A’ side pot’ is a second poker pot that has been formed because one player is all-in but there are still players left in the hand who have additional chips to play for.
What is a side pot in poker?
A side pot is an additional pot that may be created in a poker game when one or more players go “all-in.” Side pots are used to separate and track bets and wagers made by players who still have chips left to bet from those who have gone all-in and can no longer participate in the main pot.
Here’s how a side pot works in poker:
- Main Pot: At the beginning of each hand, all players contribute an equal amount of money to the central pot, known as the main pot. This pot is available to all players and is used to determine the winner of the hand.
- Betting Rounds: As the hand progresses, players continue to bet and raise, adding chips to the main pot.
- All-In: When a player goes all-in, it means they bet all of their remaining chips. If their bet cannot match the full amount of a subsequent bet or raise from another player, a side pot is created.
- Side Pot: The side pot is formed by the additional bets made by the players who are not all-in. These players continue betting among themselves, and those bets go into the side pot. The all-in player is not eligible to win any money placed in the side pot since they cannot match those bets.
- Multiple Side Pots: In some cases, there can be multiple side pots if multiple players go all-in at different points during the hand. Each additional all-in creates a new side pot to accommodate the bets and raises made after that player’s all-in.
- Winners: At the showdown, if there are multiple pots (main pot and one or more side pots), the player with the best hand wins the main pot. The player with the second-best hand wins the first side pot, the player with the third-best hand wins the second side pot (if applicable), and so on. Each pot is awarded to the best hand among the eligible players.
Side pots add complexity to poker hands but are essential for ensuring that all bets and wagers are accounted for, even when some players can no longer participate in the main pot due to going all-in. They allow players with more chips to continue betting against each other while still providing a fair opportunity for all participants to win some portion of the pot based on the strength of their hands.