So what’s a kicker in poker? Well here is the best definition I could come up with:
In Texas Hold’em poker, a kicker (also known as a side card) is a card which is used to determine the winner of the hand in the case of opponents who are tied with the same hand rank.
Three-of-a-Kind is sixth on the list of poker hand rankings.It consists of 3 cards of the same rank or denomination. The words “Three of a Kind” should immediately have you thinking that it consists of some combination of 3 cards – this is what makes it a very easy hand to recognise. This is the kind of edge we can never afford to give up in video poker. I could review different combinations of hands involving holding a kicker. If you hold three of a kind and keep a kicker, your odds against improving the hand are 11 to 1 against improvement. Registration poker kicker three of a kind required. Free Spins on Book of Dead are subject to change and expire 7 days from activation. 35x wagering requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn. Free Spins on Book of Dead are subject to change and expire 7 days from activation. 35x wagering requirement before any winnings can be withdrawn. Jan 21, 2009 If both of two pairs are identical it will be the kicker that will decide the winner (the highest-value fifth card is the kicker). In this scenario because the two paired on the river, Player 1 has two pair - A♦ A♣ 2♠ 2♣ with the kicker K♦. Player 2 has the lower two pair - K♦ K♥ Q♠ Q♥ with the kicker 3♥.
Winners are usually determined from the rank of a hand (e.g. flush vs full house) but when both players hold the same hand rank, a kicker must come into play to separate the winners from the losers.
So you might be wondering who wins in this scenario:
Well think about it for a minute, and then if you can’t work it out, have a read of the list below.
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How To Determine When A Kicker Plays In Poker
Here is a list of the hands in poker and how/if a kicker is played:
High card: When both players have a high card, all cards can be counted as kicker. Take the your two hole cards and five community cards, then start with the highest ranking card and compare to your opponent while ignoring the the two weakest cards.
An example of where a high card kicker plays:
We ignore the 3 and the 2 on the board.
And now, lets take this situation where a kicker doesn’t play:
One pair: With one pair a kicker is used when your second card is better than your opponent and the remaining cards on the board.
In this case, you have your opponent out kicked with the hand of a pair of Aces with King kicker vs a pair of Aces with a Queen kicker.
Two pair: A single card kicker plays with two pair only when you do not make two pair with both of your hole cards For example:
If both players have two pair with their hole cards, the pot will be split. Two pair winners are determined by first determining the best highest ranked pair between you and your opponent, and then if these are the same, you compare the 2nd pair.#
Can you now work out the above example? Here is is broken down:
Therefore the pot will be split!
Poker 3 Of A Kind Kicker Ball
Three of a kind: a kicker with three of a kind is determined in the same way as one pair. If you have AK on an AA752 board, vs AQ you will have the best 5 cards with AAAK7 vs AAAQ7.
You have the best five cards in this scenario because the K plays after the three Aces.
Poker 3 Of A Kind Kicker Game
Note the difference between an ordinary 3 of a kind and a set – a set is when you make three you of a kind using the two hole cards whereas an ordinary three of a kind is when you have three of the same card using only one of your hole cards.
There is no kickers when you have a set because your opponent cannot also have two cards of the same rank when one is on the board.
Straight/Flush: There can be no kickers with straights or flushes as these hands require the best 5 cards to be used.
Full house: There are no kickers with a full house. Hands are ranked in the same way as with two pair.
Firstly, the best three of a kind is the winner, if both players have the same three of a kind, the best pair wins. If both players have the same three of a kind and pair, the hand will always be split.
Four of a kind: A kicker does not play with a four of a kind unless the four of a kind is on the board.
You will win this hand as your Ace kicker players after the four Queens.
Straight flush/Royal Flush: Similar to a straight and flush, kickers do not play as a straight or royal flush require 5 cards.
When A Kicker Doesn’t Play
We already mentioned when a kicker doesn’t play e.g. in a straight, flush or full house. However, a kicker also won’t decide the winner when you and your opponent has the same hand e.g. A5 vs A5.
A kicker also doesn’t decide the best hand when there are better kickers already on the board.
For example, if you have A4 and your opponent has A3 on an AK762 board, the best 5 cards for both opponents is AAK76 and the kicker won’t be included in the hand. Therefore, the pot will be split between the two players despite us having a better hole cards than our opponent.
Kickers can also be counterfeited. If you have a hand of A5 on a AQT2 board, any card higher than a 5 on the river will mean that your kicker has been counterfeited and won’t play. E.g. if the river was a 7 the best 5 cards would be AAQT7.
When Is A Kicker Important
A kicker most often comes into play when you have a high card.
The best hand you can get with a kicker is AK, because if your opponent has an Ace or King in their hand, you will have them outkicked and you will be a big favorite to win the hand (roughly 75% favorite).
AK always makes top pair top kicker which is the best one pair hand you can make.
Since players most often play high rank hands, kickers are most important when you have a high card. This is why it is not advisable to play weak ace hands (e.g. A2 or A3) very often (see poker position).
A2 will make top pair bottom kicker on an ace high board (e.g. AQ753) and is a significantly weaker hand than top pair top kicker.
If you do happen to have top pair bottom kicker on an ace high board, it is quite likely that you could be facing another ace with a better kicker (or better) if a lot of money goes into the pot.
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Being outkicked is one the common poker mistakes I recommend watching out for, so make sure you think about your kicker!
The word kicker comes from the English word which means an unexpected turn of events or a “trap” and it is often very true in poker that players are trapped by the word kicker.
Kickers do not depend on suits and suits should not be considered when determining the winner of the hand except when a flush is possible.
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Three-of-a-Kind is sixth on the list of poker hand rankings. It consists of 3 cards of the same rank or denomination.
The words “Three of a Kind” should immediately have you thinking that it consists of some combination of 3 cards – this is what makes it a very easy hand to recognise. However, it can get a little confusing when it comes to distinguishing between a Set and Trips, which are both types of 3-of-a-Kind hands.
Let’s look at the definition of a Set and then what’s commonly referred to as Trips:
A Set is when you have a pair in your hand, like 9♦9♣, matched with another 9♥ on the board.
Trips happen when there is a pair on the board, like 10♥10♦5♠, and you hold another 10♣ in your starting hand.
Here are a few examples of 3-of-a-Kind hands:
K♥K♣K♠A♥J♠
10♦10♥10♠3♥2♦
When rating one 3-of-a-Kind hand over the next, it’s the hand rank or denomination that’s important. In that vein, the best 3-of-a-Kind hand is 3 Aces, whether that’s a Set of Aces or Trip Aces.
How Does a 3-of-a-Kind Hand Rank?
In a 52-card deck, there are 54,912 possible 3-of-a-Kind hand combinations and 858 distinct ranks of 3-of-a-Kind hands. Each Three-of-a-Kind is rated by its 3 cards of the same rank, then by rank of its first kicker and then the second kicker comes into play.
Here are a few more examples of 3-of-a-Kind hands:
Q♥Q♦Q♠A♠J♠
Q♠Q♦Q♣A♣10♥
Q♦Q♣Q♥A♥4♥
Can you tell which hand ranks highest?
Keep in mind that the suits are irrelevant and that the kickers determine which 3-of-a-Kind hand is best.
Poker 3 Of A Kind Kicker 2How Does a 3-of-a-Kind Hand Match Up?
Three-of-a-Kind is the 6th best possible hand in the poker hand ranking system. The Straight ranks directly above it, with the best Straight being ace-high, also known as “Broadway”.
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There are only 3 hands that rank beneath 3-of-a-Kind. The hand that ranks directly under a 3-of-a-Kind is Two Pair. The best Two Pair hand is Aces and Kings with a Queen kicker.
Visit our three of a kind odds article for more information
Now that you’ve got Three-of-a-Kind all sorted, we’ll move on to the next hand on the list. It’s called Straight.
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