Poker Trivia – Impress your poker buddies with your knowledge

Where did the name “poker” come from?

The origins of the card game poker are not entirely clear.  Some say that it comes from “poque”, which is an old French card game, somewhat similar to today’s poker game.  Others say that it comes from the word “pochen”, which is German for brag or bluff.

Out of 5 Americans, how many of them play poker regularly?

One in five Americans play poker regularly.  This means that around 40 – 50 million people in America play poker games regularly.

How many packs of playing cards are sold in America annually?

There are more than 70 million packs of cards sold in America annually.  While these packs of cards are likely to have other uses too, most of them are used to play poker games!

What have sandwiches and poker got in common?

Not very much nowadays, but a lot for the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu.  In the 1700s, Montagu was a serious poker player.  He wouldn’t leave the poker table to eat his meals.  He had someone bring him two slices of bread with a piece of meat between them. Other players caught onto Montagu’s meal idea, and the rest is history.  Thanks to poker and the Earl of Sandwich, we have a quick and easy meal today!

What is a “Dead man’s hand”, and how did it get its name?

“Dead man’s hand” is a poker hand that contains two pairs – Aces and eights.  The hand got its name from the time when Wild Bill Hickock was shot dead in the back while he was playing a poker game.  The saloon owner claimed that the hand he held when he died contained the two pairs (Aces and eights), with all the cards black.  He was shot on 2nd August 1876 in the Nuttal & Mann’s “Saloon No. 10″ in Deadwood.  The story claims that he couldn’t find an empty corner seat, which he usually chose in order to ensure no sneak attacks on him from behind, so Hickock unwisely sat with his back to the door of the saloon.  Jack McCall came in and shot Wild Bill with a .45 revolver.

Which American president used poker money to fund his first run for the United States Congress?

While playing poker in his first two months in the United States Navy, Richard Nixon won the sum of $6,000.  He used his poker game winnings to help fund his first run for the US Congress.

In Texas Hold’em Poker, what does it mean when you are “under the gun”?

“Under the gun” is when a poker player is the first to act in a Texas Holdem poker game, ie., in the first position on the poker table.