Getting Started - Hand Ranks and Ties (Part 2 Ties)

Can there be a tie? Yes, it happens somewhat frequently, and the money in the pot is just split. Usually the players have either the same two hole cards, or the community cards are so strong that your non-pairing "kicker" card does not count. For example, the community cards or "the board" has a 2 Q 4 5 3 (with no three cards of the same suit) so anyone with an Ace would tie (having a 5 high straight). Can everyone remaining in the hand tie? Yes, when the board has that rare straight, or a flush, even a four of a kind. In many cases ties are broken by your kicker as follows: High Card, Pairs, Two pair, and Trip’s all use less than five cards and are often decided by kickers like “Ace High” may be held by more than one player but the player with AK will have the best five cards over weaker kickers.
Larger hands like Straights are commonly split because you need five cards to make one, kickers never count, and you can only beat a 7 high straight with a 8 high – they are different hands. Here’s a fun one: Flushes are battled by your held cards rank (like war) and are only split if the community five cards are all higher than the players cards of that suit. Examples are community cards are a flush of hearts and you and player two each have no hearts, and second case would be the board has four high hearts like A Q J 9 and you have only a 4 of hearts you lose to a player with a 5, 6, 7 or 8 of hearts (8h ). Another variation is the special hand a straight flush, which beats all flushes even if it is made by small cards like the 2 3 4 5 6 of diamonds. Full Houses are not tied if either your triple is biggest, or your triple is the same (using community cards) and your pair is bigger. For example AAA99 beats KKKQQ, and a 77722 loses to a 777JJ. Four of a kind is determined by the best kicker (if the board makes the four then go all in if you have an Ace). And lastly the best Straight Flush is the highest card like comparing straights, so a 9 high straight flush beats an 8 high straight flush (this can happen when the board has 5 6 7 8 of one suit and one player gets the 4 while the lucky player gets the 9). The bottom line is, if you have the best hand and someone bets huge, don’t get nervous just call and split the pot if you tie, or better yet rake it in if they miss-judged your hand.