Chinese poker has been pretty popular internationally ever since it was introduced to the global gambling scene nearly 25-years ago in 1995, during the prestigious World Series of Poker Bracelet event.
If you are interested to know why this oriental version of poker is so popular in the western world to date, and get a brief introduction to its origin story, do go through the following discussion about the history of Chinese poker, as we discuss its interesting past in brief, highlight points.
China’s Natural Inclination Towards Games of Luck and Chance
From the ancient game of Pai Gow that still lives on today, to Chinese poker in its various forms, it would be fair to say that China has a rich history of organised gambling games that dates thousands of years back, even before some of the western nations came into existence!
The Origin of Chinese Poker is Shrouded in Mystery
There are two opinions on the origin of Chinese poker and they are as follows:
The Ancient Game – Some believe that the Chinese version of poker has been in existence for thousands of years and it originated at about the same time when Pai Gow was introduced.
The Modern Hybrid – The other theory is that Chinese poker is actually a more recent development, which began when western poker was incorporated into the ancient game of Pai Gow.
According to this theory, it was intentionally devised when Pai Gow gained a lot of popularity in the western world and someone thought it would be even better if they could combine the old game with the relatively new game of poker, which was already popular in the west. As it turned out, “someone” was right!
Which of these theories is correct remains unclear at the moment, but there is no doubt about the fact that it became an instant hit when Chinese poker was made part of the WSOP Bracelet event in 1995.
Unlike the origin of the game in China, that event and that year is considered to be the official introduction point for Chinese poker to the modern world.
1997: Chinese Poker Got Dropped
Given that Chinese poker is quite different in the way how it is played, it seemed that the WSOP authorities did not want the game to be a part of their Bracelet events anymore after the initial two years of its introduction.
The WSOP started gaining more popularity, but unfortunately, they dropped Chinese poker along the way in 1997. Perhaps it wasn’t the right time to introduce the game to the mostly traditional poker loving crowd, but it did not vanish into obscurity at all.
Chinese Poker: Adopted and Modified in Europe
After the introduction in Las Vegas, US, Chinese poker soon reached international fame, which resulted in the Russians and the Finnish gamblers adopting and modifying the game.
Chinese poker, or the European version of Chinese poker was so popular in these two countries in particular that for a long time, it exceeded every other form of traditional poker across all the local casinos. It still has not lost its charm, and continues to be one of the alternative options in European poker rooms even today.
The Popular Story: Barry Greenstein Vs. Ted Forrest
Even though the WSOP did drop Chinese poker, a lot of players still liked the game and it continued to be played in the US, UK and various European countries, as already mentioned.
There were many stories regarding the games, but the most popular one states that Barry Greenstein had lost USD 1.5 million to Ted Forrest during one of the Chinese poker games.
Chinese poker was also frequently played by Phil Helmuth, Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey during their trips across the many casinos in Vegas. They all revered the game as a version of poker that required more skill and patience than traditional poker did.
This actually provided some much-needed spotlight to Chinese poker and it soared in global popularity one more time. Although the WSOP has not adopted Chinese poker in the last 22 odd years and it is not likely to adopt it anytime soon, thanks to the global reach of the internet, oriental poker has now become quite popular and has managed to reach nations that it could not before.
Chinese Poker: The Various Versions
Irrespective of a card game’s original rules, it is only a matter of time before players start modifying them once it gains popularity. The same is true about Chinese poker as well, and although it doesn’t have as many variants as say blackjack, there have still been a few through the years.
Open-Face Chinese Poker – This is the most prominent and well recognised version of the game today and this is what the Finnish had modified the original Chinese poker game into, although the Russians may claim they did it first. Regardless, it’s certainly the most interesting variant by far.
The Other Variants Played Today – Low in the Middle, Criss Cross, The Wheel and the 11-Point Game are still played today in casinos both online and offline. Do keep in mind that they are not all equally popular though, especially compared to open-faced Chinese poker.
In case you are interested to know about the various rules of each game and how they differ with each other, check out this link which will introduce you to the unique rules of Chinese poker in general, and on looking through the pages, you will find the rules and strategies for the other variations of Chinese poker as well. In fact, the article actually compares Texas Hold’em poker to Chinese poker, so that traditional players find it easier to understand.
It isn’t that Chinese poker had at any time in the past eclipsed all western card games, because it didn’t and it most likely isn’t going to either. However, that’s perfectly okay, because Chinese poker, or open-faced Chinese poker to be more precise, has earned a special place in high-stake poker rooms around the world, and is played by some of the best players in the world today, only in exclusive tournaments and high-stake games.
