What Is a Kicker in Poker?
Short answer
A kicker is a card that is not part of your made hand but still counts when two players have the same hand. Only your best five cards play, so you can have up to three kickers with one pair.
Kicker rules in four steps
- Compare the hand type first (pair, two pair, and so on).
- If equal, compare the cards that make the hand, highest first.
- If still equal, compare the kickers one at a time, highest first.
- If all five cards match in rank, split the pot. Suits never count.
Example: same pair, different kicker
Aces, king kicker (wins)
Aces, queen kicker (loses)
Example: Hold'em, the board plays
Board: K♠ K♥ 9♦ 7♣ 6♠. You hold A♦ 2♣, your opponent holds Q♣ J♦. Both have a pair of kings. Your best five are K K A 9 7, theirs are K K Q 9 7. Your ace kicker wins.
Now the board is K♠ K♥ Q♦ J♣ 10♠ and you hold 3♦ 2♣ against 4♠ 5♥. The board already holds the five best cards, so both players play the board and split the pot.
Which hands have kickers?
High card, one pair, two pair, three of a kind and four of a kind. Straights, flushes and full houses use all five cards, so there is nothing left over. For flushes and high card, every card is compared in order.
FAQ
Do kickers count in Texas Hold'em?
Yes, but only as part of your best five cards. A sixth or seventh card never counts.
Does a kicker count in a full house?
No. A full house uses all five cards.
Do suits break ties in poker?
No. In standard poker all suits are equal and identical hands split the pot.
What is a kicker in two pair?
The fifth card. It only matters when both players have exactly the same two pairs.