Dead man's hand – James Butler Hickok (Wild Bill)

On August 2, 1876, legendary Sheriff James Butler Hickok (1837-1876), also know as Wild Bill, walked into a Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, Dakota. He went there for a game of poker.

Since he had developed a fear that someone might shoot him from behind, as a precaution, he usually sat with his back to the wall.

Unfortunately, on that day, the only seat available was a chair that put his back to a door.

While playing, he asked twice the other players to change seats with him, but they refused.

After a while, a former buffalo hunter named John McCall walked into the saloon unnoticed.  He approached Hickok from behind and shot him in the back of the head.

Hickok was killed instantly.

In his hands he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black.

Since then, this hand in poker is called “dead man’s hand”.

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Blue Blood – Alexander Korda

Alexander Korda (1893-1956), renowned British director and producer of Hungarian-Jewish origin, was knighted in 1942 because of his contribution to British cinema.

Shortly after that, Korda, who was a passionate gambler, won $10,000 playing poker with the famous American film producer Samuel Goldwyn. The next day Goldwyn sent a check to Korda, written in red ink, and a letter in which he wrote:

- Bloodsucker, I signed this check with my own blood!

Shortly afterwards, Korda played again poker with Goldwyn. This time the British director lost approximately the same amount of money that he previously won. The next day he sent a check to Goldwyn written with ordinary, blue ink, with a note:

"Bloodsucker, this check is signed in my blood to. Knight Korda.”

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