Games of Chance
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Gambling played a major role in the lives of the buffalo hunters and cowboys who drove the Westward movement of America during the nineteenth century. The game of chance was dear to the heart of the early frontiersman who spun the wheel on liquor, lust and luck. Whether it was a game of poker played on a blanket or a Faro bet placed in a saloon. Like most frontier towns Dodge City started with a small clump of tents including first a saloon, a general store, and livery stable. It did not take long for the settlement to expand and with this expansion entertainment came with the games of chance.
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“Gamblers of Dodge City” is about the games of chance played in the saloons of the old west from faro to chuck-a-luck. These games of chance are explained through both the context of imaging and audio narration. The providing chapters on gambling expand on the stories behind the games being played in the small makeshift community of Dodge City. Chapter two provides a beginning explanation of the early cattle drives prompting economic growth.
Chapter three entitled Card Games offers the history and origins of such favorite nineteenth Century saloon games like Faro, Spanish Monte, poker and draw poker. The third chapter entitled Games of Chance provides background information on the game of Keno, Chuck-a-Luck and concludes with a narrative on the gambler as a Festive Sportsman.
Chapter three entitled Card Games offers the history and origins of such favorite nineteenth Century saloon games like Faro, Spanish Monte, poker and draw poker. The third chapter entitled Games of Chance provides background information on the game of Keno, Chuck-a-Luck and concludes with a narrative on the gambler as a Festive Sportsman.
High-Stakes and Shootouts in the Wild West: Exploring the Risky Realm of Frontier Gambling and Famous Figures of Dodge City
The Wild West era, renowned for its rowdy buffalo hunters and cowboys, also had a vibrant culture of gambling. Frontier towns like Dodge City were a hotbed of high-stakes games like poker and ferro, attracting gamblers from far and wide.
Gambling was a popular form of entertainment during the 19th century, particularly in frontier towns. The arrival of Texas cattle drives brought a new wave of gamblers, including professional figures like Richard Dick Clark. Ferro, a game with a complex layout and unique roles for the dealer and casekeeper, was a crowd favorite. Another popular game was Spanish Monty, a game loved by Texas cowboys. The intricate world of gambling in the Old West was not just about entertainment; it was an integral part of the lifestyle. |
Poker, in particular, has a fascinating history in the Wild West. One famous poker game involved ex-governor Thomas Carney, who lost all his possessions to Colonel Charlie Norton. Quick-shooting gamblers like Bat Masterson, who became famous as frontier lawmen, frequented these games. The game, often leading to disputes and even shootings, was more than just a pastime; it was a risk-filled environment that could change one's destiny.
But the games of the Wild West were not limited to poker and ferro. The Spanish Monty, for example, was a game introduced to the card game scene at the conclusion of the Mexican War in 1847. These rough and unruly frontier guerrilla fighters learned the game well while occupying Mexico City, and soon the game was popular in Dodge City. This game's origin goes back to Spain, where the name means mountain or pile, as in a pile of cards.
In addition to poker and Monty, there was also the game of Kino, a lottery game that originated from a Chinese general who needed money to finance a war. This game found its way into Dodge City and was played in gambling houses known as Kino Dens. It involved players purchasing a ticket or card and placing small wagers to win a large payoff if luck was on their side.
The world of Wild West gambling was a thrilling and risky realm, where every bet placed was more than just a game. It was an integral part of the culture and lifestyle of the era, shaping the destinies of many and creating legends that are remembered to this day. Whether it was a high-stakes poker game in Dodge City or a round of Spanish Monty among Texas cowboys, the allure of gambling in the Wild West continues to fascinate us today.
But the games of the Wild West were not limited to poker and ferro. The Spanish Monty, for example, was a game introduced to the card game scene at the conclusion of the Mexican War in 1847. These rough and unruly frontier guerrilla fighters learned the game well while occupying Mexico City, and soon the game was popular in Dodge City. This game's origin goes back to Spain, where the name means mountain or pile, as in a pile of cards.
In addition to poker and Monty, there was also the game of Kino, a lottery game that originated from a Chinese general who needed money to finance a war. This game found its way into Dodge City and was played in gambling houses known as Kino Dens. It involved players purchasing a ticket or card and placing small wagers to win a large payoff if luck was on their side.
The world of Wild West gambling was a thrilling and risky realm, where every bet placed was more than just a game. It was an integral part of the culture and lifestyle of the era, shaping the destinies of many and creating legends that are remembered to this day. Whether it was a high-stakes poker game in Dodge City or a round of Spanish Monty among Texas cowboys, the allure of gambling in the Wild West continues to fascinate us today.
Card Games
Cards were popular games of chance. The great Texas cattle drive’s of the 1870’s brought hordes of gamblers and willing cowboys to the wide open railhead towns in Kansas like Dodge City. Once the card games of faro, Monte, twenty-one and poker got started the clock ran non-stop in places like the Crystal Palace, the Alhambra, the Lady Gay, the Junction Saloon and the Long Branch - almost outnumbered the cowboys who were their prey.
After months of pushing steers up the Western trail to the railhead the cowboy longed for a hot bath, hair cut, a good meal, a descent drink of whiskey, a woman companion, and a chance of “bucking the tiger” at the faro tables. The faro game was also called "bucking the tiger" or "twisting the tiger's tail," this was because during the 1830s a faro playing kit was often carried in a mahogany box with a Royal Bengal Tiger painted on the cover. |
Players adopted the tiger as the presiding deity of the game. The name also fits because of the fast pace of the game, the large stakes played, and the devastating losses suffered by some players (and dealers). Some gambling houses would simply hang a picture of a tiger in their windows to advertise that a game could be found within. Faro was also known as “Bucking the Tiger.”
Richard Dick Clark
Men like Richard "Dick" Clark who maintained a professional gambler profile moved along the rail lines setting up gambling establishments in Kansas cattle towns. In 1875 the tall, thin, pale- faced, dark haired professional gambler arrived in Dodge City.
He ran the Faro tables at some of the most notorious gambling halls of the day, including the Green Front, the Lone Star, the Crystal Palace, and the Alamo. Between his Faro banks and Poker games he managed a very successful run in Dodge City avoiding any major incidents.
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FARO
Spanish Monte
As the Cattle Drives came up the Western trail into Dodge City so did the Texas Cowboy. These Texas Cowboys were seasoned “Spanish monte” players and were first introduced to the card game at the conclusion of the Mexican War in 1847. These rough and unruly frontier guerrilla fighters learned the game well while occupying Mexico City. It did not take long for the wild and raucous Texans to show other fellow occupying forces the finer points of banking the game as these fellow soldiers entered Mexico City. The origin of monte goes back to Spain where the name means mountain or pile as in a pile of cards.
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Poker
The exact origin of Poker is unknown but many have speculated that it originated from a 16th century Persian card game called As Nas. Played with a 25-card deck containing five suits, the rules were similar to today's Five Card Stud. Poker in the United States was first widely played in New Orleans by French settlers playing a card game that involved bluffing and betting called Poque. This old Poker game was similar to Draw Poker.
One of the most classic poker games ever told was played out in Dodge City Kansas. On March 24, 1887 Ex-Governor Thomas Carney gets of the six o’clock train bound to Dodge City from Leavenworth. His expressed purpose for being in Dodge City was to purchase buffalo hides and bones for a St. Louis firm. While the Ex-Governor was in Dodge City he called on a few of the prominent citizens to strike up a game of poker.
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Draw Poker
In Draw Poker all of the cards were dealt face down to each player. After all of the cards were dealt there was a round of betting. In the next round players discarded any number of cards and received the same number of cards from the dealer. When all players completed their hands there was another round of betting before a winner was declared.
It was at the draw poker tables that men like Bat Masterson witnessed shooting scrapes between gambler and cowboy. This had been the case one evening between gambler Frank Loving and Levie Richardson.
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Levie Richardson a high-strung individual who was not afraid of any man decided “Cock-eyed Frank,” had did him wrong. “Cock-eyed Frank, Loving was a mere boy at the time and as a gambler he new it best to carry a gun. He knew that being a gambler he needed to be prepared to deal out the best he had when his man came. Richardson found Loving sitting unconcerned like on a card table in the Long Branch Saloon. Richardson seeing Loving pulled out his .45 caliber pistol and rapidly fired five rounds, missing every shot at Loving. Loving on the other hand took his time about his work and fired one clean shot, putting an end to the quarrel and sending Richardson into the sight of permanent darkness.
Keno
The game of Keno did not fall within the category of card, dice or other wheel games. Yet, Keno found its way into Dodge City and was played in some of the gambling houses known as Keno dens. The origin of Keno went back to a Chinese general who needed money to finance a war. According to a 2,000-year-old ledged the general developed a lottery game. The game required people to place small wagers to win a large payout if luck was on their side. During the 19th century, Chinese railroad builders brought the game to the western United States. It became very popular in the gambling houses of the West
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Chuck-a-Luck
Chuck-A-Luck originated in England and was one of the oldest dice games. The game was originally called Sweat Cloth. The original name had a connection to how the game was played. A player proceeded cautiously taking no risk or "sweating out". Sweat-Cloth was known in the United States at least as early as 1800, with the name generally shortened to Sweat.
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