The Legend of Pokers Dead Man’s Hand
The Dead Man’s Hand is not as terrifying as it may sounds. This poker hand actually refers to a poker hand that has a two pair that consists of aces and eights from the black suit. There is not much to fear despite its name unless of course your opponent has a better hand.
It has been said that the term Dead Man’s Hand comes from when Bill Hickok the western folk hero and a true legend was assassinated. It was said that he was holding this hand when he was killed.
The Dead Man’s Hand manifestation though had some value in the 19th and 20th centuries. The hand was not actually connected to Hickok till the 1920s. The earliest known mention to Dead Man’s Hand was in 1886. It was said to be a full house that consisted of three jacks and a pair of 10s.
In 1903, there was a reference to the Dead Man’s Hand as being jacks and sevens. This reference was made an encyclopedia that spoke of folklore and other myths. In 1907, the Dead Man’s Hand was seen as jacks and eights by Edmond Hoyle.
When we think of the Dead Man’s Hand today we think of the legend of James Butler Hickok. He was also named Wild Bill. Jack McCall killed wild Bill by a gunshot in the rear of the head. This even happened in the Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon situated in Deadwood, Dakota on the 2nd of August 1876. His final hand has been said to be the black aces and the black eights.
Carl W. Breihan who wrote a book on Western history said the cards that Wild Bill was holding were picked up off the ground by Nail Christy. He then passed the cards onto his son. His son said that the hand consisted of an ace of diamonds, an ace of clubs as well as the eights that were black. The fifth card, which he said was the queen hearts showed a little bit of Hickok’s blood.
However the accepted version of the cards according to Joseph Rosa were that the cards were the clubs and spades of aces and two eights that were also black suits. The fifth card was the queen of clubs.
The among gamers the Dead Man’s Hand is a two pair of aces and eights and this solidification came in 1926, this was then half a century after the death of Wild Bill’s death.
In regards to the fifth card though there have been quite a few variations around its identity. There have been some proposals that he had discarded the card. Another suggestion is that he actually never got a fifth card as the shooting stopped the draw.
In deadwood there are displays that show the fifth card as the nine diamonds. A jack of diamonds is the fifth card used at the Lucky Nugget and in the Las Vegas Stardust Casino before it was demolished they used the five of diamonds.
The Dead Man’s Hand is used as the insignia for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System as well as for the Homicide division of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
It has been said that the term Dead Man’s Hand comes from when Bill Hickok the western folk hero and a true legend was assassinated. It was said that he was holding this hand when he was killed.
The Dead Man’s Hand manifestation though had some value in the 19th and 20th centuries. The hand was not actually connected to Hickok till the 1920s. The earliest known mention to Dead Man’s Hand was in 1886. It was said to be a full house that consisted of three jacks and a pair of 10s.
In 1903, there was a reference to the Dead Man’s Hand as being jacks and sevens. This reference was made an encyclopedia that spoke of folklore and other myths. In 1907, the Dead Man’s Hand was seen as jacks and eights by Edmond Hoyle.
When we think of the Dead Man’s Hand today we think of the legend of James Butler Hickok. He was also named Wild Bill. Jack McCall killed wild Bill by a gunshot in the rear of the head. This even happened in the Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon situated in Deadwood, Dakota on the 2nd of August 1876. His final hand has been said to be the black aces and the black eights.
Carl W. Breihan who wrote a book on Western history said the cards that Wild Bill was holding were picked up off the ground by Nail Christy. He then passed the cards onto his son. His son said that the hand consisted of an ace of diamonds, an ace of clubs as well as the eights that were black. The fifth card, which he said was the queen hearts showed a little bit of Hickok’s blood.
However the accepted version of the cards according to Joseph Rosa were that the cards were the clubs and spades of aces and two eights that were also black suits. The fifth card was the queen of clubs.
The among gamers the Dead Man’s Hand is a two pair of aces and eights and this solidification came in 1926, this was then half a century after the death of Wild Bill’s death.
In regards to the fifth card though there have been quite a few variations around its identity. There have been some proposals that he had discarded the card. Another suggestion is that he actually never got a fifth card as the shooting stopped the draw.
In deadwood there are displays that show the fifth card as the nine diamonds. A jack of diamonds is the fifth card used at the Lucky Nugget and in the Las Vegas Stardust Casino before it was demolished they used the five of diamonds.
The Dead Man’s Hand is used as the insignia for the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System as well as for the Homicide division of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.