Why Aces And Eights Are Called A Dead Man’s Hand

Aces and Eights...the Dead Man's Hand. Source: (pixels.com)

One of the appeals to the game of poker—aside from the chance to win big money—is that the game is full of nuances and backstories. One of those has to do with the Dead Man’s Hand. The name for this particular combination of cards, that included the two black aces and the two black eights, dates back to the old west when Wild Bill Hickock was shot at a poker table while holding this hand of cards. Here’s how the story went.