Poker is a card game well known in casinos, and is considered the most popular of all card games, in which players can place bets for a central pot.

In today’s article, you will learn more about poker, its history, whether it can be considered an entertainment or a sport, and get references to learn how to bet on the game. Read on!

What is Poker?

Poker can be played by two or more people, divided into betting rounds, in which each player makes a bid based on the cards in hand.

The aim of the game is to place the highest number of bets (which can be for real or fictional money), based on a strong combination, according to the hierarchy of cards. 

Many poker enthusiasts consider poker to be a 21st century sport, due to the exorbitant growth of players in recent years.

There are even people who bet not only money, but products, such as waterproofing paint, cars, and home renovations, among others.

Because it requires cognitive skills and emotional intelligence, the game demands a series of strategies that make the players go beyond entertainment. The great advantage is that anyone can play, regardless of age or gender.

However, prejudice is still a hindrance to the development of sports poker, in face of its controversies and various prohibitions in the production of events, gambling, among others. Since 2009, the game has been regulated by the International Federation of Poker Play (IFMP), gaining international recognition as a mind sport.

Today, you can find several versions of the game, the most famous being:

• Texas Hold’em;
• Omaha;
• Seven Card Stud;
• Seven Card Draw;
• Five Card Stud;
• Five Card Draw.

Each of the modes has a series of specific rules that must be followed by players in order to win bets. 

Learn more about the history of poker

There are different versions about the origin of poker. Some scholars say that the game is derived from ancient card games, such as Az-Nas from Persia, ganjifa from India, pochen from Germany and poche from France. 

All these games had as their main objective to win the maximum amount of bets and served to demonstrate strength and confidence in the cards, or to deceive the opponent (the so-called bluff).

According to the main theories, the game poche was brought to the United States by the French colonizers who founded the city of New Orleans. 

From there, the game would become popular all along the route of the Mississippi River in the 18th century, expanding westward into the 19th century.

For this reason, poker is usually associated with the old western states, as with the gold rush and the increasing expansion of territory, the game was increasingly practiced across borders, as were the bets that allowed fortunes to pass.

How to learn how to play poker?

Whether for those who want to have fun, or for people who wish to become professional poker players, it is possible to find a number of online courses available on the internet that teach the main rules of the game.

Where can I play poker?

In addition to online courses that teach you how to master the art of poker, there are different platforms for playing with other opponents directly over the internet. 

Apart from that, it is also possible to find casinos, some even with fingerprint identification to prevent illegal gamblers from entering.

Therefore, it is important to learn all the poker rules well, to develop your mental skills and win big!