'Supernatural' Life poker championship

In years past, "Supernatural" has created a tradition of memorable and often very humorous Halloween episodes. Tonight was perhaps memorable, but not for its humor.

The case starts when a 25 year old dies of old age. Meanwhile, they come across a man who should be in his golden years but is instead looking great and in bed with two working girls. They threaten to tell his grieving widow that he's alive and cheating and he spills his story. It seems there is an Irishman named Patrick hanging out in bars and calling back room poker games. But the pot isn't cash - it's years of life.

The boys report all this back to Bobby and go out to search for Patrick. Unbeknownst to them, Bobby always goes out searching and finds him first. Unfortunately he's not as good a poker player as he thought he was and so he loses 25 years. Dean marches in and asks for 50 years, immediately cashing in 25 of them and giving them to Bobby. However, not unlike Bobby, Dean isn't quite the poker player he thinks he is either and he loses 25 years.

They decide that the chips are magic and that they need to steal them. And for a moment it appears like they will get away with it. Except that Patrick and his partner in crime arrive and inform them that the chips aren't magic at all. It's the 900 year old witch that uses them. Sam tries to convince Patrick to play him, but Dean is more convincing about the fact that Sam can't play. So, Patrick gives him the clap and sends him on his way instead. Now that's just mean.

Bobby tries to convince the boys to let him play again, which is when he admits that if he can't be a hunter than he doesn't want to go on living anyway. Sam is determined to find another way around the whole mess. Luckily, it seems to present itself when Patrick's partner comes to him and hands him a reversal spell. She tells him she has her reasons and to do it quick because they will be leaving soon.

Sam goes to play a round of poker with Patrick while Dean and Bobby collect the pieces that they need for the spell cast. In the midst of it, Sam nabs Patrick's toothpick - since they need some of his DNA for the spell to work - and passes it off to Dean. Unfortunately, Patrick saw that coming as clear as any tell and in retribution for the cheat, he chokes Sam, Vader style. And forces him to keep playing.

Dean and Bobby figure out that the toothpick was a fake and Dean goes off in search of another source of DNA. Meanwhile, Sam seems to be holding his own against the Patrick in poker - perhaps because of his inexperience. But when Patrick tells him the Dean has mere minutes left to live, Sam appears to lose his ability to keep his head in the game and instead he goes all in. It seems like a suicide hand, but against the odds (and pocket rockets), Sam comes out on top with four 4's.

Dean is young again and Sam walks away a winner. Which is when Patrick's partner tells him she's had enough life and she plays a final losing hand of her own. Back at the hotel, Dean confronts Bobby on his own wish to die, pointing out that the Winchesters don't have much in the way of family left. He gets Bobby to promise to keep going, the same as he always has, because they still need him.

What did you think of the poker game of life? How about the Bobby's death wish? Do you think Dean is off bacon hamburgers for good?