Split Pot in Poker: Ties, Kickers and the Odd Chip
A split pot happens when two or more players hold exactly the same best five-card hand: the pot is divided equally. It is common when both hold the same ranks (A♠K♣ against A♥K♦ splits on 95.7% of the boards) and when the board plays: the five community cards make the best hand for everyone. Kickers decide before any split, suits never do, and the odd chip goes to the first winner left of the button.
Compute a tie
The calculator shows the share of boards that tie as well as the wins.
How often the pot is split
| Matchup | When | Split | First hand wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| A♠K♣ vs A♥K♦ | before the flop | 95.7% | 2.2% |
| Q♠Q♦ vs Q♥Q♣ | before the flop | 95.7% | 2.2% |
| A♠K♦ vs A♥Q♣ | before the flop | 4.6% | 71.7% |
| 8♠8♦ vs 7♣7♥ | before the flop | 0.86% | 80.7% |
| 7♠6♠ vs 5♣4♣ on K♠ K♦ Q♣ Q♥ | on the turn | 61.4% | 38.6% |
Same ranks almost always split; the 2.2% each side wins come from boards where one of the two ends with a flush. With different hands, ties are rare unless the board itself makes the hand.
When the board plays
On K♠ K♦ Q♣ Q♥, 7♠6♠ beats 5♣4♣ only through its kicker: two pair, kings and queens, with a seven against a five. 27 of the 44 rivers, 61.4%, leave both hands with the same five cards: an eight, nine, ten, jack or ace gives the board a better fifth card, a king or a queen gives both a full house, and a seven matches the kicker. The same happens with a straight or a flush on the board that neither hand improves.
How the pot is divided
- Compare the best five cards. Two pair with a better kicker wins; only an exact tie on all five cards splits.
- Suits never break a tie. In Texas Hold'em, two flushes with the same ranks, or two pairs of the same rank in different suits, are the same hand.
- The odd chip. When the pot cannot be divided exactly, the odd chip goes to the first winning player to the left of the button; in high-low games it goes to the high side (Poker TDA rules).
- Side pots are split separately. Each pot goes to the best hand among the players who are in it.
Keep going
- Which hand wins: poker hand rankings.
- Ties count as half of your equity: poker equity.
- When the same two pair decides: two pair in poker.
- The full rules of the game: Texas Hold'em rules.
- The same ace with a weaker kicker: dominated hands.
- The side card that breaks ties: the kicker in poker.
- Three of a kind plus a pair, and how often it fills: the full house in poker.
Sources
- Split frequencies enumerated exactly over every board.
- Odd chip: Poker TDA Rules (2015 and 2019 editions), "Odd chips".