Top Pair

1. Pairing one of your hole cards with the highest-ranked card on the board. For example, on a board of 3-4-9-7-J, any player with a jack in his hand would hold top pair.

Popular Uses

I said top-top, meaning top pair, top kicker! -Jamie Gold to friend Lee Kort after calling Kort's all-in at the 2006 World Series of Poker.

Hands That Beat Top Pair

* Two pair
* Three of a kind
* Straight
* Flush
* Full house
* Straight flush
* Royal flush

Oh, and top pair with a better kicker. So, you had better make a stronger hand than top pair or find a way to push your opponents off their hands before showdown most of the time if you plan on winning with only top pair. And that's in Texas hold'em. It is almost impossible to win at showdown with just top pair in Omaha.

2006 World Series of Poker