kicker

A kicker is any card in a hand which does not participate in forming the main hand. This are use in valuation only when two or more hands have the same major type and rank.

Lucy has 9♠ 9♣ K♣ 7♦ 4♠. She has a pair of nines with K♣ 7♦ 4♠ as kickers.

Nomenclature

Kickers are generally only mentioned in cases when needed to distinguish the winning hand. If the major hand type, or rank, of two hands differs, there is simply no need to mention the kickers.

Andy has 7♠ 7♣ 8♠ 8♦ K♣. Compared to Matthew with 5♠ 5♣ 5♦ Q♠ T♥ he has Two Pair vs. Three of a Kind. Compared to Salwa with 7♥ 7♦ 8♣ 8♥ T♠ he has Two Pair - King kicker or Two Pair - Eights and Sevens King High.

There is of course no steadfast rule about how hands should be written. Expect a lot of variation.