‘Kicker’ cards in poker are ones that don’t form a strong hand directly but will still contribute to the overall strength of a hand as side cards.
How does the kicker work in poker?
In poker, a kicker is a card that is used to break ties when multiple players have the same hand rank. Kickers are especially important in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, where players can use community cards in combination with their hole cards to make the best possible hand.
Here’s how kickers work in poker:
- Hand Ranking: In poker, hands are ranked from the highest to the lowest. For example, a flush (five cards of the same suit) is ranked higher than a straight (five consecutive cards of any suit).
- Comparison of Hands: When two or more players have the same hand rank (e.g., two players both have a pair of Kings), the tie is broken by comparing the individual card values, including the kicker(s).
- Kicker Importance: The kicker is used to determine the winner when players have the same hand rank but different individual card values. For example, if two players have a pair of Kings and both have an Ace as their highest kicker, the player with the next highest kicker (the second-highest card) will win the pot.
- Multiple Kickers: In some situations, multiple kickers may come into play. For example, if two players have two pairs with the same two pairs of cards, the fifth card (the kicker) is used to break the tie. If the kickers are also the same, the pot may be split.
- High Card: When no players have a hand of any rank (such as a pair or better), the winner is determined by the highest card in their hand. This card is often referred to as the “high card” or “kicker.”
Example: Let’s say in a Texas Hold’em game, Player A has the hole cards King of Hearts and Queen of Spades, and Player B has King of Diamonds and Jack of Clubs. The community cards on the board are 10 of Hearts, 8 of Diamonds, 7 of Clubs, 4 of Spades, and 2 of Diamonds.
Both players have a pair of Kings with the community cards (King of Hearts, King of Diamonds, 10 of Hearts, 8 of Diamonds, 7 of Clubs). However, Player A’s Queen kicker is higher than Player B’s Jack kicker. Therefore, Player A wins the hand with a pair of Kings and a Queen kicker.
Understanding kickers is essential in poker because they often determine the outcome of hands when players have similar hand ranks. It’s important to pay attention to your hole cards and how they interact with the community cards to determine your best possible hand and kicker(s).