Poker Showdown: Best Five Cards, Ties and Split Pots
Quick Definition
A showdown is the comparison of eligible players' poker hands to determine who wins a pot; the hand-construction and card-exposure rules depend on the poker variant and the game's rules.
A showdown is the comparison of eligible players’ poker hands to determine who wins a pot. In a completed Texas Hold’em hand, it follows the final betting round when more than one player remains. If every opponent folds, the remaining player wins without that comparison. All-in exposure can happen earlier, before the remaining community cards are dealt.
Texas Hold’em uses the best five cards
Each player combines the five community cards with their two private cards to select the best five-card hand. You may use zero, one or both hole cards. The official PokerStars Hold’em rules state this explicitly. Showing two private cards does not mean that both must appear in the final five.
Compare the hand category first, then its relevant ranks. For two pair, compare the higher pair, then the lower pair, then the remaining card, called the kicker. A sixth card cannot settle a tie. See our hand rankings guide and PokerStars’ ranking reference.
Worked example: two pair against two pair
The board is A♣ K♦ 7♥ 7♠ 2♣; Player A holds A♦ Q♣ while Player B holds K♣ Q♦. All nine physical cards are distinct.
| Player | Best five cards | Hand |
|---|---|---|
| A: A♦ Q♣ | A♣ A♦ 7♥ 7♠ K♦ | Aces and sevens, king kicker |
| B: K♣ Q♦ | K♦ K♣ 7♥ 7♠ A♣ | Kings and sevens, ace kicker |
Player A wins because aces outrank kings as the higher pair. Player B’s ace kicker cannot overturn that comparison. The pairs decide it. Both queens are outside the best five; neither changes the result.
When a pot is split
If the best five cards have identical poker value, the tied players share the pot they are eligible to win. In standard Hold’em, suits do not rank one tied hand above another. For example, a board of A♣ K♦ Q♥ J♠ 10♣ gives every remaining player the same ace-high straight: that board cannot make a flush.
Side pots are separate awards. A player can win only pots for which they are eligible; different players may therefore win the main pot and a side pot. Ask the dealer about any indivisible odd chip instead of treating it as a stronger hand.
Showing cards and all-in procedures
Under Poker TDA tournament rules, all hands are tabled when a player is all-in and all betting action is complete. In a non-all-in showdown, the final-round aggressor shows first if an order must be enforced; without a final-round bet, the first player who would act shows first. Venue rules govern the actual game.
Table a hand clearly and let it be read before surrendering it. A verbal claim does not replace the cards. Online software handles the comparison, but consult the room’s rules for what losing cards are displayed.
Common questions
Does Omaha use the same hole-card rule?
No. Standard four-card Omaha requires exactly two hole cards and three board cards. You cannot play the board alone. See the official Omaha rules.
Must I show every hand to win?
Winning after every opponent folds is different from winning a contested showdown. Follow the room’s tabling rules; do not assume a universal right to hide cards when claiming a contested pot.
Can an ace kicker beat a higher pair?
No. Resolve the pair ranks first, as the illustrated hand demonstrates. Practise by writing out exactly five cards for each player before comparing them.