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Poker Showdown Rules and Tie Breaker Rules

Updated 30 October 2026 · 4 min read

The showdown is the moment the cards are revealed. This page covers who shows first, how kickers settle close hands and what happens when two players hold exactly the same hand.

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Showdown rules

A showdown happens when two or more players are still in after the last betting round.
The last player to bet or raise on the final round shows first. If everyone checked, the first player to the left of the button shows first.
Players with losing hands may muck (throw away unseen) in most games.
The best five-card hand wins the pot.

Kickers: how close hands are decided

When two players have the same type of hand, the kicker (the highest unpaired card) decides. For example, A-K against A-Q on an A-7-3-2-9 board both have one pair of aces, but the K kicker beats the Q. Only the five best cards count, so a sixth card never plays.

Poker tie breaker rules

If both players have identical five-card hands (for example when the board plays), the pot is split.
Flush against flush: compare the highest card, then the next highest.
Straight against straight: the higher top card wins; 5-high (A-2-3-4-5) is the lowest straight.
Full house against full house: compare the triple first, then the pair.

Suit ranking in poker

Suits do not break ties in poker hands. Some home games use suit order (spades highest, then hearts, diamonds and clubs) only to pick the first dealer or to break ties in drawing high card for the button. It never decides a pot.

Frequently asked questions

What is a kicker in poker?

A kicker is the highest card in your hand that is not part of your made hand. It breaks ties between players with the same hand type.

What happens when two players have the same poker hand?

The pot is split equally between the players with the same five-card hand.