Poker Basics for Game Night · Lesson 4 · 3 minutes
The Kicker
Shared by Bilalu
Use the second highest card to break a tie
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The Kicker Card
Maya and Sam both show an Ace high card. When main cards tie, compare the second highest card. That second card is the kicker.
Neither player has a pair. Maya holds Ace, 7. Sam holds King, Queen. Who has the highest card?
- Maya wins with her Ace
- Sam wins with his King and Queen
Answer: Maya wins with her Ace
The Ace is the highest rank card in poker, beating a King.
Maya shows Ace, 10. Sam shows Ace, 8. Neither has a pair. Who wins?
- Maya wins with her 10 kicker
- It is a tie because both have an Ace
Answer: Maya wins with her 10 kicker
When highest cards tie, the higher kicker breaks the tie.
Put these card ranks in order from lowest to highest:
Answer: 4 → 9 → Jack → King → Ace
Card ranks increase from 2 up to Ace.
Fill in the missing word to complete the result:
Maya shows King, 9. Sam shows King, Jack. Sam wins because his ___ is higher.
Answer: Maya shows King, 9. Sam shows King, Jack. Sam wins because his kicker is higher.
Jack is a higher rank than 9, making it the winning kicker.
Show why Sam beats Maya when both hold a King high hand.
This one uses your voice or your writing. It is in the Breni app.
You have King, 9. Your friend has King, 4. Neither has a pair. Is this a tie?
- No, your 9 kicker beats their 4
- Yes, both hands share the same highest card
Answer: No, your 9 kicker beats their 4
Do not call a tie until secondary card kickers are compared.
How does a kicker card decide the winner when two players tie on their high card?
This one uses your voice or your writing. It is in the Breni app.
What to remember
- When main cards tie, look at the next highest card.
- The higher second card is the kicker and wins the pot.
- A hand only splits if all kicker cards tie too.
Next in this course: High Card Review. It carries on in the Breni app.