Two Pair in Poker: Hand Ranking

Introduction

Two Pairs in poker means having two sets of pairs in your hand. Each set consists of two cards of the same rank and an unrelated fifth card. For example, having a hand with two Jacks, two 4s, and a 7. 

It is a pretty good hand, often stronger than having only one pair or only high cards. However, it's not as strong as having Three of a Kind, a Straight, a Flush, or a Full House.

In this article, we will discuss Two Pair rankings and their rules.

What is a Two Pair in Poker?

Two Pair holds 8th place on the poker hand rankings list.

In Texas Hold’em, a Two-pair is a hand where you have two sets of cards with the same rank. This means you have two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank, and one card of a different rank.

For example, if you have two Aces and two Kings in your hand, along with another card like a 5 or a 9, you have a Two Pair because you have two pairs of cards with the same rank.

How Does a Two-Pair Hand Rank?

In a poker game, the total number of different two-pair hands possible is 1,23,552. To make a two-pair, you must choose two cards from the 13 ranks possible, i.e., 13C2 ways. Now, you need to collect another card from different suits to make these two pairs. Hence, there are 4C2 ways to choose any two cards for any particular rank, and this has to be done twice to make a two-pair. Now, the fifth card is selected from the remaining 44 cards.

Thus the calculation looks like 13C2*4C2*4C2*44 = (13*12*4*3*4*3*44) /(2*2*2) = 123552 two pairs.

Now, the total number of possible ranks among two-pair is 858, and it is arrived at in the following process:

So, the number of ways to select two distinct ranks from the 13 different available ranks is 13C2. Now, the fifth card, which is not in the pair form, can be any one of the remaining 11 ranks. Thus, the total number of ranks possible in two pairs is 13C2*11 = 13*12*11/2 = 858 ranks. The ranking is made first by the highest pair, followed by the second highest pair, and finally, the kicker card.

Here are a few examples of two-pair:

A♣A♦K♥K♠J♠

K♦K♣Q♦Q♥10♥

K♣K♦J♥J♥10♦

T♠T♣ 9♥9♦2♠

It is important to note that suits are not used to rank cards in poker, and kickers are used to differentiate between hands with the same-ranked two pairs.

How Does a Two-Pair Hand Match Up?

Two-pair stands in the eighth position in terms of the strongest hands possible in Poker. This hand is stronger than One Pair and High card and falls just below Three-of-a-Kind in strength.

Two-Pair Poker Probabilities

Poker is a game of probabilities. The lesser the chances of making a hand, the higher the poker hand strength. Below mentioned are the probability of all the hands in poker:

The probability of forming a two pair increases if you are dealt a one pair as hole cards:

Pot Limit Omaha Probabilities

How Can You Make a Two Pair at the Table?

To form a Two Pair at the poker table, you must combine the community cards on the table with the cards in your hand. Here is how you can do it:

• Look at the cards placed face-up on the table. All players share these.
• Check the community cards and your cards. If there are already two cards of the same rank on the table and you have two matching cards in your hand, you have made a Two-Pair.
• Example: Suppose the table shows 2♠️ 2♣️ 7♦️ 7♣️ K♥️, and you have K♠️ K♦️ in your hand. You have made a Two Pair with Kings and Sevens.
• Remember, the strength of your Two Pair depends on the ranks of the paired cards. Higher-ranked pairs beat lower-ranked ones.
• If multiple players have Two Pairs, the player with the highest-ranking pair wins. If two players have the same high pair, the second pair's rank breaks the tie, and if necessary, the fifth card's rank determines the winner.

Rules to Remember in a Two-Pair Poker

1. No special preference for suits

While making Two Pair hand rankings, suits are optional. While making the pairs, you only have to consider the similar ranking of the cards that you have.

2. Numerous Possibilities

In a regular 52-card deck, the hand has numerous possibilities. There are an incredible 123,552 Two-pair poker combinations and 858 distinct ranks.

3. Rankings

While playing 2-card pair poker, not all pairs are considered the same rank. Each two pair's hand has a rank of its own; there might be chances when some cards might be higher than others. They are first ranked by the highest Pair and subsequently ranked by the second highest one. The fifth and non-paired card is also taken into consideration, albeit last. The fate of the hand lies in the ranks of each pair and the kicker card.

For example, pairs of Jacks and fives with a king kicker rank above a pair of tens and fives with a ten kicker.

4. Tie Break

In any Poker match, there is always a probability of a tie among the players at the showdown.

In these scenarios, there is a proper way to be followed. If the two players have the highest pair, the player with the highest second pair wins the pot, and thus the winner is announced.

There can also be a possibility that both players have the same pairs. In this case, the kicker of the fifth card, which is non-paired, is often used to break the tie and results. Even after this scenario, both players have the same five-card hand that cannot be differentiated, so the pot is split.

5. Probability of Making a Two Pair

Poker is ultimately a game of skill and probability; it is crucial to understand the probability of making a Two Pair Hand. However, the probability of the poker hands with your hole cards can not be determined. While forming a Two Pair Hand, you must know that it might change at the end of the game.

Two Pair Comparison With Other Hands

As we know, Two Pair ranks lower than other poker hand ranking charts.

There are only two hands ranked below this hand: One Pair and a High Card hand. A One Pair is a hand with one pair of cards with identical ranks. On the other hand, a high card is the lowest on the list, consisting of cards with different suits & ranks. So, the chances of winning with a Two Pair are better than with a One Pair or a High card.

On the other hand, one can lose the game with the following hand rankings:

1. Royal Flush
2. Straight Flush
3. Four of a kind
4. Full House
5. Flush
6. Straight
7. Three of a kind

What if 2 Players have a Two Pair in Poker?

When multiple players hold Two Pair hands in poker, tie-breaking rules come into play to determine the winner:

• Highest Pair: The player with the highest-ranking pair in their hand wins the pot. The tiebreaker moves to the next pair if both players have the same highest pair.
• Second Pair: If the highest pair is the same for both players, the second pair's rank decides the winner. The player with the higher-ranking second pair takes the pot.
• Kicker: If both players have identical two-pair hands with the same pair rank, the kicker card's value comes into play. The player with the highest-ranking kicker card wins the pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who wins in Poker if both have Two Pairs?

If two players have a Two Pair in poker, the one with the highest-ranking pair wins. If both have the same highest pair, the next highest pair determines the winner.

Can two Aces beat a Two Pair?

Yes, two Aces can beat a Two Pair in poker. A pair of Aces is a higher-ranking hand than two pairs. Thus, it wins the showdown.

How many ways can you get a Two Pair in Poker?

There are 123,552 different ways to get a Two Pair in poker. This is calculated by selecting two ranks out of the 13 available ranks and then picking a fifth card.

How often does a Two Pair win in Texas Hold'em?

According to statistical analysis, a Two Pair wins approximately 75.9% of the time in Texas Hold'em when at least one hand has a Two Pair.

Which Two Pair hand is the strongest?

The strongest two pairs in poker are a pair of ace and a pair of King. This combination is ranked highest among all possible Two Pair hands.

How likely am I to get Two Pair in Texas Hold'em?

Two Pair is a common hand to be dealt. It has a probability of around 23.5% by the river street.

What should I watch out for when playing Two Pair?

Two Pair is not among the strongest of the hands. Hence, when playing with a Two-pair, you should be cautious and always look out for the possibility of stronger hands like a set, Flush, or Straight getting formed in the community cards.

How should I play Two Pair on the flop?

If you hit a Two Pair by the flop, then based on table dynamics and aggression of your opponents, you should consider betting or raising depending on the possible straight or flush draws, if any, which you can see on the table.

Conclusion

A Two Pair in poker signifies holding two sets of pairs, each pair sharing the same rank alongside an unrelated fifth card. Understanding two-pair rankings and the tie-breaking rules enhances gameplay.

Suits don't influence rankings, offering vast possibilities in a standard deck. When multiple players have a Two-pair, determining the winner relies on the highest and second-highest pair and the kicker card's value. Mastering these aspects elevates poker proficiency.