A “pocket pair” in poker are two cards with the same value (rank) which are dealt to the player at the start of the round and remain secret from other players until the end of the round. These cards are also called “a pair in the pocket” or “pocket cards of the same rank”.

A pocket pair can be of any rank from twos (2-2) to aces (A-A). For example, if you have two tens in hand (10-10), this is a pocket pair of tens.

Pocket pairs are usually considered to be strong hands in poker, especially in the early stages of the round, because you already have a hand of two cards of the same rank, and there’s potential to improve your hand if another card of the same rank is dealt onto the table. A pocket pair can also be used to bluff or to clarify how strong your opponents’ hand is.

It's important to evaluate the strength of your pocket pair in the context of the current situation and your opponents’ style of play, as the strength of a hand can change across the different stages of a hand.