You might know how to play a Pair in poker, but what about Two Pair? This hand is often good enough to win a showdown, but it can also get you into trouble. I’ll explain why in this guide to playing Two Pair.
What is Two Pair in Poker?
Two Pair, as you can guess, is two sets of matching cards. So, in a five-card poker hand, you could have the following: A♠ A♣ K♥ K♣ 9♦.
In this example, you’d declare your hand like this: I have Aces and Kings. Stating the highest-value cards first is important because they matter in cases where two or more players have the same hand.
Let’s take a look at a scenario where three players have Two Pair:
Player 1 has A♠ K♦
Player 2 has 7♠ 8♠
Player 3 has A♦ 8♥
The board = A♥ K♠ 7♥ 8♦ 2♠
Result: Player 1 wins
All three players have Two Pair in this scenario. However, Player 1 has the best hand because Aces and Kings are the two highest-ranked pairs.
If Player 1 weren’t in the hand, Player 3 would win because Aces and Eights is worth more than Eights and Sevens. Why? Because the highest pair in Player 3’s hand is Aces. The highest pair in Player 2’s hand is Eights.
However, Player 3 doesn’t beat Player 1, despite their highest pairs being Aces. That’s because we need to look at the second pair in these situations. A pair of Kings is better than a pair of Eights. Therefore, Player 1 has the best hand.
Poker Hand Rankings
The poker hands chart below shows you where Two Pair ranks. Although it’s not a top-ranked poker hand, you can still win plenty of pots if you know how to play Two Pair correctly.
Rank
Hand
Example
01
Royal Flush
02
Straight Flush
03
Four-of-a-Kind (Quads)
04
Full House (Full Boat)
05
Flush
06
Straight
07
Three-of-a-Kind (Set/Trips)
08
Two Pair
09
One Pair
10
High Card
What Are the Odds of Making Two Pair?
The odds of making Two Pair in poker are 20:1. This figure can also be expressed as 21.0 in decimal odds or 4.75% as a percentage.
Whichever way you prefer to note the chances of making Two Pair, the figure I’ve just quoted is based on drawing five random cards from a standard deck. That’s useful to know if we’re playing Five-Card Draw, but what about Texas Hold’em?
The odds you’ll make Two Pair in Hold’em when all five community cards have been dealt are 3.2:1 (23.5%). The reason the odds are better in this scenario is because you’ve got seven cards to work with (two hole cards + five community cards).
Finally, just in case you’re hoping to hit Two Pair on the flop in Texas Hold’em, the odds are 48.5:1 (2.02%). For this to happen, you’d need to match your hole cards with two of the three community cards.
How to Play Two Pair: 3 Basic Strategy Tips
I play Two Pair conservatively because this hand can be easily counterfeited on dangerous boards. However, with the right combination of pairs, it’s possible to win some huge pots. Here are three tips for playing Two Pair in poker:
1. Aim for High-Value Pairs
Higher-value pairs are always best. There is a caveat to this tip, which I’ll explain in a moment. But, in general terms, you want to make Two Pair with high-value cards. The best way to do this is to play premium starting hands, which means only entering pots with hands such as A-10+, K-J+, Q-J, and J-10.
2. Small Pairs Can Win Big Pots
Even though you should be aiming to make Two Pair with high-value cards, there’s something to be said for making this hand with low-value cards because they’re often disguised.
Consider this scenario:
You find yourself in a hand with 5♥ 7♦. The board is A♣ 9♠ 5♦7♠ 10♥. You suspect your opponent has A-K based on the way they played the hand pre-flop and post-flop.
It’s not easy to fold a pair of Aces on a board like this, so just the right amount of pressure could win you a big pot because they probably won’t expect you to have a hand like 5♥ 7♦.
3. Watch Out for Aces
My final tip for playing Two Pair like a poker pro is to be cautious with aces. Far too many novices overplay Two Pair hands that contain an Ace and low-value kickers. For example, let’s say you’ve got A♥ 5♦, and the board is A♠ 9♠ 5♥ K♥ Q♠.
You’ve got Two Pair, which is great. However, there’s a chance you’re losing. Why? Because people typically bet and call raises pre-flop with hands such as A-9, A-Q, and A-K.
Your hand loses to all of these holdings, which is why you need to be careful with Two-Pair hands that contain an Ace and a low-value kicker.
Mistakes to Avoid with Two Pair
The biggest mistake I see people make with Two Pair is not folding when it’s clear they’re beaten. If someone is betting or raising, particularly on the river, there’s a good chance they will have a strong hand.
They could be bluffing, so this must be factored into your decision. But the reality is that most players bluff less often than you think. This point is even more true in low-stakes games.
So, if we assume that bluffs are a small part of an opponent’s range, it’s correct to say that you should be prepared to fold Two Pair if calling costs a large portion of your stack.
There will be times when you fold the best hand. However, the chances are that you’ll make more correct folds in these situations than incorrect folds. Therefore, my advice is to be brave sometimes and fold.
Conclusion: How to Play Two Pair in Poker
That’s everything you need to know about Two Pair and how to play it. In general, it’s an easy poker hand to play if you start with high-value cards such as A-K and K-Q.
It’s easy because it’s a strong enough hand to win showdowns but not strong enough that you can’t fold it if the price of calling is too high.
As long as you remember this, you won’t make many mistakes when you’re playing online or live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s possible to make Two Pair with any starting hand in poker. This hand consists of two sets of pairs, such as A♥ A♠ K♣ K♦. Therefore, you can start with a pocket pair or unpaired hole cards.
The odds of hitting Two Pair in Texas Hold’em are 3.26-to-1 against when all five community cards have been dealt. This can also be expressed as a 23.5% chance of hitting Two Pair when two hole cards are combined with five random community cards.
The amount you can win with Two Pair depends on the stakes you’re playing for, the betting format, and the amount of chips someone has. Your job as a poker player is to extract the maximum amount of chips from opponents by disguising the strength of your hand.
