Poker glossary · Hands
What does “kicker” mean in poker?
Definition
Kicker: An unpaired side card used to break ties between hands of the same rank.
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If two players both have a pair of aces, the player with the higher kicker wins. Kickers only count when they are part of the best five-card hand, so a board that already has five strong cards can make kickers irrelevant.
Example: A♥ K♣ vs A♦ 9♠ on a board of A♣ 7♦ 4♥ 2♠ 3♣: both have a pair of aces, and the king kicker wins.