Fencer: I will search as well for something more official too..... but my understanding has always been that a kicker has to be any one of the five cards used in the hand.... but not one that makes up the hand.... for example, if we tie a hand with 2 pairs KK and QQ, then the next highest card is the kicker, if that card comes from someones hole cards, then they win the hand, if it comes from the board cards then they both share the same kicker and the hand is a tie and a split pot....