When do high cards play (1 Viewer)

[MattinIdaho]

Not sure if this is forum to ask. But one thing that has confused me is when high cards play in certain hands. I've researched this rule many times. But I still don't totally understand exactly how it works. I've played for years and years and still see some confusion with certain hands on what and when cards play.
Anyone able to explain this clearly?
Thanks!!

 

[Mental Nomad]

They play whenever they break a tie.

For example, let's say your hand is a pair of kings. That's just two cards... and a poker hand is five cards. So, if this is the board:



And you have:

What is your hand?

It's not really just "kings." It's - it's kings plus the three highest cards besides the kings.

Now, if someone else has , then their hand is two pair... so you high cards don't matter. Two pair beats a pair.

But if their hand was , then they have a pair of kings, and "nothing else,' just like you. They have . And here, you queen "plays," breaking the tie, giving you the win. The queen is always there, but she only matters if there's a tie.

Of course, if they had , their hand would be - the exact same hand as you. In fact, the queen and the jack and the seven are all "playing," but it's still a tie, all the way.

It's sometimes called a "kicker" when the card is in your hand, with the pair card, but whether or not it's a kicker, it's a "high card."

Now, imagine the board was:



You have: . Your full hand is a pair of kings,

And they have: . Their full hand is a pair of kings,

Again, you both have kings, but it comes down to the very last card... your six beats their five. Your six plays as a "high card," because it's higher than their five.

Does that help?

Is there a particular kind of hand where the rule confuses you?

 

[MattinIdaho]

Makes perfect sense! Thank you!!!!

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

... and a poker hand is five cards.

This is the key. make your best 5 card hand, and if the kicker plays in those 5 cards, it counts. For instance, if you have Q3 on an AAAAJ board, and your opponent has 98, your best 5-card hand would be AAAAQ, beating his AAAAJ. However if there is a JT987 board (no flushes), and you have AQ, and your opponent has Q3, you would both have a straight to the queen, using your best 5 possible cards. Your ace would be irrelevant.