57 Platripedia—Game Tips
Dead Man’s Hand
The year was 1876 and the place was the town of Deadwood in the unsettled Dakota territory in the Unite States. The man known as Wild Bill Hickok entered Nuttal and Mann’s Saloon No. 10. Wild Bill Hickock was a legendary figure in the American Old West. His robust career and reputation were known far and wide. He was a notable lawman, scout, marksman, and professional gambler. His exploits garnered him fame and made him a central figure in Wild West lore.
As the saloon doors swung behind Wild Bill as he entered Nuttal and Mann’s, Bill approached his regular seat in the corner that positioned him facing the doors. This was so that he could keep an eye on the entrances in the event that one of his enemies would sneak up on him. Unfortunately for the legendary gunfighter, that seat was taken and Wild Bill was forced to take a seat with his back to the door and began to play a game of draw poker.
This proved to be his undoing. Soon Jack “Crooked Nose” McCall entered the saloon with his gun drawn and shot Wild Bill in the back during the game of poker. Legend says that Wild Bill fell dead to the floor, still clutching his poker hand—a pair of aces and a pair of eights—forever known as the “Dead Man’s Hand.” His fifth card is the subject of much speculation. It may have been a queen, or he may not have received it yet from the dealer.
In the proceeding trial, Jack McCall claimed he shot Hickock, whose real name was James Butler Hickock, for killing his brother. But this was a lie; it was later proven that Jack McCall never had a brother. Other possibilities were that Jack McCall was hired to kill Wild Bill, or that Wild Bill had insulted him that morning by offering to buy him breakfast after losing all his money in the previous night’s poker game. The true motivations for the slaying are lost in the veil of history, just like Wild Bill’s mysterious fifth card in the Dead Man’s Hand.
The story of Wild Bill Hickok and his Dead Man’s Hand is a part of American Old West mythology and has been retold in various books, movies, and television shows. It is the most famous poker hand and is recognized by poker players around the world. Often draw poker players will strive to obtain two aces and two eights out of respect for Wild Bill Hickok, even when it isn’t the most effective strategy.