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Poker terms beginning with a "K"

Kangaroo

Slang term for a king and a jack as the starting hand. (E.g., King of Any Color Jack of Any Color.)

Key Card

No, not the hotel key you've lost again... The key card we talk about as poker players is the card needed to complete a good hand.

Key Hand

A key hand is a critical hand in a game or tournament that significantly affects a player's chip stack or position.

Kicker

A card that does not directly form a winning combination but can determine the winner when multiple players have similar hands. If you and your opponent both have a pair or similar hand of the same value, the highest card in each of your hands determines the winner. For example: player 1 has King of Spades Jack of Hearts 9 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds 4 of Spades and player 2 has Queen of Hearts 10 of Clubs 9 of Diamonds 9 of Spades 8 of Hearts, then player 1 wins with king as the kicker.

Kill Pot

A pot that is played with increased stakes, usually double the regular limits, triggered by specific conditions such as a player winning two pots in a row.

King High

A hand where the highest card is a king, typically used when no player has a pair or better.

Kingmaker

A player who, though unlikely to win themselves, can significantly influence which of the remaining players will win.

Knock

A knock is the same as a check. It comes from live poker where players usually signal a check by simply tapping the table. Also see check.

Knockout Tournament

A type of tournament where a bounty is awarded for eliminating each opponent, adding extra incentives beyond just reaching the prize money.

Knuckle

Another term for checking, derived from the gesture of tapping the table with your knuckles.

Kojak

Slang term for a king and jack as the starting hand (King of Any Color Jack of Any Color), referencing the (bald) TV detective character.