create table #temp (
    someid int,
    somevc varchar(10) )

insert into #temp
select 1,'a'
union select 1,'b'
union select 1,'c'
union select 1,'d'
union select 1,'f'
union select 1,'g'
union select 1,'h'
union select 1,'i'
union select 2,'a'
union select 2,'b'
union select 2,'c'
union select 2,'d'
union select 2,'e'
union select 2,'f'
union select 2,'g'
union select 2,'h'
union select 2,'i'
union select 2,'j'

select
    someid,
    somevc
from
    #temp t
where
    exists (
        select 1
        from
            #temp
        where
            someid = t.someid and
            somevc = t.somevc
        group by
            someid
        having (
            select
                count(*)
            from
                #temp
            where
                someid = t.someid and
                somevc > t.somevc ) < 2 )

SELECT someid, somevc
FROM (
    SELECT someid, CASE WHEN col = 0 THEN somevc0 ELSE somevc1 END somevc
    FROM (
        SELECT T0.someid, MAX(T0.somevc) somevc0, MAX(T1.somevc) somevc1
        FROM (
            SELECT someid, MAX(somevc) somevc
            FROM #temp
            GROUP BY someid) T0
        LEFT JOIN #temp T1 ON T0.someid = T1.someid AND T0.somevc > T1.somevc
        GROUP BY T0.someid
      ) a
    CROSS JOIN (SELECT 0 AS col UNION ALL SELECT 1) n
  ) a
WHERE somevc IS NOT NULL