In
those days though, it was considered a ‘rich
man’s’ game, and back then it was
known as Harzard.
The English brought the game from Arabia in the
Middle Ages where it was known as Az-zahr in which
it was played as a complex game of rules and numbers.
Later in the 18th century the French got a hold
of it and there it was known as French Hazard,
and later it was called by the name we know it
as today, craps.
The name craps was actually a misnoma of the word
“crabs” which simply was a roll of
a pair of ones.
Craps spread to the rest of the world through
various eras in history.
In fact it first came to the new world with colonizers,
and privateers when they entered Nova Scotia,
Canada.
When the area changed hands after the French and
Indian Wars, those French who moved to Bayous
of Louisiana took craps south with them, though
the game continued to be played in Canada.
From that time onwards the game was simplified
and finally in 1831, New Orleans saw the first
craps game as it is played today.
Craps floated up the Mississippi on paddle wheelers,
and spread east and west on barges.
There was one last tweak of the game rules allowing
a player to bet with or against the roller and
since then craps was made into a game played by
average American.
And because of it’s recent almost American
History, it is regarded as an American game.
It is not only one of the easiest games to learn
and play since it involves only a pair of dice,
but it is also one of the most portable games
to play as it can be carried in the pockets of
players.
Since its inception, craps has only continued
to grow in popularity because of the excitement
the game offers and its simplicity to play. |
