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Poker is a popular card game in the United States of America, and different versions of online poker are played here with bonuses and rewards. There are many hand combinations that define the winning hands based on their ranking. In poker, there are five card combinations that make a greater impact on the game and decide which opponent is stronger and can win. Poker two pair is a poker hand combination of five cards with two pairs and one kicker. This is a frequent hand combination in poker that can beat one pair and high card only.
Let's learn more about two pairs in poker, how to make a two pair hand, and its probabilities.
What is a Two Pair in Poker?
Two Pairs in poker is a five-hand combination of cards with two different pairs of cards and one kicker card. This hand ranks higher than one pair and high card but is weaker than a three-of-a-kind.
8❤️ 8♦️K♠️ K♥️ 3♦️
The above pair consists of two different pairs of equal rank and a kicker card, which forms two pairs in poker. Let's understand what beats two pairs in poker and what hands a Two-pair beats.
What Does a Two Pair Hand Look Like?
A Two Pair hand consists of five cards with two different pairs and one kicker card that is not paired. It is clear from the name itself, “two pairs” which means this combination consists of two unique pairs of equal ranks. To know what two pairs in poker look like, check a few examples given below.
You can easily spot a “Two Pair” poker hand, as two pairs include one rank and another card of a different rank that does not form a pair. For instance, A-A-J-J-9 forms a two pair poker hand that consists of 2 pairs of Ace and Jacks and one kicker card 9. The highest combination of two pairs, ace, and king, can beat strong hands in poker. Ace high straight flushes rank higher than poker two pair hands.
How Does a Two Pair Hand Rank?
Two pairs stand at the eighth position in the poker hands rankings chart. It is a stronger hand than one pair, but weaker than three of a kind. The comparison starts first with the rank of its highest hand. If you have a two pair poker hand, you will need a stronger combination to make a difference. You can easily beat one pair or a high card combination with a two pair poker hand. However, according to the two-pair poker rules, the two pairs must be unique.
The two pair hand can easily be obtained. However, players need to be aware of the two pair poker rules to make the best use of this hand and make a winning bet.
In the table given below, the top ten poker combinations are listed in decreasing order of their strength.
| Hand Ranking List | Description | Example |
| Royal Flush | Queen, King, Jack, Ace, 10 are all from the same suit. | A-K-Q-J-10 |
| Straight Flush | Five cards in a continuous sequence are all in the same suit. | 4 5 6 7 8 |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards or two pairs of the same denomination with one kicker card. | J J J J 9 |
| Full House | Three cards of one rank and two other ranked cards. | K K K 7 7 |
| Flush | Five cards in the same suit with no definite sequence. | A 10 7 7 3 |
| Straight | Five ranked cards in a sequential order which can be from different suits. | A 2 3 4 5 ( Five straight hand) |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards with the same rank and two other kicker cards. | Q Q Q J 9 |
| Two Pair | Two cards or two pairs of the same rank cards. | 8 8 K K 3 |
| One Pair | Two cards having the same rank form one pair | 8 8 A 9 3 |
| High Card | If no player has any of the above hands, then the strongest card wins. | A, 10, 7, 5, 2 as an Ace is a high card. |
How Does a Two Pair Hand Match Up?
In a standard deck of 52 hand cards, there are a total of 123,552 ways to make a two pair poker hand. There are 858 unique rank combinations of two pairs possible. The first ranking starts from the highest kind and is ranked first, followed by the second highest pair, and then the kicker. A two pair poker hand stands at the eighth position in the poker hand ranking list.
It stands below royal flush, straight flush, straight, four-of-a-kind, full house, flush, and three-of-a-kind. A two pair hand ranks higher than one pair and high-card hand. If you have a two-pair hand, then you can easily win against one pair and a high-card hand as per the poker two players rules.
However, if two players have a two-pair hand, the winner is the hand that ranks higher; firstly, the first pair is compared, then the second pair, and if both pairs are the same for both hands, then the kicker cards are compared. The highest-ranking kicker dominates in this case. For instance, if player one has an 8-8-K-K-3, a two-pair poker hand, and player 2 has a 9-9-J-J-5, player one wins as the King pair is higher than Jack despite being from the same poker hand.
If all cards of the two hands are the same, the pot is split.
Two Pair Poker Probabilities
If you draw five cards randomly from a deck of 52 cards, you will have a 4.7539% chance of making a two pair poker hand. It makes an odd of 20 to 1 for making two pairs. Let us check the probabilities of making a two pair poker hand in pre-flop, flop, turn, and river stages in Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha.
Probabilities of Two Pair in Texas Hold’em
In Texas Hold’em, if you have all five community cards, you can have a 23.5% chance of obtaining a two pair hand. Players get two hole cards, and they can use any combination of two hole cards and five community cards to make the best five-card hand.
| Stages | Probability | Description |
| Pre-Flop | 4.7539% | Probability of being dealt a five-card hand from a deck of 52 cards to make a two pair hand. |
| Flop | 16.7% | Having a pocket pair |
| 2% | Use your pocket cards as well as non-pair cards. | |
| Turn | 19.15% | Holding a pocket pair |
| River | 19.57% | Holding a pocket pair. |
Probabilities of Two pair in Pot Limit Omaha
In the Pot Limit Omaha version, each player is dealt four hole cards. They use two of their four hole cards and three of their five community cards to make the best five-card hand.
| Stages | Probability | Description |
| Pre-Flop | 4.7539% | Probability of being dealt a five-card hand from a deck of 52 cards to make a two pair hand. |
| Flop | 16.7% | Having a pocket pair |
| Turn | 19.56% | Holding a pocket pair |
| River | 20% | Holding a pocket pair. |
Building Two Pair at the Table
1. Starting Hand Combination
Consider the starting hand as the foundation for making two pairs with high-ranking cards or pairs. Always look for connected cards or community card combinations that can help you complete your two pairs in poker. Starting with a pocket pair increases your chance of hitting a two pair hand.
2. Observation and Position
Evaluate the board texture strongly to make your strong two pairs. Also, play cautiously when there are chances of stronger pairs, such as straights or flushes. Read your cards well. Pay attention to your position on the poker table, as it affects your betting strategies. Study your opponents well and make an informed decision.
3. Bet Sizing
Having a two pair is a good hand when you evaluate the situations properly and play by the two pair poker rules. Consider your opponent’s action and the size of the pot to adjust your bets accordingly. Bet small and induce bluffing for calls, and bet big to maximize poker coins.
4. Seize the Odds
Check whether the winning odds justify the cost of additional bets placed in the game. You can consider folding if the odds are against it, as it may lead to losses.
5. Playing your Hand
If you have a strong hand, build the pots while protecting against draws. However, if the board is coordinated consider hand draws, you need to bet larger to deny odds and check if you want to control the pot size.
Here are some more points to remember while building stronger two-pair hands in poker.
- Look for hands with high potential to make a poker two pair hand, such as connected cards or pocket pairs.
- Choose cards that can form strong two pair combinations, as it might maximize your chances of winning big.
- Play more hands from the later position. It will give you an overhand in making informative decisions based on opponents' play.
- Look for community cards that can possibly generate chances for making a two pair hand.
- If turn cards have the probability to complete a draw, such as straight or straight flush, then play cautiously.
- Make small bets if the river stages complete a possible draw on the board.
Different Ways to Achieve a Two Pair Hand
There are different ways of achieving a poker two pair poker hand using hole cards and community card combinations. Let us look at some of the possible combinations to make two pairs in poker.
1. Using Two Hole Cards and Two Community Cards
- You have two hole cards in starting and in the flop, you can complete two pairs using both of your hole cards and two community cards.
- For instance, suppose you have K-Q hole cards in the starting and the flop gives K-Q-7, you can easily completepoker two pair of K-Q and make a two pair hand K-K-Q-Q-7.
2. Using One Hole Card and Three Community Cards
- You can make a two pair using one hole card and three community cards.
- For instance, if a player's starting hand is A-Q and the flop turns to be Q-Q-7-72, then the resulting two pair can be made using one hole pair and three community cards.
3. Using One Hole Cards and Four Community Cards
- You can make poker two pair using one hole card and four community cards.
- Suppose you have a 9-8 as starting cards, and the board gives 10-9-9-8-7. You can make two pair using hole card 9 and four community cards 9-9-8-7.
4. Flopping Two Pair
- You can create a two pair hand with three community cards dealt at the center after the pre-flop stage.
- Suppose you hold a Q-J as starting hands, and your flop is Q-8-8. Then, you can form one pair with your hole cards, which is Q, and the other pair is in a flop, which is 8.
5. Turning or Rivering Two Pair
- Completing poker two pair in the river or turning stage.
- Suppose, if your starting cards are K-Q and flop gives you only one pair K-7-3, now if the turn or river card completes one more pair with Q then you can complete your two pairs.
Playing Two Pair Scenarios
Two pair can be a strong hand in poker but it is necessary that players develop good strategies to win larger bets.
1. Defending the Big Blind with a Two Pair Potential
Suppose the player has a big blind with the potential to form a strong two pair poker hand. If there is only one raiser, then you might call with hands that have the potential to form strong two-pair hands, especially connected cards.
However, if there are multiple raises, be more cautious and consider folding or checking raises to protect your hands. Then, lead out with a bet to start building the pot. If the players have placed a call smaller than the potential pot size, consider calling with a wider range to improve your hand.
2. Isolating an Opponent with a Strong Two Pair
Suppose you have a stronger two pair of aces or kings, and after assessing the board texture you might believe the opponent has a weaker hand.
Consider raising to maximize value with your strong hand. Observe your opponent’s play and have a good time, considering your position. Act after your opponent to gain an advantage over them and make informed decisions.
3. Facing Multiple players with a Two Pair
When there are multiple players, there is an increased chance that someone might have a better hand. If multiple players call, then protect your hand with around 70% of the pot value and raise only if you have considered the strength of your raise well enough, as multiple pots have higher chances of stronger bonds.
