One Pair in Poker: Hand Ranking

Introduction

One Pair, or a Pair, is the second lowest-ranking in poker hands. In a five-card hand, One Pair comprises two cards of the same ranking and three other unpaired cards.

This article will help you understand One Pair Poker, its ranking, and what strategies you can use for a One Pair hand in poker.

What is a One Pair Poker Hand?

One Pair is a combination of two cards of the same rank. It holds the ninth position in the poker hand rankings. One pair ranks higher than a high card and lower than the other eight hands, ranging from a royal flush to two pairs. Examples of one pair include A-A, K-K, J-J, 10-10, 7-7 or 5-5. 

How does One Pair rank?

One Pair in poker refers to having two cards of the same rank and three other cards of different ranks. This hand ranks just above High Card but below Two Pair in the hierarchy of poker hands. 

It means you have a pair of matching cards, such as two Jacks or two Sevens, among your five cards. While One Pair isn't the strongest hand, it's still valuable during gameplay as it can often win against a High Card or lower-ranking hands.

However, it's essential to note that stronger combinations, like Two Pair, Three of a Kind, and so on, can beat One Pair in a game of poker. Therefore, while having a pair is a decent hand, players aim for stronger combinations to increase their chances of winning.

In each round, there are higher chances for any player to make a one pair Poker hand. After the high card, one pair is the least winning hand in Poker. That’s why the probability of getting a one-pair hand is much higher than the other hand rankings in Poker.

Poker professionals always suggest trying to make one pair of high-rank cards. This can be more understandable by an example-

Example:- Suppose in the game, the first player gets a King of Spades, A King of Diamonds, a 9 of Hearts, a Jack of Clubs, and a 6 of Hearts. The second player gets an Ace of Clubs, an Ace of Hearts, a Queen of Clubs, a 7 of Spades, and a 4 of Diamonds. 

So here, the second player, who holds two aces, will be declared the winner. As the rank of his card is higher than the first one.

What are the strategies for One Pair in poker?

• Protect your Pair: If you have a One Pair, especially a strong one like Aces, protect it by betting or raising. This can scare off opponents with weaker hands and increase your chances of winning.
• Watch your position: Your position at the table matters. If you're in an early position, consider being more cautious with your one pair. In later positions, you can be more aggressive.
• Observe opponents: Pay attention to your opponents' behaviour. It might indicate they have a weaker hand if they seem hesitant or passive. In such cases, you can bet confidently with your one pair.
• Be mindful of board cards: Keep an eye on the community cards. If the board shows potential for stronger hands like Straights or Flushes, proceed cautiously and consider folding if necessary.
• Stay calm: Don't let emotions cloud your judgment. Even with just one Pair, stay calm and make rational decisions based on the situation.

What beats One Pair in poker?

• Royal Flush: This is the strongest poker hand. It's like a straight flush, but it's the highest possible cards: 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, all of the same suit. 
• Straight Flush: When all five cards are in a row, and all are of the same suit, like 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of hearts. It is a rare hand and beats almost everything, including one pair.
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, like four 9s, make a Four of a Kind. That's stronger than having just one pair.
• Full House: When you have three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, like three Kings and two Aces. It's even stronger than having two pairs.
• Flush: If you have five cards of the same suit, like all hearts or all spades, that's called a flush and beats one pair.
• Straight: This is when you have five cards in a row, like 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, all of different suits. It's stronger than having one pair.
• Three of a Kind: Three of a kind is having three cards of the same rank, like three Queens. That beats having just one pair.
• Two Pairs: This is when you have two pairs of matching cards, like two Jacks and two Sevens. This hand is stronger than one pair.

What are the probabilities of One Pair?

The probabilities of getting One Pair in a 5-card poker hand vary depending on the stage of the game. Here are the probabilities at different stages:

• Pre-flop: 42.2569% (when 5 random cards are drawn from the 52-card deck).
• Flop: 28.6% (from your pocket cards).
• Turn: 12.77% (after the first three community cards are revealed).

How Should You Play One Pair in Hold’em?

One pair is a common hand to play, as the probability of being dealt with this hand is 1 out of every 1.37 times. Playing one pair in Hold’em depends on various criteria, including the value of the one-pair (premium pocket pair, middle pair or low pair), the number of players, community cards, players’ positions at the table, and the number of chips a player has.

When you have premium hands like Pocket Aces, Pocket Kings, or Pocket Queens, it is strategic to bet aggressively during the pre-flop to exploit their equity. With medium-strength cards from 7-7 to 10-10 pairs, you must be careful about the community cards while going aggressive beyond a certain limit, as any person having a higher pair in hand can beat you.

With lower pairs from 2-2 to 6-6, you can convert them easily to a set or Three-of-a-Kind, provided you play until post-flop unless it becomes too expensive to keep playing.

But it’s crucial to keep in mind that one pair is the second-weakest hand in the poker hands sequence. Hence, you need to play with these hands carefully. 

What happens when two players have a Pair?

Imagine you and your friend are playing a game of poker. Both of you show your cards, and you have a Pair, which means you each have two cards of the same number, like two Kings or two 7s.

Sometimes, both players have the same pair, like you have two 5s. So, who wins then? This is where the kicker comes into play.

The kicker is a deciding card. If both players have the same pair, the one with the highest kicker card wins. For example, if you both have two 7s, but your kicker card is a Queen, and your friend's kicker is a 10, you win because a Queen is higher than a 10.

So, even if you and your friend have the same pair, the one with the better kicker card wins.

Common mistakes and pitfalls

• Overconfidence with a low pocket pair: You should not get overconfident when playing with a low pair, as there are higher chances of getting hit by a higher card. You must play cautiously when you have a low-pocket pair like 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, or 7-7. A pocket pair below 7 is not a strong pair that can withstand in front of stronger hands. 

• Not betting aggressively with Pocket Aces/Kings/Queens: One common mistake new players make with high-value pairs like Pocket Aces, Pocket Kings and Pocket Queens is by betting passively during pre-flop and not taking full advantage of these hands.

Poker on Adda52

Now that you understand what a Pair is in poker, it's time to test your knowledge by playing on a Poker app. Platforms like Adda52 offer numerous cash games where you can compete for real cash prizes. Additionally, the Adda52 Poker app provides a diverse range of poker variants and enticing offers to immerse you in the game. 

Among these options, Texas Hold'em Poker stands out as the most popular variant, drawing in numerous players due to its unique rules and exciting gameplay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Pair a Strong Hand in Poker?

One pair holds the ninth rank in Poker hand rankings. Hence, it can only beat the High Card, which ranks below it.

What beats one Pair?

In poker, a Pair is beaten by higher hands like Two Pairs, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, Full House, Four of a Kind, Straight Flush, and Royal Flush.

Which One Pair is strongest?

The strongest One Pair in poker is a pair of Aces.

Conclusion

Now you know all about one pair in poker! It's like having a pair of matching socks but with cards instead. One pair is good, but there are even stronger hands, like two pairs and three of a kind. 

Remember, if you and a friend have one pair, the one with the higher kicker card wins. So, practice your poker skills and have fun playing on apps like Adda52. Like any other game, staying calm and making smart decisions is vital, so keep learning and improving your game!