What is Side Pot?

A side pot is a separate pot created when one player goes all-in for fewer chips than the others still have behind, so any additional betting takes place in a distinct pot that the all-in player cannot win. The all-in player is only eligible for the main pot, capped at the amount everyone matched, while remaining players with chips continue to contest the side pot. Multiple side pots can form in a single hand when several players are all-in for different amounts, each layer built from bets above the previous all-in threshold. Worked example: three players are in a no-limit hold'em hand. Player A is all-in for $50, while B and C each have $200 behind. All three commit $50, forming a $150 main pot that A can win. B then bets $100 and C calls, creating a $200 side pot contested only by B and C. At showdown, A wins the $150 main pot if A has the best hand; the $200 side pot goes to whichever of B or C holds the stronger hand, even if A's hand beats them both. Why it matters: side pots keep the game fair by ensuring a short-stacked player can only win chips they actually covered, never money they never risked. The common mistake is assuming an all-in player who tables the best hand scoops everything. They only take the pot(s) they were eligible for. Compare with all-in, main pot behaviour under pot, stack, and showdown mechanics when reading who wins what.