Who wins?

[superbuddy20]

My friends and I are new to Texas Hold 'em. We started out playing and new questions come up and we argue until we come to an agreement. Thank god I found this site; it has answered most of our questions. I still have one more question, I'm not sure of.

It appears that the BEST 5 CARDS win. I just want to make sure I'm clear in regards to when "high card" and "kickers" come into play.

But, who wins here and why(all unsuited):

Scenario A: Player A: 3, 5
Player B: 4, 6

Community Cards: A, K, Q, J, 9
(My thoughts: Best 5 cards are community cards, so it's
a split.)

Scenario B: Player A: 4, 7
Player B: 2, 7

Community Cards: A, K, Q J, 7
(My thoughts: Each have a pair, but the best 5 cards
are 7, 7, A, K, Q ... so it's a split, again.)

As, you can tell, my questions are really about, when do you go to "high card" in the players' hands. And when do you go to the "kickers" in the players' hands. Or is it always the BEST 5 Cards as I've seen repeatedly on this forum.

I appreciate any help. Thank you.

[schrek]

This is my understanding of your scenarios...

Scenario B: Player A: 4, 7
Player B: 2, 7

Community Cards: A, K, Q J, 7

The best hand that both of you have is

pair of 7 (both have it, so you go to the next best card in your hand)
Ace High (both have it, so you go to the next best card in your hand)
King High (both have it, "")
Queen High ("")

Thats it.

If you tie every time (up to 5 cards each) its a split pot.

[i]

BUT, if the pot split's odd, the player 1st in rotation get's the odd lot. i.e. if the pot is $5, $1 denominations, the first player going left of the dealer gets $3, the other player get's $2.
...in general.

[Scyman]

The way me and my poker buds play is if there is an odd amount on the split pot that it stays out there for the next pot.

[Silencer]

The problem with that is it allows somebody who wasn't even part of the hand to win part of the pot. If players A and B split the pot with an odd $1 chip and you move it to the next pot, that isn't good in my opinion. One of the major concepts of the game is that you can only win what you put into the pot yourself. By folding, you give up your claim to the pot. Now put this back into the split situation.

Say you have 6 players and everyone folds on the flop except the two blinds, who we'll call players A and B. Only players A and B have put money into the pot and only they have the right to claim that pot. So say they split, and you move the odd chip to the next pot. This is not right and is unfair to players A and B. Players A and B put that $1 pot with the cards that they had that hand against only each other. Now you're changing the cards and allowing anyone to win the pot.

Only players A and B put money towards the original pot that the odd chip came from so only players A and B should have a chance to win it. Not only that but the chances are good that player A or B, or possibly even both, will not have as good of a hand this time around and will fold or lose. Now they are losing a bet that they made with one hand because another totally unrelated hand isn't as good, and what's worse, the person who wins might not even have been part of the previous hand so they shouldn't even have a claim to the chip.

Of course it's your decision but as the other guys said, the odd chip normally goes to the first player to the left of the dealer. At least by doing it that way the person who gets the chip is at least one of the players who has a right to claim that chip.