Learn Texas Holdem

Question:
Community cards are K, K, Q, Q, 5
Player 1 holds J, 8
Player 2 holds 8, 5

The question is: Which Player wins? My theory is the K, K, Q, Q are discounted because neither player has any advantage with them; therefore the 5 pair (player 2) wins. The other theory is the best 5 card hand: K, K, Q, Q, J (player 1) wins.

This actually happened and could not be resolved. The pot was split between the two players.

/John E. Rowe

Answer:

Hi John

In Hold'em you always want to make the best possible five-card hand by combining your hole cards with the community cards. Player 1's best possible holding in this hand is therefore: K K Q Q J, two pair with a jack kicker. Player 2's best holding is K K Q Q 8, the same two pair but with an eight kicker. It doesn't matter that he actually has three pairs, because there is no such hand in poker.

If the river would have been an ace, however, you split the pot because both players are playing the board.