The dead man’s hand is a poker hand that has a long history of being considered a bad luck hand. The reason for this is that the hand was supposedly held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot and killed in 1876, and thus has become associated with death and bad luck. Because of the association, the hand has a reputation of being a bad poker hand to hold in poker, especially by novice players or those who don’t play much. However, the truth is that it’s actually a fairly good poker hand if you have the right strategy.
The makeup of the dead man’s hand has changed over time, but it presently consists of two black aces and eights, with an unknown hole card. It was a hand of this makeup that Hickok allegedly had in his hand when he was shot and killed at the Wild West town of Deadwood, South Dakota. There are no contemporaneous records that indicate what cards were in Hickok’s hand when he was shot, but the popular modern conception of aces and eights stems from Frank Wilstach’s 1926 book, Wild Bill Hickok: Prince of Pistoleers.
While the dead man’s hand is not as strong as a pair of aces or three of a kind, it still beats a straight. It is therefore a strong hand that you should keep in your poker deck, especially if you’re playing against a weaker opponent. A dead man’s hand can also make for a great comeback hand in Texas Hold’em poker, as it can help you improve to a better starting position.
In addition to being a strong poker hand, the dead man’s hand has also been featured in popular culture. The HBO series Deadwood, which was set in the historic town of Deadwood, incorporated this hand into its culture and mythology. In addition, the hand has been used in several movies and books. For example, the 2001 film Along Came a Spider features a character holding a hand of aces and eights.
Even if you’re not superstitious, the dead man’s hand is still a good poker hand to hold, as it beats a pair and can be improved by a three of a kind or a full house. Nonetheless, it’s not as strong as a pair of jacks or a full house, and is generally only a winning hand in a few types of poker games. Besides, the story behind it is just too interesting to pass up! For more information about this and other poker hands, read our articles about poker lingo and a list of the best poker sites. You can also get a free preflop chart to ensure that you’re playing like a pro before the flop!