Poker originated in the 1800s, evolving from games like French poque and English Brag. It thrived as it spread across America, particularly with the introduction of steamboats during the Gold Rush. The game involved strategy, bluffing, and sometimes cheating, leading to its popularity and eventual outlawing in some regions due to rampant cheating.
Vocabulary:
• Saloons : Bars or drinking establishments.
• Standoffs : Deadlocks or stalemates, often tense situations where no progress is made.
• Loaded pistols : Guns filled with ammunition.
• Bluff : Deception or pretending to have a better hand than one actually does.
• Guile : Cunning or sly intelligence.
• Livelihoods : Means of supporting oneself, often through work or employment.
• Accomplice : A person who helps another commit a crime or wrongdoing.
• Pre-sequenced : Arranged in advance or pre-determined order.
• Lucrative : Producing a profit or gain.
Source: Ted-Ed