Dead Man's Hand

It’s been widely reported in popular culture that Wild Bill (real name: James Butler Hickok) was shot while holding four specific cards, which have become known as “the dead man’s hand.” Most versions of the story claim that the dead man’s hand consists of the Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, Eight of Spades, and Eight of Clubs. DEAD MAN'S HAND is the 28mm skirmish game by Great Escape Games. Bands of tough and wily Cowboys, stoic Lawmen, ruthless Outlaws and crazy Desperados fight for fame and respect in the Old West. With an accompanying range of 28mm miniatures and pre-painted buildings, now you can fight legendary gunfights of the historical Old West and the silver screen. There are many legends and stories about the origin of this poker hand, but according to experts, the Dead Man’s Hand was named after a hand held by James Butler Hickok. Many of you will probably recognize this gentleman as Wild Bill Hickok, a folk hero of the American Old West. He was a man of many talents and a passionate poker player. What is currently considered the dead man's hand card combination received its notoriety from a legend that it was the five-card stud or five-card draw hand, held by James Butler Hickok (better known as 'Wild Bill' Hickok) when he 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 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok was playing poker in Deadwood, South Dakota. Suddenly, a pistol fired. Hickok died instantly. His hand at the time, “aces and eights,” has become known as the Dead Man’s Hand. But is that a legend? Or is it real?

Wild Bill Hickok

James Butler Hickok was originally known as “Duck Bill,” apparently due to a large nose and an upper lip that jutted out from his face. Eventually, he grew a mustache and in 1861, adopted the moniker, Wild Bill.

His exploits in the Old West were legendary. He was a skilled scout and an expert marksman. He fought and killed a bear with his bare hands, suffering severe injuries in the process. He killed Davis Tutt in the first known “quick draw duel.” He acted in a play called Scouts of the Plains with Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro. Calamity Jane, the famous American frontierswoman, claimed to have married him.

In July 1876, Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota via wagon train. Some say he had a premonition of sorts regarding his impending death.

“Well, as to that, I suppose I am called a red-handed murderer, which I deny. That I have killed men I admit, but never unless in absolute self-defense or in the performance of an official duty. I never in my life took any mean advantage of an enemy. Yet, understand, I never allowed a man to get the drop on me. But perhaps I may yet die with my boots on.” ~ Wild Bill Hickok to Mrs. Annie Tallent, Several months before his death, Pioneer Days in the Back Hills, John S. McClintock

On August 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok entered Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon No. 10. He usually sat with his back to the wall. However, the only available stool required him to put his back to the door. He sat down and started to play five-card-draw. But he was uncomfortable with the arrangement and twice, asked another player named Charles Rich to switch stools with him. Rich refused.

Dead Man’s Hand

During the game, a former buffalo hunter named John McCall strode into the saloon. He parked himself a few feet away from Hickok and drew his pistol. “Take that!” he shouted as he fired it. The bullet careened through Hickok’s skull and Wild Bill died instantly.

According to popular legend, Hickok held two black aces and two black eights at the time of his death. The fifth card, or kicker, is a source of mystery. Some claim it was the queen of clubs. Others say it was the nine of diamonds, the jack of diamonds, the five of diamonds, or the queen of hearts. Still others say no fifth card ever existed, suggesting Hickok was in the middle of drawing a new card when he was murdered.

But what about the “aces and eights” part? Is that accurate? Well, no contemporary sources exist that indicate what cards Hickok was holding at the time of his death. “Aces and eights” was provided by Frank J. Wilstach in his 1926 book, Wild Bill Hickok: The Prince of Pistoleers. Wilstach quoted “Doc” Peirce, the town barber, who was asked to serve as an “impromptu undertaker.”

“Now, in regard to the position of Bill’s body, when they unlocked the door for me to get his body, he was lying on his side, with his knees drawn up just as he slid off his stool. We had no chairs in those days — and his fingers were still crimped from holding his poker hand. Charlie Rich, who sat beside him, said he never saw a muscle move. Bill’s hand read ‘aces and eights’ — two pair, and since that day aces and eights have been known as ‘the dead man’s hand’ in the Western country.” ~ Ellis T. “Doc” Peirce, Wild Bill Hickok: The Prince of Pistoleers

This account was published 50 years after Hickok’s death. It has yet to be collaborated by any outside source.

Guerrilla Explorer’s Take

If Peirce was right, then aces and eights was known as the dead man’s hand in “the Western country.” However, newspapers from that location and period tell a different story. The first known mention of a Dead Man’s Hand, a July 1, 1886 article in the Grand Forks Daily Herald, not only disagrees with the Hand itself but also its origin.

“I was present at a game in a Senator’s house one night and saw him win $6,000 on one hand. It was the dead man’s hand. What is the dead man’s hand? Why, it is three jacks and a pair of tens. It is called the dead man’s hand because about forty seven years ago, in a town in Illinois, a celebrated judge bet his house and lot on three jacks and a pair of tens…When his opponent showed up he had three queens and a pair of tens. Upon seeing the queens the judge fell back dead, clutching the jacks and tens in his hand, and that’s why a jack-full on tens is called the dead man’s hand.” ~ Grand Forks Daily Herald, July 1, 1886

Later accounts show different versions, including jacks and eights, tens and treys (threes), and jacks and sevens. Regardless, none of these articles connect the Dead Man’s Hand to Wild Bill Hickok.

At this point, the definitive origin of the Dead Man’s Hand remains an unsolved mystery. If the Wild Bill Hickok story could be proved by contemporary sources, it would be the oldest known version of the legend. For those of you in the New York area, consider taking a trip down to the New York Public Library. That’s where Wilstach’s papers are located. Perhaps there’s some additional information in “Doc” Peirce’s letter. Or maybe, just maybe, there’s some other evidence waiting to be found. If you find anything, let us know and we’ll cover your discovery right here on Guerrilla Explorer. Who knows? You just might solve one of history’s most puzzling unsolved mysteries!

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Have you ever heard about the Dead Man’s Hand in poker? This term might seem a little bit morbid, but the fact is that this is one of the most famous poker hands of all time. Of course, there are many other poker hands with interesting nicknames, but this is definitely among the most intriguing ones.

Before we go into details and start explaining what the Dead Man’s Hand is all about, let us mention that this particular poker hand includes two pairs of cards (four cards in total). Generally speaking, poker hands that gave nicknames consist of three or more cards. If you want to find out more about this special poker hand, you should follow our guide.

Discover the story behind the Dead Man’s Hand
Find out the value of this specific hand in poker
Learn more about the legacy of this hand

Dead Man's Hand Whiskey

We’ve conducted research, consulted experts and found all the things that players would probably want to know about the Dead Man’s Hand. Keep reading this guide to unravel some interesting facts.

The story behind the famous Dead Man’s Hand

There are many legends and stories about the origin of this poker hand, but according to experts, the Dead Man’s Hand was named after a hand held by James Butler Hickok. Many of you will probably recognize this gentleman as Wild Bill Hickok, a folk hero of the American Old West. He was a man of many talents and a passionate poker player.

So, Wild Bill Hickok was playing five-card stud poker with Jack McCall and a few other players in Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon at Deadwood, Dakota back in August 1876. McCall decided to kill Hickok at one point and shot him in the back of his head. It turned out that the final poker hand held by Hickok consisted of a pair of black aces and black eights. This poker hand became known as the Dead Man’s Hand.

Due to the fact that he was a folk hero, the story about his death has spread across the country. A visitor took the cards and wrote a book about the event. Some experts claim that it’s impossible to tell whether the poker hand included the cards we’ve mentioned before, but nonetheless, people today know this combination as the Dead Man’s hand.

This poker hand got its name in honor of James Butler (Wild Bill) Hickok
He was killed while playing five-card stud poker
There are many stories about this game of poker

The legend continues

It’s interesting that even though the term Dead Man’s Hand was used at the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th century, there’s no written record that can confirm that this hand was named after Wild Bill Hickok. It was in the 1920s when the situation has changed.

Namely, in 1926, Frank J. Wilstach wrote a biography about Wild Bill Hickok and he used this story in his book. The author has spent a lot of time researching the life of this folk hero and we can consider him to be a relevant source. Regardless of the authenticity of the story, most people consider the last poker hand held by Wild Bill Hickok to be the Dead Man’s Hand.

It’s worth mentioning that there are a few other things that might have led to the creation of this term. For example, in an Encyclopedia that was published in 1903, the Dead Man’s Hand is described as a combination of a pair of jacks and a pair of sevens. An article in the Grand Forks Daily Herald from 1886, describes this poker hand like a full house that includes a pair of tens and three jacks.

This term was used since the 19^th century
In 1926 it was associated with Wild Bill Hickok for the first time
There are descriptions of the Dead Man’s Hand in a few other books before 1926

The Dead Man’s Hand is popular even today

It seems that the tale about the cursed and bad poker hand has grabbed the attention of many people since it was released for the first time in the 1920s. We can see many references to this famous poker hand in the last few decades.

References in movies and on TV

The Untouchables was a very popular TV series in the early 1990s. In one of the episodes, there’s a shootout between the members of the Italian and Irish mafia while the Irish mafiosos are playing poker. When the detectives come to the scene to investigate the incident, one of the players has Aces and eights in his hands.

Even the famous The X-Files TV series has mentioned the famous Dead Man’s Hand. In one of the episodes, one of the episode’s main characters is playing poker with Agent Dana Scully. The camera is focused on the character’s poker hand – a full house that includes three aces and two eights. The American science-fiction TV series known as Quantum Leap has an even more direct reference to this poker hand. Namely, in the first episode of this TV show, when a player wants to rig a poker game by dealing black aces and eights to another player, one of the main characters says that they have recognized the Dead Man’s Hand.

Less than 15 years after the Dead Man’s Hand has been linked to Wild Bill Hickock, the Dead Man’s Hand is mentioned in a movie called Frontier Marshal where Wyatt Earp is in the main role (played by Randolph Scott). He has a poker hand that consists of aces and eights. A 2018 Western movie called The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by the Coen Brothers, the first vignette displays this poker hand. There are a few other Western movies where the Dead Man’s Hand is mentioned.

The Dead Man’s Hand is mentioned in many TV series
This poker hand was mentioned in many movies too
Most of these movies are Western movies

References in books and novels

It turns out that the Dead Man’s Hand was fascinating for many book and novel authors too. For instance, Ken Kesey has a reference to the Dead Man’s Hand in his One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest novel. One of the main characters has a tattoo that features the poker hand on the shoulder. Wild Cards is a popular series of science fiction anthologies and one of the books that are part of this series is called Dead Man’s Hand. In one of the Batman R.I.P. comic books, the Joker himself sends a mysterious message to Batman by dealing cards that include a modified Dead Man’s Hand.

Thomas Pynchon, the popular American novelist, has mentioned the Dead Man’s Hand in his Inherent Vice novel. This time, the author decided to reveal the mysterious fifth card in the poker hand – a nine of diamonds. Final Destination is a popular movie, but there are a few novels based on this thriller/horror movie. The Dead Man’s Hand is the title of one of these novels.

The Dead Man’s Hand was mentioned in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest novel
There are references in a few other novels and books
This popular poker hand was part of one of the novels inspired by Final Destination movie

Dead Man's Hand The Closer

References in video games

A few video games that belong to different genres include references to the Dead Man’s Hand too. For example, the popular racing video game Need For Speed: Carbon has the ace of spades and a black eight insignia used by one of the crews. What’s even more interesting is that in the Fallout: New Vegas video games, players that want to unlock one of the achievements have to collect black eights, black aces and the queen of spades in the ruins. Obviously, this is a reference to the Dead Man’s Hand. Even a Facebook game called Criminal Case has mentioned the Dead Man’s Hand. You must find two aces and eights in black color to finish one of the levels.

The popular online collectible card game known as Hearthstone has a warrior character that holds the Dead Man’s Hand card. You can witness a game of poker where the character loses a hand even though he has a full house that consists of black aces and eights in Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom video game. Additionally, you can also see a poker hand that includes black aces and black eights in the Walking Dead: A New Frontier video game. The man that has this hand is killed right after that.

Need For Speed: Carbon is a racing game where the Dead Man’s Hand appears
This poker hand appears in Hearthstone too
You can find a reference to this poker hand in Criminal Case

Other references

It turns out that there are many famous songs that refer to the Dead Man’s Hand including Ace of Spades by Motorhead, Dead Man’s Hand by Ha Ha Tonka, Aces and Eights by Uncle Kracker and Rambling, Gambling Willie by Bob Dylan. The famous Australian alternative band known as The Church has a song named Deadman’s Hand.

It’s worth mentioning that there is a beer called Aces and Ates made by Big Boss Brewing in the USA. The LAPD CRASH squad has included the popular poker hand in their insignia. The same goes for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Division. These are just some of the many examples where this combination of playing cards appears.

There are multiple songs that were inspired by the Dead Man’s Hand
You can find a beer in the US named after this poker hand
This specific combination of playing cards appears in LVPD’s homicide division

The value of the Dead Man’s Hand

To be honest, a Dead Man’s Hand doesn’t have great value. After all, this is just another hand that counts as two pairs. The kicker from the story remains unknown, so it’s very likely that Wild Bill Hickok didn’t have a full house, just two black aces, and two eights. So, even a combo that consists of two aces and two jacks can beat this poker hand. Obviously, a poker hand that equals straight, flush or full house will be better than the Dead Man’s Hand.

So, when you get this poker hand, you should not get too excited because it’s usually considered to be a “cursed” hand that will lead you to loss (at least when it comes to that particular turn).

Dead Man's Hand Miniatures

The Dead Man’s Hand is not a very valuable poker hand
Regardless of the type of poker you play, two pairs are worse than a full house, straight or flush