In the column it is stated that Wild Bill was holding “black aces and eights” but no mention of the actual suit. I am presuming that seeing as somebody took the trouble to note that the fifth card was a 2 of spades they would also have noted what suit the other 4 cards were. It isn’t a matter of great importance of course but I ask for two reasons.
It seems odd that the fifth card is recorded accurately whereas with the other four only colour and ‘value’ are recorded.
If the “black aces and eights” were all spades then by my meagre knowledge of poker he would have had a flush, not too shabby.
He couldn’t have have all spades. To have “black aces” he would have had to have a spade and and a club. The “black eights” would have to be a spade and club. So the hand would have been ace/spades, ace/clubs eight/spades eight/clubs and 2/spades.
So the best he would have was two pair. Having the the aces as the high pair is not too bad, but perhaps he was hoping for a full house, and would then be disappointed with the two.
If the other four cards were black aces and eights, then surely they must have been the ace of spades, ace of clubs, eight of spades and eight of clubs?
Grits –
I’m no 5 card single-draw expert, but I think two pair after the draw isn’t a bad hand (though not a great hand), and could easily be a winner, especially with only five people playing.