One pair (for example, 10-10-K-7-4)
One pair is a poker hand such as 4♥ 4♠ K♠ 10♦ 5♠, which contains two cards of the same rank, plus three unmatched cards. It ranks above any No pair hand, but below all other poker hands.
Between two such hands, the hand with the higher ranking pair wins. If two hands have the same rank of pair, the remaining cards in each hand (called Kickers or side cards) are compared in the manner as no-pair hands.
Examples:
10♣ 10♠ 6♠ 4♥ 2♥ ("pair of tens") defeats 9♥ 9♣ A♥ Q♦ 10♦ ("pair of nines")
10♥ 10♦ J♦ 3♥ 2♣ ("tens with jack kicker") defeats 10♣ 10♠ 6♠ 4♥ 2♥
2♦ 2♥ 8♠ 5♣ 4♣ ("pair of deuces, eight-five-four") defeats 2♣ 2♠ 8♣ 5♥ 3♥ ("deuces, eight-five-three")
In some games, kickers become very important (typically Community card games like Texas holdem), while in other games (such as Draw poker) they are almost never significant. Nonetheless, they are always used if needed.
Two pair (for example, K-K-9-9-J)
A poker hand such as J♦ J♣ 4♣ 4♠ 9♠, which contains two cards of the same rank, plus two cards of another rank (that match each other but not the first pair), plus one unmatched card, is called two pair. It ranks above one pair and below three of a kind. Between two such hands, the higher ranking pair of each is first compared, and the higher pair wins. If both have the same top pair, then the second pair of each is compared. Finally, if both hands have the same two pairs, the kicker determines the winner.
These hands are be referred to in speech, for example, as "jacks and fours" or "jacks over fours" or just "jacks up" (the latter is common in games where the smaller pair is rarely needed to break ties, so it doesn't need to be mentioned most of the time). Two small pairs with ranks between 2 and 9 are also sometimes referred to by the two-digit number they make: sevens and fives, for example, might be called a "seventy-five".
Examples:
K♥ K♦ 2♣ 2♦ J♥ ("kings up") defeats J♦ J♠ 10♠ 10♣ 9♠ ("jacks up")
9♣ 9♦ 7♦ 7♠ 6♥ ("nines and sevens") defeats 9♥ 9♠ 5♥ 5♦ K♣ ("nines and fives" or "ninety-five")
4♠ 4♣ 3♠ 3♥ K♦ ("fours and threes, king kicker") defeats 4♥ 4♦ 3♦ 3♣ 10♠ ("fours and threes with a ten")
Note in particular here that the general rule about poker hands having only five cards often comes into play. If you are playing a seven-card game and have, for example, 10♣ 10♦ 8♦ 8♥ 4♣ 4♠ Q♦, the highest poker hand you can make is two pair: 10♣ 10♦ 8♦ 8♥ Q♦. The extra 4♣ 4♠ are of no consequence because you can't squeeze them into a five-card hand.
Three of a kind (for example, 4-4-4-K-9)
Three of a kind is a poker hand such as 2♦ 2♠ 2♥ K♠ 6♠, which contains three cards of the same rank, plus two unmatched cards. Also called "trips", or "a set". It ranks above two pair and below a straight.
Between two such hands, the hand with the higher ranking matched set wins. If both have the same matched set (this is possible only in games with wild cards or community cards), then the kickers are compared to break the tie.
Examples:
8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 5♠ 3♣ ("three eights" or "trip eights") defeats 5♣ 5♥ 5♦ Q♦ 10♣ ("three fives")
8♠ 8♥ 8♦ A♣ 2♦ ("three eights, ace kicker") defeats 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ 5♠ 3♣ ("three eights, five, three")
|
