Dead Man's Hand

"Who wants to play those eights and aces
Who wants a raise
Who needs a stake"
(Bob Seger, Fire Lake)

"Pushing up the ante, I know you've got to see me,
Read 'em and weep, the Dead Man's Hand again,
I see it in your eyes, take one look and die,"
(Motorhead; Ace of Spades)

These are just two songs that use the reference to the legendary Dead Man's Hand. Numerous others have written entire songs based on the episode.



Deadwood, South Dakota, August 2, 1876. The date helped put the "wild" in the legend of the wild, wild west, and it wrote the epitaph for gambler and lawman, Wild Bill Hickock. On that date Wild Bill joined a poker game at Nutall & Mann's Saloon, with, among others, Charlie Rich. Contrary to his usual precaution of sitting with his back to the wall, Hickock accepted a seat that left him with his back to the door. He also didn't notice Jack McCall, from whom he'd won money the day before, drinking heavily at the bar. While Hickock played his hand, aces and eights showing, Jack McCall walked up behind him and shot him in the back of the head with a .45 pistol, allegedly shouting, "Take that!" Some say McCall calimed it was a revenge killing for the death of his brother.

Hickock died instantly and was buried on boot hill. is friend, Charlie Utter, placed a wood plaque that read:

Wild Bill

J. B. Hickok

Killed by the assassin Jack McCall

Deadwood, Black Hills

August 2, 1876

Pard we will meet again in the

Happy Hunting Grounds to part no more

Good bye

Colorado Charlie, C. H. Utter






The 5th card in the poker hand is not authoritatively known and is much debated. The Vegas nightclub, the Stardust, displays a 5 of diamonds as the card. Deadwood, South Dakota has a 9 of diamonds in its displays about the incident and Ripley's Believe it or Not has a queen of clubs. Possible cards are the Jack of Diamonds, Five of Diamonds, Nine of Diamonds, the Queen of Clubs, QAueen of Hearts, Queen of Spades, King of Spaces and the Deuce of Spades.

Poker experts however say that if you're playing the game, the fifth card won't matter. Holding aces and eights gives you a "Dead Man's Hand". Just don't make Hickock's mistake. Keep your weapon unholstered and your back to the wall.