The dead man’s hand: A legendary poker story

One of the most legendary poker terms is the "Dead man's hand". The Dead man's hand is a two-pair poker hand consisting of the Ace of spades, the Ace of clubs, the eight of spades and the eight of clubs.

These four cards, together with a fifth, unknown card were supposedly held by Wild Bill Hickok, an Old West folk hero, lawman, and gunfighter when he was murdered.

Before the 1920s, the Dead Man's hand was considered to be a "full house consisting of three jacks and a pair of tens". Edmond Hoyle refers to the Dead Man's hand as "two pair, Jacks and eights" in 1907.

However, it's the Wild Bill Hickok's legendary murder that eventually led the poker world to considering the two black Aces together with the two black eights as "The Dead Man's hand". Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall on August 2, 1876, in Nuttal & Mann's Saloon at Deadwood, Dakota Territory.

On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory at a full table. After a while a seat opened and Jack McCall, a gambler who was drunk at the time, sat down to participate in the game. However, due to his being drunk and his bad luck (?), he lost a lot of money. Hickok then suggested that he (McCall) should perhaps call it a day, quit the game and even offered to buy him breakfast! McCall did accept Hickok's offer - but, apparently, he was insulted.

The next day, August 2nd, Wild Bill Hickok was at the very same table, playing poker again. While playing, Bill used to sit having his back on the wall, so that he could see the door of the poker room. However, that day, that seat was taken; the only seat available for him was one facing away from the door. He tried to convince Charles Rich, the guy who was sitting at the seat he wanted, to exchange seats with him but to no avail.

While the game was going on, McCall (the drunk guy from the day before) entered the saloon. He allegedly walked to the poker table, behind Wild Bill and shot him with his Colt's Model 1873 Single Action Army .45 caliber revolver and killed him, shouting "Damn you! Take that!" - without any obvious reason. Wild Bill died instantly. Strangely enough, days ago he had told his friends that he thought he would be killed, while being in Deadwood!

The hand Wild Bill was holding when he was shot, the "Dead Man's Hand" were two black aces, two black eights - and an unknown, fifth card. According to a historian, that fifth card was the Queen of clubs, while others claimed that the fifth card was the Jack of diamonds.