Top Pair/Medium Kicker (TPMK)
TPMK means top pair with a medium kicker: you pair the highest board card and your other card is decent, but not the best. For example, jack-ten on a J-2-3 flop.
The simple explanation
A medium kicker is better than a weak one, but it still loses to the same pair with a better kicker. Jack-ten beats jack-nine but loses to jack-ace and jack-king.
A closer look
TPMK is good enough to bet for value against many hands and to call on safe boards. Against heavy action it is risky, since the opponent's range contains better kickers. It is a typical bluff-catcher on dry boards. Keep the pot to a reasonable size.
A practical example
You hold J♥ 10♦ and the flop is J♣ 7♠ 2♦. You have top pair with a medium kicker.
Full explanation
TPMK means top pair with a medium kicker: you pair the highest board card and your other card is decent, but not the best. For example, jack-ten on a J-2-3 flop.
TPMK stands for top pair, medium kicker.
The kicker is decent but not the best.
The hand is fine on dry boards.
Be careful if the opponent shows strength.
Alternative spelling: Top Pair Medium Kicker, Top Pair, Medium Kicker, TPMK
Top pair, medium kicker
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB JJack of hearts (Jh)1010 of diamonds (Td) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)QQueen of spades (Qs) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB JJack of hearts (Jh)1010 of diamonds (Td) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)QQueen of spades (Qs) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB JJack of hearts (Jh)1010 of diamonds (Td) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)QQueen of spades (Qs) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
Player A pairs the jack with a ten as his other card. The ten is a decent but not the best kicker, a medium kicker.
Board: JJack of clubs (Jc)77 of spades (7s)22 of diamonds (2d)
- Player A BTN / SB JJack of hearts (Jh)1010 of diamonds (Td) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB AAce of clubs (Ac)QQueen of spades (Qs) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.