Funny how we never see the Indians playing poker in a Western. Do you think they did?

http://www.firstpeople.us/pictures/art/o......957.html

Native Americans involved in gambling? Could it be? LOL.

Actually, I understand that gambling is a part of the culture of many Native Tribes. I have no doubt that Natives Americans played poker. The reason you never see it depicted in the movies is that Native Americans weren't welcome in the establishments that had gaming in the old west.

Most Native Americans probably played quarters.

The Time-Life book series "The Old West" has a volume entitled simply The Gamblers. The book devotes 30 pages entirely to Indian gambling in the late 19th century. The played everything from checkers to card games. They bet on what we would probably call sporting events as well.

Jason

In Frank Garcia's 'Marked Cards and Loaded Dice' he makes reference to a native american Indian called Lo who epitomised inscrutability and had an 'unreadable' poker face. According to Garcia he was the richest Indian in Oklahoma. The trouble is of course, its sometimes difficult to know how much Garcia exaggerates in order pep up a good yarn.

Regards,

Paul H