Poker Glossary
Kicker
The side card that is not part of your made combination but still counts toward your five-card hand, breaking ties when players share the same pair, trips, or two pair. When both players hold top pair, the higher kicker wins the whole pot — the reason A-K and A-4 play like different hands. Kickers stop mattering only when the board supplies a better fifth card, in which case the kicker “plays on the board.”
At the table
You hold A♦K♣, they hold A♠9♠, board A♥7♦4♣2♠8♥. Both have a pair of aces; your king outkicks the nine and takes it all.
House note
See the rankings →← Full glossary — all 52 termsKicker trouble is the tuition the ace-rag curriculum charges.
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