Poker Facts

So you play poker... Whether you are good or bad, win or lose, I am sure you do not know all of the following fun facts. These facts are pretty interesting to know, even for any type of player.

• Playing cards were invented in China.
• A fifth suit was added in 1937 but never caught on because people had to buy all new decks.
• At least 65,000,000 Americans regularly play poker, and more are playing every day.
• Dead mans hand is Ace's and Eights
• Getting dealt 10, 2 is referred to as Doyle Brunson because he won back to back World Series with the hand.
• In the 1800's, 2,000 to 2,500 riverboat gamblers played poker on American Waterways, By contemporary accounts, no more than four of these poker players were honest all the time. A straight beat a flush at this time.
• Las Vegas Casinos are not legally obligated to pay off there gambling debts.
• Due to French Influence, Spades represent Royalty, Diamonds represent Merchants, Clubs represent the peasants, and hearts represent the clergy.
• Edmond Hoyle lived to be 97, but died 150 years before Poker was invented.
• Playing cards were introduced in Europe in the 1300's.
• When Columbus landed in 1492 in North America, his men plucked wide leaves from trees, drew pictures on them and played cards.
• Historians generally agree that Bill Hickock was a lousy poker player.
• Groucho Marx got his name from carrying his poker money in a "grouch bag."
• Former President Richard Nixon won $6,000 playing poker in his first two months in the U.S. Navy during WWll. That's equal to roughly $42,640 in 2004 dollars. He used that money as well as more poker winnings to finance his run for the U.S. Congress in 1946, for which he won.