Kicker

hand strength

The side card that breaks ties between same-rank hands.

AK on an A72 board has top pair top kicker — the K beats everyone’s lesser ace. Kickers decide more pots than people realise.

See also

Bottom Pair
A pair using one of your hole cards and the lowest board card.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit. Beats a straight.
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair. Beats a flush.
Nuts
The best possible hand at that moment.