Side pot
A side pot is the separate pot made from bets that an all in player could not match, and only the players who put money into it can win it.
It exists so that a short stack can never win more than they risked. The all in player matches what they can, that money forms the main pot, and everything bet beyond it is kept apart.
Both pots are then decided normally at the showdown, and they can be won by different players. It is entirely possible to win the side pot with a weaker hand than the one that takes the main pot.
an example
your cards
board
Three players see the flop. One is all in for 20, so 60 goes into the main pot. You and the third player each put another 30 in, making a side pot of 60. Your pair of aces beats the third player, so you take the side pot of 60, and the all in hand is only compared for the main pot.
This example is made up. The real one is in your own hand history: find side pot in your own hands and see how often it came up and what it cost you.
related terms
All in
A player is all in when they have put their last chip in the pot, which means they cannot bet, raise or fold again in th ...
Showdown
A showdown is the point after the final round of betting where the remaining players turn their cards face up and the be ...
Blinds
The blinds are the two forced bets posted before any cards are dealt, by the two players to the left of the button, so t ...
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Knowing the word is not the same as seeing it.
The full order of play, from the blinds to the showdown.