historians believe the word poker was derived from the 17th century French game poque. This game evolved to become the German pochen, a new version of primero. The game was brought to North America by French settlers. The earliest known version of poker dates back to the 16th century. It is also possible to find versions of the game from the 17th century in North America.
The game of poker was originally played in casinos. Some players would voluntarily contribute money into the pot before the game started. This practice is known as bluffing, and the term “poke” may have been used by pickpockets. It’s possible the “r” was added to the word to confuse the unsuspecting opponents. Although the name is very simple, poker involves an element of cheating. A player must bet in order to win.
The game of poker is played with poker chips. In larger games with seven or more players, the game should be played with chips. A white chip is the lowest-valued chip, while a red chip is worth five or ten. A blue chip is worth two, four, or five reds. A player buys in by purchasing poker chips. In addition to the initial stake, players often purchase a single card, referred to as a “single-player” hand.
