Welcome to the first of our brand new column, Poker Unclogged. As promised last week, it will deliver an alternative take on the game and throw up a few nuggets from its less charted territories. We will begin with a look at Darwinism in the world of poker
Most players are aware of Wild Bill Hickok’s final cash out. (For the few that don’t: he was shot in the back of the head by Jack Mc Call. It was one of the few occasions when Bill couldn’t find a seat with his back to the wall. He was playing five card draw and had two-pair, aces and eights, now known in poker circles as ‘the dead man’s hand’. Had Bill been hanged, he may have been famous for another part of the dead man, but that is another story.)
Although it’s the most famous, poker’s link with the Wild West provides plenty of other grizzly, yet amusing fatalities. Take the case of Sheriff Bud Frazier (Clint Eastwood did - it allegedly inspired the climax of A Fistful of Dollars.)
Bud had a deputy, ‘Deacon’ Jim Miller who, it transpired, was pursuing his own unholy agenda. When a prisoner found out about the deputy’s crimes the Deacon had him killed. Bud was not impressed. Next time the Sheriff saw the Deacon, he decided to pop him. Jim took one in the chest and another in the arm. The Sheriff dusted his hands.
However, poker playing Bud made a bad read: the Deacon had taken the precaution of wearing a steel plate under his shirt and was able to crawl away. A few months later, they met again. The Sheriff blasted 4 times. The Deacon went down.
And then got back up again.
The Sheriff fled in terror.
It took nearly two years for their paths to cross. By this time, Bud needed distractions to keep the visions at bay, so he was playing more and more poker. Indeed, he was so distracted by one hand that he failed to notice the barrel of a shotgun peeping over the swing-doors of the saloon.
Boom.
Boom.
Bud’s innards splashed the pot.
Although tried for the murder, Deacon was acquitted as the jury ruled Frazier would have done exactly the same.
The Sheriff died because he didn’t know his opponent, he didn’t understand position and he didn’t see his moves through.
We’ll have more like this at Poker Unclogged next week.
‘See You Next Tuesday!’
Most players are aware of Wild Bill Hickok’s final cash out. (For the few that don’t: he was shot in the back of the head by Jack Mc Call. It was one of the few occasions when Bill couldn’t find a seat with his back to the wall. He was playing five card draw and had two-pair, aces and eights, now known in poker circles as ‘the dead man’s hand’. Had Bill been hanged, he may have been famous for another part of the dead man, but that is another story.)
Although it’s the most famous, poker’s link with the Wild West provides plenty of other grizzly, yet amusing fatalities. Take the case of Sheriff Bud Frazier (Clint Eastwood did - it allegedly inspired the climax of A Fistful of Dollars.)
Bud had a deputy, ‘Deacon’ Jim Miller who, it transpired, was pursuing his own unholy agenda. When a prisoner found out about the deputy’s crimes the Deacon had him killed. Bud was not impressed. Next time the Sheriff saw the Deacon, he decided to pop him. Jim took one in the chest and another in the arm. The Sheriff dusted his hands.
However, poker playing Bud made a bad read: the Deacon had taken the precaution of wearing a steel plate under his shirt and was able to crawl away. A few months later, they met again. The Sheriff blasted 4 times. The Deacon went down.
And then got back up again.
The Sheriff fled in terror.
It took nearly two years for their paths to cross. By this time, Bud needed distractions to keep the visions at bay, so he was playing more and more poker. Indeed, he was so distracted by one hand that he failed to notice the barrel of a shotgun peeping over the swing-doors of the saloon.
Boom.
Boom.
Bud’s innards splashed the pot.
Although tried for the murder, Deacon was acquitted as the jury ruled Frazier would have done exactly the same.
The Sheriff died because he didn’t know his opponent, he didn’t understand position and he didn’t see his moves through.
We’ll have more like this at Poker Unclogged next week.
‘See You Next Tuesday!’
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