Historical Notes on Texas Hold'em Poker

Historical Notes on Texas Hold'em Poker

Texas Hold'em Poker, thanks, at least in part, to major network TV coverage, has taken the USA and many parts of the world by storm. Considering how easy it is to learn, that's not all that surprising. What is surprising, however, is the major change from Hold'em simpler days.

Hold'em, supposedly, got its start in Texas, of course. Although, at the time, it was not known as Texas Hold'em but, rather, simply Hold'em poker. Although history indicates that it started in the early 1900s, nobody really knows exactly how and where.

The Texas Legislature, however, has named Robstown, Texas as the birthplace of Texas Hold'em. Although that may well be the case, common belief is that the game originated on cattle drives. That can't be right, since the railroad had already replaced the cattle ranches in the Robstown area by the time that Hold'em was supposed to have come on the scene.

The reality is that Robstown was not even officially founded until 1906. By then, it was already a juncture of two major railroad systems, the Texas and Mexican and Brownsville and Mexican lines. Land was cheap in Robstown at the time and it attracted quite a few immigrants, mostly of German and Czech decent. So, it's much more likely that the game of Texas Hold'em started out with the immigrant farmers, not the ranchers.

Slowly, the game gained popularity and, within 50 years or so, it became quite popular with the gambling crowds in Texas. In fact, it became a favorite of such gambling legends as Johnny Moss, “Amarillo Slim” Preston and Doyle Brunson in the 1950s and 60s. That's what led, eventually to the introduction of Hold'em poker to Las Vegas.

A gambler by the name of Felton “Corky” McCorquodale played Hold'em at the California Club in 1963. Although the California Club no longer exists, it started the Hold'em trend in Vegas. It wasn't long after that that a group got together to play the Texas Gamblers Reunion at the Golden Nugget Casino.

The Golden Nugget wasn't the most popular of places at the time and didn't draw much attention tot he game. However, in 1969, the Texas Gamblers were invited to play at a casino called the Dunes. Tourists quickly took an interest and, of course, the Texas gamblers made a profit on the lack of experience of those tourists. They also helped to popularize the game, in the process.

The modern history of poker is much more illustrious. Tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker and the World Poker Tour have been widely televised. Online poker play has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds. On top of everything else, movies, such as Rounders, have guaranteed Texas Hold'em's place of honor in pop culture. So, no matter where you turn these days, Texas Hold'em is there. From its roots in small Texas towns to tournaments in Las Vegas and all over the world, Hold'em is clearly here to stay, which is a joy to anyone who plays it as a hobby or for a living.

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