# Dead Man's Hand **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208 "2000-12-05T23:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dan\_Electro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Dan\_Electro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Electro)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/1 "2000-12-05T23:36:29Z")
Sorry if this duplicates anything…I looked, but couldn’t find it. My question is, in poker, what is a “dead man’s hand”, and where does the reference come from? I know that it’s refered to as “Aces and Eights”, but I’m not sure if it’s referring to two pair, or a full house. I’ve heard some stories about how it got that name, but when a buddy asked I couldn’t remember them. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/2 "2000-12-05T23:39:01Z")
a pair of aces and a pair of eights. It was the hand Wild Bill Hancock was holding when he was shot from behind. ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/3 "2000-12-05T23:54:40Z")
Ammm pepperlandgirl That was Wild Bill Hickock ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/4 "2000-12-06T00:00:41Z")
For whatever it’s worth, the guy’s name is Wild Bill Hickock (not Hancock), he was shot in Saloon #10 in Deadwood, South Dakota and he’s buried next to his sweetheart Calamity Jane in the town cemetary. Also, for accuracy sake, in addition to the two pair, I believe the 5th card was a queen (can’t remember the suit). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/5 "2000-12-06T00:22:44Z")
And it was specifically, black aces and black eights. Cecil covered it: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_307.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_307.html) He claims the fifth card was the deuce of spades - the red queen was the John Ford movie version. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/6 "2000-12-06T00:24:55Z")
Ace of Clubs Ace of Spades 8 of Clubs 8 of Spades 2 of Spades Cecil said so somewhere, but the search engine is producing inferior results. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/7 "2000-12-06T00:26:08Z")
%\*^&#%$@#^ Simulpost!!! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/8 "2000-12-06T00:27:15Z")
I swear, I typed Hickock. Someone must have came and messed with my post, to make me look bad. 😃 _Goes in search of the culprit_ ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/9 "2000-12-06T00:32:20Z")
Oh, and according to my education, “X’s and Y’s” means two pair. A full house is “X’s OVER Y’s” distinguishing which you have three of. ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/10 "2000-12-06T01:01:32Z")
I was drinking Black and Tan’s in this bar last weekend! They have the chair Wild Bill was sitting in, when he was shot, hanging above the entrance. [salloon #10](http://www.saloon10.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/11 "2000-12-06T03:18:54Z")
The hand was black Aces and Eights, but the value of the 5th card is lost to history. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Electro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Dan\_Electro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Electro)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/12 "2000-12-06T03:24:23Z")
Just like poor Wild Bill is…well, thanks everyone for the info! I’m going to feel a lot better when I go to my poker game this weekend…that is, unless I draw black aces and eights…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/13 "2000-12-06T03:31:29Z")
I drank a sasparilla in that bar when I was 12. –Tim ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/14 "2000-12-07T04:29:43Z")
According to _Lange, American Slang_ there is no contemporary evidence to indicate what his hand was. According to Hickock’s biographer, _Rosa_, “The actual cards are disputed.” So no proof, just ‘tradition’. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/15 "2000-12-07T05:12:05Z")
Someone shot **Wildest Bill**? Was it with a BB gun? ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/16 "2000-12-07T21:48:23Z")
not before time !! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/17 "2000-12-07T22:14:56Z")
Hey, **Danno**! Welcome. I’m also looking forward to a card game this weekend. It’s been too long! I’ll try to think about you oh, say 2 a.m. when we’re playing Blind Indian, Pimp Guts, or some such stupid crap! ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Electro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Dan\_Electro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Electro)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/18 "2000-12-07T23:47:50Z")
Pimp Guts??? Jeezum Crow! I was just looking forward to a little 7-card stud, or some no-peekie! Ah, well. Maybe I’ll go nuts and call a wild card or two… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-hand/44208/19 "2000-12-10T22:54:37Z")
[correcting brain fart] Why I said “Lange” in my post above, I have no idea.[/unfart] J E Lighter is the author of the wonderful _Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang_ , not somebody named Lange.