Pair
Two cards of the same rank.
iGaming Journalist & Crypto Casino Analyst
What Is Pair?
A pair is one of the ten standard poker hand rankings, beating high card but losing to two pair and every stronger hand. Pairs can be formed with both hole cards (a pocket pair) or by pairing one hole card with a card on the board. The relative strength of a pair depends heavily on its rank and its "kicker," the highest unpaired card that breaks ties between equal pairs.
Examples
He made top pair when his King hole card matched the King on the flop.
A pair of Jacks with an Ace kicker beats a pair of Jacks with a King kicker.
Strategy Tips
Evaluate the strength of your pair relative to the board; top pair with a strong kicker is much more valuable than a low pair or weak kicker. Be cautious extending a marginal pair too far against significant aggression, especially on wet boards. Consider position and opponent tendencies when deciding whether to bet a pair for value or play it more passively for pot control. Track how many overcards remain that could give an opponent a bigger pair before committing more chips.