Why Are We Called The 8-2 Club?

The explanation is rather silly, and revolves around an inside joke. Back in 1998, when I first started playing poker, I was playing Texas Hold'em with a few friends of mine. The two hole cards were dealt out. I looked at mine and said aloud, "8-2!". Back then I was trying to get into the habit of memorizing my cards when they are dealt so I don't have to keep looking at them repeatedly. But this time I inadvertently and absentmindedly said my cards aloud. At first I didn't realize it, and then I looked up and said to my friends, "Did I say that out loud?" They all laughed at me for being such an idiot and then later folded to me when the flop was 8-8-2.

(Ok, this is the story I used at the time. The reality, however, was that I didn't have 8-2, and was just psyching out my opponents and acting like I was being stupid. Once I saw the flop, though, I sure wished I wasn't joking!)

So from then on, it was a big joke when someone got dealt 8-2, and for a long time someone had to say "8-2!" whenever they were dealt their hole cards in Hold'em.

So if you ever get dealt 8-2, raise!