How many times have you found yourself playing Texas Hold’em and having the same hand as another player, only to win or lose because of your “kicker.”
While it may not be a big thing in some other poker games like Seven Card Stud, the kicker is an essential part of community card games like Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.
If you are not sure about what a kicker is and how to determine it, this page will help clarify any questions and ensure that you are always aware of your kicker in-game.
Let’s start by explaining the concept of kickers in poker before looking into the specific situations in which it applies.
Definition of Poker Kicker
There are tons of poker terms to know, but a kicker in poker is the highest side card that you hold alongside your poker hand. For example, you can have one pair with an Ace kicker, which would beat the same pair with a King kicker.
Having a higher kicker than your opponent is often essential in Texas Hold’em Poker, as it is a game in which hands like one pair, two pair, and three of a kind often win the pot.
Since these hands can all be impacted by kickers, the importance of understanding how kickers work and when they come into play is massive.
If you are not 100% sure how poker kickers work, keep reading for some common examples of hands in which kicker comes into play.
When Does the Kicker Play?
While poker kickers are an essential part of the game of poker strategy, especially in Texas Hold’em, they are not always applicable.
In fact, only the following poker hands can be impacted by a kicker:
- High Card
- One Pair
- Two Pair
- Three of a Kind
- Four of a Kind
Poker Kicker in High Card Situations
The first type of situation where kickers come into play is when neither player has a pair at all. In fact, kickers are all that matters in such situations.
Imagine a poker hand in which you raise before the flop, one player calls, and you both check all the way to the river on a board of KdJs7c5d2s.
At showdown, you both turn over your cards, and you should AcQd while your opponent shows Ah8s.
In this spot, both you and your opponent have Ace-high, as none of the cards are paired, and there are no straights or flushes available.
The next best card you both are playing is the King on the flop, which you also share, which would indicate a split-pot.
However, the Qd in your hand makes all the difference as it plays as your kicker as opposed to your opponent’s 8s.
Since your kicker is higher than your opponents, you will end up winning the entire pot instead of chopping it up.
Poker Kicker in One Pair Situations
Probably the most common situation in poker where kickers come into play is when two players have a one pair hand.
In a situation like this, the player with the higher kicker takes down the pot instead of splitting it, as the kicker is always considered.
For example, if you have AdKd against AcQc on a board of AsTh8c4d2d, you will win the pot, as your King kicker beats your opponent’s Queen kicker.
If you both happened to have the same kicker, the hand would end up in a split pot. The same would happen if you had the same pocket pair, as the highest card on the board would count as your kicker.
Poker Kicker in Two Pair Situations
Similar to the one pair scenario, a kicker can also come into play in some two pair scenarios, namely in those where one of the pairs is found on the board.
For example, imagine you hold KcQd against Qh9h on a board of Qs7h7c5d3s. On this board, both you and your opponent hold two pairs, Queens and Sevens.
Yet, your King kicker beats your opponent’s 9 kicker, which means the entire pot will be awarded to you despite both of you holding the same two pairs.
Note that in other situations where both hole cards are used to form two pairs, the hand will end up in a split pot if both you and another player hold the same two pairs, as the highest card on the board will play as your kicker.
Poker Kicker in Three of a Kind Situations
Much like one pair and two pair, three of a kind hands can have a kicker that makes all the difference, but only in some cases.
Namely, sets don’t have kickers, as both hole cards are used to make up a set, while the two highest cards from the board are used as kickers.
What’s even more, a set’s kicker does not matter, as more than one player can’t hold the same set in a hand.
On the other hand, both you and another player can hold trips in the same hand, and your kicker will matter in this scenario.
For example, imagine holding AdJd against Ac7c on a board of AsAh9c4c2s. On this hand, both you and your opponent have three Aces, but your superior Jack kicker means you will win the hand.
In situations in which the board is paired, the kicker will often be of essential importance, and it is crucial to be aware of your kicker at all times and make your decision, keeping in mind that another player could have trips with a higher kicker.
Poker Kicker in Four of a Kind Situations
One final case of a poker kicker playing a part in a Texas Hold’em hand happens when four of a kind is dealt on the board.
The only time a kicker will matter with four of a kind is when all four of the cards are dealt as community cards, as multiple players can have Quads in this situation.
When that happens, the player with the highest kicker will win the hand, and if multiple players have the same kicker, they will split the pot.
When Does the Kicker Not Play?
After looking over the different poker scenarios in which the kicker plays an important role, let’s also quickly go over the poker hands in which your poker kicker won’t matter.
The kicker will never impact the following hands in poker:
- Straight
- Flush
- Full House
- Straight Flush
All of the hands above have to be made up of five cards, which means there is no room left in your five-card hand for a kicker.
When it comes to straights, flushes, full houses, and straight flushes, the player with the stronger one will always take the pot down, and if two players have the same hand, they will split the pot.
If you have a straight or a flush, don’t look out for the kicker or hope to win based on your other hole card, which cannot be a part of your five-card poker hand if you are already using four cards from the board.
