Historical Poker Hands
Everything has a history. Poker is no exception. Poker as we understand it is almost 200 years old. That is a very long time and it’s hard to believe in when something has a history that long that somewhere along the way a few things of note did not happen. Here again poker is no different. Most of history concerns itself with wars, politics, discoveries and inventions. Those subjects really don’t ever come into play in poker, but there have been a few hands and the stories that surround them that have gathered histories attention. Among the most famous poker hands of all time are the “Texas Dolly” and the “Dead Man’s Hand”
A few decades back in the years 1976 and 1977 a man called Doyle Brunson won the world series of Poker two years in a row. Now the poker tournaments back then were nothing compared to what is held today with the huge casinos and the online play, still it’s the hands he played more than the time or the number of players.
What makes this so memorable is the Doyle won both tournaments a year apart with the same hands. The first two hole cards dealt to him were the ten and two of spades. They were the same full tilt hole cards each year. These particular holes card are not seen as anything to write home about and most poker players would frown on them. Before each game is over Doyle is left holding a full house tens over twos. He won the world series of poker two years in a row, a year apart, with the exact same hands. These hands would come to be known as the “Texas Dolly”
The next historical online poker hand has enough fame to cross over from outside the poker world into what can be considered mainstream history. In the year 1874 gold was discovered in the Black hills and understandably a settlement formed there soon after. As one might guess this was as untamed and unlawful as any place in that era could be. This was a text book, old movie typical Wild West town. The place came to be known as Deadwood and everyone who wanted to get rich quick found their way there.
James Butler Hickok, better known as wild Bill Hickok was also drawn to this place probably as many historians believe to become the town sheriff. Wild Bill was no stranger to rough town and the rough men who filled them. Whenever he entered a saloon, whether to play poker or not, he always sat with his back to the wall so as not be so exposed. In 1876 Bill was invited in on a friendly game of poker in the saloon, in the center of the saloon. Against his better judgment Bill sat down at the PartyPoker table, a man walked in and shot Bill in the head. Wild Bill was killed instantly. He was at that time holding a poker hand, two aces and two eights. The fifth card he was holding is still a matter of historical debate. Ever since then that particular poker hand has been known as the “Dead Man’s Hand”. Many poker players avoid it even today.