The rule in one sentence
A player can only win from each opponent as much as they themselves put in. Side pots are simply the bookkeeping for that rule.
Worked example: three players, one short stack
Ana has 100 chips, Ben has 300, Cleo has 500. Ana goes all-in for 100, Ben calls and raises to 300 (all-in), Cleo calls 300.
| Pot | How it is built | Size | Who can win it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main pot | 100 from each of Ana, Ben, Cleo | 300 | Ana, Ben or Cleo |
| Side pot | The next 200 from each of Ben and Cleo | 400 | Ben or Cleo only |
Cleo bet 300 and keeps her other 200; nothing above 300 goes in because nobody can match it.
At showdown, compare hands for each pot separately, starting with the side pot:
- If Ana has the best hand overall, she wins the main pot (300). The better of Ben and Cleo wins the side pot (400).
- If Ben has the best hand, he wins both pots (700).
- If Cleo beats Ben but loses to Ana: Ana takes 300, Cleo takes 400.
How to build side pots step by step
- Find the smallest all-in amount. Take that much from every player in the hand: that is the main pot.
- From what is left, find the next-smallest all-in amount and take that much from every player who still has chips in: that is side pot 1.
- Repeat until every chip is in a pot. Any amount a single player put in that nobody could match goes back to that player.
- Each pot is won by the best hand among the players who contributed to it.
Two all-ins: a second example
Four players. Dev is all-in for 50, Eli is all-in for 150, Fay and Gus both bet 400.
| Pot | Calculation | Size | Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main pot | 50 × 4 | 200 | Dev, Eli, Fay, Gus |
| Side pot 1 | (150 − 50) × 3 | 300 | Eli, Fay, Gus |
| Side pot 2 | (400 − 150) × 2 | 500 | Fay, Gus |
Total 1,000, which matches 50 + 150 + 400 + 400. Always check the pots add up to everything that was bet.
Paying side pots out with EasyPoker
EasyPoker keeps one pot on the table and does not split it into side pots automatically. Work out the pots as above, then pay them out in order: the winner of each smaller pot taps Take and enters that pot's size, and the last winner taps Take whole pot for whatever is left. If anyone takes the wrong amount, the host can set the pot and the stacks directly, or restore the table to the moment before.