In poker, the term “overcard” refers to a card which has a higher value than the cards already dealt onto the table or in your opponents’ hands. An overcard simply means that a card is superior or more valuable than those that are already visible.

Overcards may be important in various scenarios in poker:

A board with overcards: If cards are dealt onto the table which are overcards to your current hand, this could complicate your situation. For example, if you have a pair of queens (QQ), and a king and an ace (K and A) are dealt onto the table, these are two overcards to your pair of queens.

A bluff with overcards: Sometimes, players use overcards to bluff. If an overcard is dealt onto the table, a player can place a bet and give the impression that they have a strong hand, even though in reality they may have a weak or even an empty hand.

Improving hands: If you have a hand with overcards to your cards on the table, you have the chance to improve your hand on the next cards. For example, if J-9-5 are on the table, and you have K-A in hand, a king and a ten could be dealt out on the next round and improve your hand.

Knowing the overcards on the board and their significance is important when making decisions in poker, as they can affect the strength of your and your opponents' hands and your gaming strategy.