Definition: A kicker is a card used in poker to decide ties -- for instance, if two players have a pair of Aces, who wins will be decided by who has the highest unpaired card, i.e. if one player has a pair of aces and a king, and the other has a pair of aces and a ten, the player with the king wins. The king in this case is the "kicker."
It's also used to describe the secondary card in the hole in Texas Hold'em -- for instance, if you have a ace-nine in the hole, you might say you have an ace with a nine kicker. If you had a low card with your ace, you still might be "out kicked" by another player with a higher kicker even if you end up with a pair of aces.
Read more detailed examples of how a kicker can play in a hand of Texas Hold'em.
It's also used to describe the secondary card in the hole in Texas Hold'em -- for instance, if you have a ace-nine in the hole, you might say you have an ace with a nine kicker. If you had a low card with your ace, you still might be "out kicked" by another player with a higher kicker even if you end up with a pair of aces.
Read more detailed examples of how a kicker can play in a hand of Texas Hold'em.
