12-26-03, LearnTexasHoldem:

High Card Question...

Question:I came across a situation that hasn't occurred for me before... On the last hand of the night, the two of us that were left both ended up with nothing except for the same high card. So, if you both have Kings or something, do you then split the pot or do you start looking at the next highest card (and so one)? The other guy wins one way or the other, but there's a difference of whether he finished with all my chips or not ;).Thanks! Chris

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer: Thanks for the question Chris. Yes you are correct that you keep looking at the other cards until either you both have the same thing, or one of the cards beats the other. The two outcomes are either a chopped (spilt) pot or a win outright for someone. Remember that in holdem, the best five cards win so sometimes you both will play the board and chop the pot. Other times your kicker will win.

Here are two examples:

You have AK and you friend has QK

The flop/turn/river are: T J Q A K

You flopped the nuts but got "counterfeited". Being counterfeited means your own cards got put into the communtity cards so it ruined your hand. You both would chop the pot now because you both have the nut straight ("nut" means best possible).

You have A6 and your friend has A5

The flop/turn/river are: K Q J 4 3

You would win this hand because your best five cards are A K Q J 6 and his are A K Q J 5

Notice how your 6 card plays.

If the flop/turn/river was this instead, you would split it:K Q J 7 4

Then you would both have: A K Q J 7

This is a prime example why kickers matter in holdem (a kicker is your smaller card). That is why A6 is a sucky hand and AK isn't.

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