What characterizes a suited pair?

A suited pair is characterized by having two cards that are of the same rank or nominal value and also belong to the same suit. In this context, a "pair" refers to a combination of two cards that match in rank, and "suited" indicates that those cards share the same suit, such as both being hearts or both being spades.

This definition is important in many card games, including poker, where suited pairs can create strong hands due to the potential for flushes in addition to the pair itself. Additionally, suited pairs can be more favorable in terms of gameplay strategy, as they provide greater opportunities for forming a winning hand.

The other options do not accurately describe a suited pair: cards of different suits do not qualify as suited, cards with different nominal values cannot form a pair, and cards in sequential order relate to straights rather than pairs. Thus, the understanding of suited pairs is fundamental in evaluating hand strength in various card games.