Nine-eight suited (98s)

98s by the numbers

vs 1 random hand

50.7%

all-in equity

vs 5 random hands

20.3%

full 6-max table

Flop a pair or better

32.4%

pairing a hole card

Flop a flush draw

10.9%

flush 0.82%

How to play 98s by position

6-max cash game, around 100 big blinds deep.

Early position (UTG)

Fold in most games, or open at loose tables where opponents rarely 3-bet.

Middle position (hijack)

Open-raise in loose games; fold in tough ones.

Late position (cutoff, button)

Open-raise from the cutoff and button. In position, nine-eight suited plays well after the flop.

Blinds

Raise when folded to in the small blind; in the big blind, call late opens when stacks are deep.

Facing a raise

Call a single raise in position with deep stacks. Fold to most 3-bets.

After the flop

• Suited hands flop a flush draw about 10.9% of the time; combo draws with straight and flush outs are worth betting.
• Nine-eight fits middle-card flops such as T♦ 7♣ 2♥, where big pairs and ace-king often miss.
• Avoid big pots with one pair.

98s against common hands

Nine-eight suited wins 40.2% against AKo and 22.5% against AA. Against JJ it wins 20.1%.

All-in before the flop, exact results from every possible board. Suits as dealt in our example; figures shift slightly with other suit combinations.

What 98s makes by the river

If you see all five board cards, your best five-card hand ends up as each of these this often. Exact figures from every possible board.

• Straight flush0.2%
• Four of a kind0.1%
• Full house2.2%
• Flush6.4%
• Straight8.5%
• Three of a kind4.3%
• Two pair21.8%
• One pair40.6%
• High card15.9%

Common mistakes with 98s

• Playing out of position.
• Overvaluing one pair.
• Calling 3-bets with shallow stacks.

Where 98s sits in the chart

Nine-eight suited FAQ