Showdown and side pots, explained simply
3 min read · Updated 2026-09-26
Who shows first
- If there was a bet or raise on the river, the last player to bet or raise shows first.
- If everyone checked the river, the first player left of the button shows first, then clockwise.
- Once a winning hand is shown, the others can muck (throw away face down) instead of showing a losing hand.
- When a player is all-in and no more betting is possible, everyone still in turns their cards face up straight away, then the rest of the board is dealt — standard in tournaments; agree whether your cash game does the same.
Cards speak
What you hold is what counts, not what you say. If someone calls “two pair” but actually has a straight, they have a straight. That’s why the golden rule at showdown is: turn both cards face up on the table and let the dealer read the hand. Don’t muck a hand until the pot has been pushed — a hand thrown into the discards is dead.
Why side pots exist
You can only win from each opponent as much as you put in yourself. When a player goes all-in with fewer chips than the others, the extra chips the others keep betting go into a separate side pot that the all-in player can’t win.
Worked example
Three players get their chips in on the flop. Ana has 100 chips, Ben has 300, Cara has 500. Ana goes all-in for 100, Ben goes all-in for 300, Cara calls 300 and keeps 200 back.
- Line up the all-in amounts from smallest to largest: 100 (Ana), 300 (Ben).
- Main pot: each player puts in up to the smallest all-in, 100 × 3 players = 300. Ana, Ben and Cara can all win it.
- Side pot: the next layer, from 100 up to 300, is 200 × 2 players = 400. Only Ben and Cara can win it.
- Anything above the largest all-in that nobody else matched (none here) goes back to its owner.
| Pot | Amount | Who can win it |
|---|---|---|
| Main pot | 300 | Ana, Ben, Cara |
| Side pot | 400 | Ben, Cara |
At showdown, Ana has the best hand, Ben the second best. Ana wins the main pot (300). The side pot goes to the better hand between Ben and Cara, so Ben wins 400. Ana ends with 300, Ben with 400, Cara with the 200 she kept back.
Tip — Award the pots from last to first: Settle the newest side pot first, then work back to the main pot. It keeps chips from getting mixed up.
Split pots and odd chips
When hands tie, split the pot evenly. If a chip can’t be divided, the common rule gives the odd chip to the first tied player left of the button. With several side pots, split each one separately.