The Dead Man’s Hand – All You Need To Know
August 20, 2019 Ken JohnsonIf you are into poker and you love westerns and wild west stories, then this one is right up your alley! The dead man’s hand is one of the more peculiar card combinations in poker and is one shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. Thus, we thought it would be a good idea to get people up to speed with a short, but informative post.
The History Behind The Dead Man’s Hand – How it Came About?
Ut is quite unclear when exactly did the phrase can be found in written documents that date as early as the 19th century. For the first time it appeared in an article in the Grand Forks Daily Herald and was described as three jacks and a pair of tens. The next time this name was used was in 1903 in the Encyclopaedia of Superstitions, Folklore and the Occult Science according to which the hand consists jacks and sevens. Then, four years later, in 1907, Edmond Hoyle describes it as all jacks and eights.
The dead man’s hand, as we know it today, originates in a legend about the infamous folk hero James Butler Hickok, also known by his alias Wild Bill. According to the story he was a jack of all trades and was well know across the wild west as an actor, lawman, scout, soldier, gunfighter and most importantly a gambler. The legends say that during a game of five-card stud poker he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall. By the words of Carl Breihan, a Western historian, the cards were picked up by a man that went by the name Neil Christy before finding their way to his son. The hand consisted the ace of diamonds, the ace of clubs, the two black eights and the queen of hearts.
Despite the fact that contemporary sources that confirm the story are yet to be discovered, Frank Wilstach’s 1926 novel titled Wild Bill Hickok: The Prince of Pistoleers make the two pair of black aces and black eights so notorious.
Pop Culture and The Dead Man’s Hand
As is the case with most stories about folk heroes, the dead man’s hand found its way into the popular culture. Song lyrics, TV series, movies and logos are just some of the mediums that have adopted the story. Here are a couple of the most well-known examples:
- Why are large maps rubbish at playing poker? – They always fold!
- Yesterday I lost a lot of money… I played against one of the big cats. – Most likely was a cheetah!
- What is the biggest difference between a church and a poker room? – In a poker room, you really mean it when you pray!
- What did the dealer say to the deck of cards? – I can’t deal with you anymore!
- Have you ever heard of the sarcastic gambler? – Yeah, he is a real eye-roller!
- The kid could be the perfect maid, ’cause all he does is fold, fold, fold!
- Why pirates cannot play cards? – Because they are standing on the deck!
- Dead Man’s Hand – song by Motorhead
- Randle McMurphy’s tattoo from the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- The sign of the LAPD Homicide Division
- Part of the lyrics of Fire Lake – song by Bob Seger
- Part of the challenge in the famous game Fallout
- Can be seen painted in the lobby of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Disneyland
Regardless whether the story is true or not, it is a great piece of pop culture that will stay with us in the foreseeable future. Moreover, it makes for an awesome topic for chit chat around the poker table. We hope that you’ve found this short article both intriguing and informative and that we’ve managed to spark an interest in you for those amazing frontier gambling stories.
