Pair
A pair is two cards of the same rank. In Hold'em, a pair in your hand is a pocket pair, and a pair of one hole card with a board card is also a pair. It is the lowest-ranked made hand, above high card.
The simple explanation
If you hold an ace and the flop brings another ace, you have a pair of aces. One pair beats high card, and loses to two pair, three of a kind and higher hands. The higher the pair, the better.
A closer look
One pair is the most common made hand, and many pots are decided by who has the better pair. With the same pair, the kicker decides. A pair can be top pair, middle pair or bottom pair, depending on the board. Because a pair is a medium-strength hand, it is not wise to put in too many chips without a good reason. About 42 percent of five-card hands are one pair.
A practical example
You hold A♥ K♦ and the flop is A♠ 7♦ 2♥. You have a pair of aces.
Full explanation
A pair is two cards of the same rank. In Hold’em, a pair in your hand is a pocket pair, and a pair of one hole card with a board card is also a pair. It is the lowest-ranked made hand, above high card.
A pair is two cards of the same rank.
It beats high card and loses to two pair or better.
The kicker breaks ties.
Pairs can be top, middle or bottom.
A pair
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 AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
The flop brings an ace, and Player A pairs his ace. Two cards of the same rank are a pair.
Board: AAce of spades (As)77 of diamonds (7d)22 of hearts (2h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.