In poker, a kicker is a card that is not part of the five-card hand but is used to break ties between two or more hands of equal rank. For example, if two players have a pair of aces, the player with the higher kicker wins.

The kicker is usually the highest card that is not part of the five-card hand. However, if two players have the same kicker, then the next highest card is used to break the tie. This process continues until there is a clear winner.

Kickers are most commonly used in community card games such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha. In these games, the players share some of the community cards, and the kicker is used to break ties between hands that have the same rank.

For example, if two players have a pair of aces on the flop, the player with the higher kicker wins. If both players have the same kicker, then the player with the higher kicker on the turn wins. This process continues until there is a clear winner.

Kickers can also be used in other types of poker games, such as stud poker. In stud poker, the players have their own hole cards, and the kicker is used to break ties between hands that have the same rank.
For example, if two players have a pair of aces in their hole cards, the player with the higher kicker on the board wins. If both players have the same kicker on the board, then the player with the higher kicker in their hole cards wins.

Kickers are an important part of poker, and they can be used to break ties between hands of equal rank. Players who understand how kickers work can improve their chances of winning by playing the right hands and making the right decisions.