A card protector is any small object a poker player places on top of their hole cards to prevent them from being accidentally mucked (folded or swept into the discard pile). It’s a simple but important tool to protect your hand, especially in live games where dealers are constantly moving cards around.
Players use all sorts of items as card protectors—coins, chips, figurines, lucky charms, or even custom-made tokens. There’s no official rule about what it has to be, as long as it stays small and doesn’t interfere with the game.
While not required, using a card protector is considered a smart habit, especially if you want to avoid losing a hand due to a simple misunderstanding at the table.
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