Poker’s Wildest Myths and Legends: The Craziest Poker Tales Ever Told

Every poker player loves a good story—the kind you hear when the drinks are flowing and the chips are stacking high. Some tales are pure legend, others might carry a sliver of truth, but they all find their way around poker tables across the world. We all know the infamous story of the “dead man’s hand,” but trust us, that’s just the entrée. A tasty one, sure, but there’s a full feast of wild, crazy and (just maybe) true poker stories waiting to be devoured. 

The Dead Man’s Hand: A Legend Born in Blood

If you’ve played poker long enough, you’ve probably heard of the “dead man’s hand.” This legendary hand—two aces and two eights—was said to be held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot dead during a poker game in 1876.

The story goes that Hickok, a famed gunslinger and gambler, was playing at Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota, when a bullet from behind ended his life. He didn’t even get the chance to complete his hand.

While the details remain hazy—was the fifth card a jack or a queen?—what’s clear is that the legend has endured. Today, the “dead man’s hand” serves as both a cautionary tale and a reminder of poker’s wild, unpredictable nature.

The Fastest Way to Get Divorced

How much is too much to lose in poker? For one Russian player, it wasn’t just his chips—it was his marriage. Down on his luck and apparently low on judgment, Andrei Karpov decided to wager his wife, Tatiana, as collateral. Yes, you read that right. He bet his actual wife. 

Predictably, Karpov lost. And to rub salt in the wounds, the “winner,” Sergey Brodov, took things a step further and showed up at Karpov’s house to claim his prize. Understandably, Tatiana was far from thrilled. She divorced Andrei faster than you can say “all in.” And here’s the kicker—Tatiana later married Sergey. This story goes from bizarre to utterly bonkers.

Real-life rom-com or tragic love triangle? Depends on who you ask. Whether it’s true or not, it’s the kind of story that would make anyone (no matter how rocky their marriage is) think twice before betting the house—or the spouse. 

The Biggest Poker Tournament Ever (For Real) 

When it comes to player counts, poker tournaments always aim high. The bigger the player pool, the bigger the buzz—and in 2013, PokerStars shattered records by hosting an online event with a staggering 225,000 players.

It sounds unbelievable, but this one is 100% legit. With a buy-in of just $1, this tournament quickly went down as the largest poker event in history, cementing its place in the record books. Unlike some of the other tall tales floating around,  this one is unequivocally true. No embellishments needed. 

23,493 Hands in 8 Hours—Feeling Tired Yet?

One of the biggest perks of online poker? Playing multiple tables at breakneck speed. Randy Lew took multitasking to the next level at the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Over eight grueling hours, he played an astonishing 23,493 hands on as many as 40 tables simultaneously. 

This wasn’t just about bragging rights— Lew set out to smash the record for the most hands played in a single session and still end in the black. After clawing his way back from $1,200 in the red, he squeaked out a profit of $7.65. Not the biggest payday, sure, but an unforgettable display of endurance and skill.

The Kid Poker Prodigy

Imagine a tale that seems almost too incredible to be true. Well this could be it. Picture this: an eight-year-old sneaks into his uncle’s poker account and racks up over half a million dollars in winnings! According to legend, that’s exactly what happened in India around 2010. 

When the poker site discovered the truth, they refused to hand over the winnings. As the tale goes, the dispute ended up in court, but the outcome remains a mystery. 

Did it happen? Maybe. It’s certainly believable given kids’ skills with tech these days. But this one might be a fable to keep young poker enthusiasts in line.

A Chip and a Chair—The Legendary Comeback

They say all you need is “a chip and a chair,” and that phrase owes its fame to Jack Straus’s epic comeback at the 1982 World Series of Poker. With only a single chip lef—discovered hidden under his napkin—Straus didn’t just hang on; he staged one of poker’s most legendary comebacks, going on to win the entire tournament and claim the champion’s title.

Tournament organizers ruled the chip still in play because Straus hadn’t officially declared himself "all in." That twist of fate gave him a lifeline, and against all odds, he outlasted 104 other players to take the WSOP Main Event crown.

The finer details—how he lost most of his stack, the exact day, and the chip’s value—are still debated, but the outcome is undeniable: Straus’s victory cemented “a chip and a chair” as poker’s ultimate rallying cry, proving that as long as you’re still in the game, anything is possible.

The World Record for Most Tables Played at Once 

For poker pro Bertrand Grospellier, or "Elky" as he's known, one table just isn’t enough. In 2009, he set a Guinness World Record by playing 62 online tables at once, all within a single hour. Yes, sixty-two tables. The mind-boggling mental focus required to pull this off is almost unbelievable, but Guinness stands by it.
Some might call it genius; others might call it madness. Either way, Elky’s record-breaking session is the stuff of poker legend.

Marathon Men

Poker marathons aren’t for the faint of heart—or the faint of sleep. Over the years, pros like Larry Olmsted, Paul Zimbler, and Phil Laak have pushed the limits of endurance in the name of poker. Olmsted clocked 72 hours straight at the Foxwoods casino in 2004. Not to be outdone, Zimbler stretched his game to 78 hours, but Phil Laak shattered them both by playing an unbelievable 115 hours straight.

Yes, that’s nearly five full days without sleep. Official records confirm it, so no need to wonder if this one’s legit. If it’s crazy you’re looking for, this one’s hard to top.

Playing Blind 

Annette Obrestad took “playing the player, not the cards” to an entirely new level in 2007. According to her, she once won a 180-player online tournament without ever looking at her cards. She covered them with a sticky note, relying solely on her reads of her opponents to guide her decisions.

Sounds impossible? Maybe – but Obrestad has the poker chops to make it believable. True or not, it’s a story that’s as wild as it is inspiring.

These tall tales remind us that in poker, anything can happen—even the seemingly impossible. After all, as long as there are cards, chips, and a good story to tell, the game will keep rolling.