The game we know as poker is believed to have ancient roots that go back nearly 1,000 years, crossing several continents and cultures. Some historians say poker’s origins can be traced to a domino/card game played by a 10th-century Chinese emperor. We do know that as early as the sixteenth century, Germans amused themselves with a bluffing game called Pochen and the French played an adaptation called Poque.
Colonists brought Poque to New Orleans and from there poker spread up the Mississippi River and throughout the country, due to its popularity among crews of riverboats transporting goods via that famous waterway.
Recognition of poker in Europe transpired several decades later, largely thanks to the guidance of American soldiers during World War I. Since then different forms of poker have spawned including five-card draw, seven-card stud and the current dominant variety, Texas Hold’em.
The Future of Poker
The game is simple in its requirements, with just a deck of cards and some chips needed, but complex in its strategies and laws. It is played in private homes for pennies or famous casinos for millions of dollars. Yet the future of this ancient game is under scrutiny and new ideas and innovation are required to secure it remains a favorite. As we move forward with technological developments showing no signs of slowing up, the game of poker must develop to appeal to an audience of potential players who have come to rely on their gadgets to entertain them.
There is little doubt that Virtual Reality (VR) will be the next big thing and the ability to harness this exciting new tech will decide the future of many pursuits and activities we do today. At the moment, this new gaming technology is simply not accessible to everyone, but the price will fall and soon VR will be everywhere. This will hopefully lead to new types of experiences that will push the boundaries of gaming and poker needs to be a part of it.
Poker Potential
The bright lights of Las Vegas and the James Bond classiness of Monte Carlo may be a little closer than you think if VR and poker can find a symbiosis in the future. It’s not as improbable as you might think, and a number of online casinos have been developing 3D poker rooms or VR poker experiences for several years now. With avatars whose movements and voice can be controlled, soon players will be able to read their opponents’ tells as if they were in a live setting.
This, coupled with the ability for players to transport themselves into a new world far away from their mundane surroundings, makes for a thrilling new experience with every game. The immersive nature of VR means players can don their VR headset and pull up a seat at the Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars if they wish.
The future of poker is safeguarded if the industry continues to adopt the steady stream of technological advancements to enhance the game. Next, developers will need to find a way of transporting players in the midst of live tournaments like WSOP so that they can soak up the atmosphere and feel like they are really meeting their poker stars.
