A kicker in poker can be tricky for some players to process. However, if you can get to grips with the basics, a kicker card can be a game changer. In this guide, we will explore how to make the most of kickers, explain how they work in different variants, as well as determine which is the best kicker in the game.
WHAT IS A KICKER IN POKER?
Essentially, a kicker in poker is a side card that is used to break ties when you encounter hands of the same value. It is the second factor that players should look at when determining rankings for a poker hand.
The first would be to look more closely at the initial rank of a hand if you prefer to play poker online. Above all else, you should never forget that the best 5-card hands will always win in a poker game.
Some hands, such as straights, flushes, and a full house use all five cards, so they negate the need for a kicker. In the next section, we will look more closely at how kickers work.
HOW DOES THE KICKER WORK IN A POKER GAME?
A kicker in poker comes into play when two players have the same hand strength at the end of a hand.
The kicker is therefore the highest card in a poker hand that’s not part of a made hand.
So, for example, if you were playing texas hold’em, and the board runs out a King of Spades, Ten of Hearts, 8 of Clubs, 5 of Hearts, and 2 of Diamonds, two players would face off if one held King of Spades and Queen of Spades, while the other had King of Diamonds and Jack of Hearts.
In this case, both players have a pair of kings, but the player with a pair of Kings and Queens (spades) would have the better kicker, so they would take the pot.
When two or more players have the same pair, then the next-highest card in the five-card hand would assume the role of the kicker. If two players have the same hand with matching kickers, then the pot will be split.
POKER HANDS KICKER
The poker kicker should never be underestimated, but when can you use them in poker games? We have illustrated how poker players can make kickers work to their advantage by drawing upon the game’s hand rankings:
HIGH CARD
The high card will come into effect when neither player has a pair or better. When both players have a high card, all cards will be counted as a kicker. You just have to take out two hole cards and start with the highest-ranking card. You can then see how this compares to your opponent while overlooking the two weakest cards of the 7-card total.
A good example of this in poker would be:
- Your hand: Ace of Spades and 9 of Clubs
- Your opponent’s hand: Ace of Hearts and 5 of Clubs
- The community cards: King of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, 8 of Diamonds, and 2 of Spades
- Your best 5 cards: Ace of Spades, King of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, 9 of Clubs, 8 of Diamonds
- His best 5 cards: Ace of Hearts, King of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, 8 of Diamonds, 5 of Spades
In this situation, you can ignore the 3 of Spades and 2 of Spades as they are lower than the 5 remaining cards.
ONE PAIR
With one pair, a kicker can come into action when your second card outperforms the other community cards on the board.
So, for example, if you have a pair of Aces with a King kicker, then you can outkick your opponent if they have a pair of Aces with a Queen kicker, and you will have a winning hand.
TWO PAIR
Here, a single card kicker will play with only a two pair when you are unable to make a two pair with both of your hole cards.
So, if you were holding an Ace of Clubs and 2 of Diamonds, while your opponent had an Ace of Diamonds and a 7 of Spades, then neither could be considered as better kickers, so, here, the pot would be split.
THREE OF A KIND
A kicker with a three of a kind is assigned the same hand rank as a one pair. So, if you hold the Ace and King on an AA752 board, the King will hold more sway than the Ace and Queen hand.
You should also be aware of the distinct difference between an ordinary three of a kind and a set. With a regular three of a kind hand, you only need three of the same card using one of your hole cards, so it carries greater value.
However, with a set, you won’t find kickers, as it is virtually impossible for your opponent to have three cards of the same rank.
STRAIGHT
You can’t form a kicker with a straight, because a straight can be assembled with five cards.
FLUSH
Just like with a straight, you can’t get kicks with a flush in poker as 5 cards need to be used.
FULL HOUSE
Once again, you can’t get a kicker in poker with a full house, as you need to put down 5 cards.
FOUR OF A KIND
A poker kicker with a four of a kind is also rare unless the quads are displayed on the board.
So, if you held an Ace of Diamonds and a 5 of Spades, your kicker card would trump that of your opponent if both their hole cards were Queens.
STRAIGHT FLUSH AND ROYAL FLUSHES
Like a straight and a flush, kickers will not come into play using this card hand or a royal flush in poker.
KICKER RULES FOR DIFFERENT POKER VARIANTS
There are different kicker rules for each poker variant, which we have highlighted below:
TEXAS HOLD’EM
Like with other flop games, such as Omaha, the winner will be decided if two or more players are tied with the same hand rank.
FIVE CARD STUD
The best side card in this version of poker will be laid down by the player. A split in the hand or using the highest card will be used to determine the winner.
SEVEN CARD STUD
Only the best five cards can be played here, so kickers will come into consideration. The kicker arguably holds greater significance in this version of poker compared to Hold’em.
WHEN DOES THE KICKER MATTER IN POKER?
The kicker will matter most when you have a high card or a single pair. The best kicker will be an Ace and King, so make sure you aren’t outkicked by your opponent.
The chances, therefore, of being outkicked with an Ace or King stands at 75%. However, being outkicked is a common poker mistake, so this is something you should do only at your own risk.
Suits, however, won’t influence kickers and so this should be discarded when working out which player has the edge with their community cards.
WHEN THE KICKER DOESN’T MATTER?
In contrast, a kicker won’t matter for some hand rankings, such as straight or royal flushes.
Here, only the best five cards will count and so kickers are irrelevant. To determine a winner, you will need to establish who has the highest straight or flush.
WHAT IF TWO PLAYERS HAVE THE SAME KICKER?
If both players have the same kicker, then the denomination of the hand will help to break ties and determine the winner. Always remember that the best 5-card hand wins in poker.
KICKER POKER TIPS
While not all hands are equal in poker, landing kickers can be extremely valuable providing you understand the financial risk involved.
To yield returns on your kickers, you will need to calculate the impact of the following factors:
- The number of streets you wish to bet
- The specific streets you choose to bet
- The size of the stake you may wish to wager
Let’s break this down further and run through some basic tips that you can utilise to sharpen your poker technique.
BET WITH THE TOP KICKER
Ideally, you should bet with the best holdings. If you’re in the cutoff and have the top pair on the board, then you should wager with streets of value.
The exact value of combinations will depend on how many bluff combos you have as well as the size of the stake you wish to bet.
BET OR CHECK CALL WITH THE TOP PAIR
Top pairs with weaker kickers should be played more cautiously than a top kicker. After the flop, you should draw out a road map or a game plan which will help with your decision making as you play your hand.
CONSIDER SMALL BETS
Smaller bets can allow wider value bets. If you think your opponent has a weaker strength holding, picking a smaller size bet can be highly exploitable and your profits could surge in the long term.