To have a ‘bottom’ in poker means you have a pair with the lowest card on the flop. For example, if you are holding a King and a 7, and the flop produces Queen, 10, 7, you have flopped the bottom pair.
What is a bottom pair in poker?
In poker, a “bottom pair” refers to a situation where a player’s hole card (one of the two private cards dealt to each player) pairs with the lowest card on the community board (the five shared cards placed face-up on the table).
In most popular variants of poker, like Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt two private cards. These cards are known as hole cards and are kept secret from other players. Simultaneously, five community cards are dealt face-up on the “board.” During the course of the game, players can use a combination of their hole cards and the community cards to form the best possible hand.
A “pair” in poker means having two cards of the same rank. For example, two Aces, two Kings, etc. Now, if one of your hole cards happens to be the lowest card on the board, and you don’t have any other higher cards in your hand that match the board, you have what’s called a “bottom pair.” For instance, if your hole card is a 2 and there is another 2 on the community board, you have a bottom pair of 2s.
Having a bottom pair can be a decent hand, especially in the early rounds of betting, but it’s generally considered a weak hand in poker. The strength of your bottom pair depends on the community cards and the betting situation. Skilled players assess the overall situation, including the potential hands opponents might have, and decide whether to bet, call, or fold based on this information.