What is a One Pair in Poker?

One Pair is a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank and three other cards of different sequential, rank and suit. This means that you get two cards of the same value, for example, two Kings or two Sevens, as well as three other cards that do not match each other or a pair on the poker table. This is one of the main ratings of poker combinations, which offers a modest level of strength compared to one of the highest hands such as Two Pairs, Flush, and so on. Keep reading to learn more details about One Pair and its features, how to make a difference between it and other combinations.

What Does a One Pair Look Like?

A combination of One Pair in poker looks like two playing cards of the same rank accompanied by three other cards of different ranks. Here are the examples:

• One Pair of Aces: A♠ A♥ K♠ 5♦ 2♣;
• One Pair of Kings: K♣ K♥ J♠ 6♥ 3♣;
• One Pair of Jacks: J♣ J♦ 6♠ 3♦ 2♣;
• One Pair of Tens: 10♣ 10♠ J♠ 9♦ 8♥;
• One Pair of Sevens: 7♦ 7♥ A♠ 3♥ 2♣.

How Does One Pair Rank?

To determine the best hand, pay attention to the value of the 2 main cards. So, One Pair of Kings will always be stronger than One Pair of Tens, regardless of the Kicker. That is, when comparing combinations K-K-4-3-2 and J-J-A-K-10, the first one will be stronger than the second, despite the fact that in the second combination the Kicker consists of cards of a higher rank.

In a situation where several players have One Pair of the same value (Aces, for example), the winner is determined using a Kicker. So, A-A-K-3-2 will be stronger than A-A-J-10-9, since the King is stronger than the Jack. If the first Kicker also matches, the winner is determined by the second one.

What Beats a One Pair? 

Here’s a table listing the hands that beat One Pair, arranged from the highest-ranking hand to the lowest-ranking hand that still beats One Pair:

Strategy to Play One Pair

Playing One Pair effectively in poker requires understanding the strength of your position relative to your opponents. Here are some tips to consider:

• Give preference to starting combinations that can form strong One Pair, for example, senior pairs (Aces, Kings, Queens); 
• Pay attention to how the opponents behave. Evaluate their capabilities and make sure they are not bluffing. Based on this analysis, choose a more aggressive or restrained game tactics;
• Having a Pair of medium strength, beware of sudden actions and decisions, as there may be stronger Pairs on the table;
• If you think your Pair has the best combination, you can choose a more aggressive style of play;
• Use the position to your advantage by controlling the size of the pot and taking advantage when necessary.

One Pair Probabilities

Here’s a table showing the probabilities of making a One Pair hand in Texas Hold’em poker at various stages of the game: