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Hand Types

Overpair

A pocket pair higher than any card on the board.

James Carter
James CarterVerified

iGaming Journalist & Crypto Casino Analyst

What Is Overpair?

An overpair is generally a very strong hand postflop, especially on low or dry boards, since it beats top pair and most one-pair hands. However, overpairs can become vulnerable on wet, coordinated boards where straights, flushes, and sets are more likely, requiring careful bet sizing and pot control.

Examples

1

Holding pocket queens on a 9-6-2 board, he had an overpair to the board.

2

Her overpair looked strong until the flush-completing river card gave her opponent a better hand.

Strategy Tips

Bet overpairs for value on most boards, but slow down on very wet or scare-card runouts where your hand is more vulnerable. Be wary of overpairs against multiple aggressive opponents or heavy raising action, which often signals a set or two pair. Use pot control by checking back or calling smaller bets rather than committing your whole stack on dangerous boards. Reassess your overpair's strength as new community cards are revealed, since its relative value can shift quickly.

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