Quick answer
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AA by the numbers
- vs 1 random hand
- 85.3%
- all-in equity
- vs 5 random hands
- 49.6%
- full 6-max table
- Flop a set or better
- 11.8%
- about 1 in 8.5
- How often dealt
- 0.45%
- 1 in 221
How to play AA by position
6-max cash game, around 100 big blinds deep.
- Early position (UTG)
- Open-raise to a standard size. Don’t limp to trap; a raise builds the pot and still looks like many other hands.
- Middle position (hijack)
- Open-raise. If an earlier player has already raised, 3-bet for value.
- Late position (cutoff, button)
- Open-raise as normal from the cutoff or button. Raising smaller or larger than usual only gives your hand away.
- Blinds
- Raise if it folds to you, and 3-bet against any open. From the big blind you can 3-bet or occasionally call to keep weaker hands in.
- Facing a raise
- Always re-raise. Against a 3-bet, 4-bet; against a 4-bet, you are happy to get all your chips in before the flop at 100bb.
After the flop
- On dry boards like K♦ 7♣ 2♠, bet for value on most streets: plenty of worse hands can pay you.
- On very connected boards such as 9♥ 8♥ 7♣, slow down against heavy action. One pair is still one pair.
- In big 3-bet and 4-bet pots, stack-to-pot ratio is low, so you can usually commit your chips on most flops.
AA against common hands
Aces win 81.1% against KK, the classic ‘cooler’, and 87.2% against AKs, because pairing the king doesn’t help ace-king: it needs a straight or a flush. Even 87s, one of the most playable suited connectors, only gets aces down to 76.8%.
| Against | AA wins | Tie | AA loses |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-K | 81.1% | 0.4% | 18.5% |
| A-K suited | 87.2% | 1.3% | 11.5% |
| 8-7 suited | 76.8% | 0.3% | 22.9% |
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 AA 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 flush0.01%
- Four of a kind0.8%
- Full house8.6%
- Flush2.0%
- Straight1.2%
- Three of a kind11.8%
- Two pair39.7%
- One pair36.0%
Common mistakes with AA
- Limping or min-raising to set a trap, which lets several players see a cheap flop and makes aces harder to play.
- Refusing to fold one pair after the board runs out four to a straight or flush and an opponent bets big on every street.
- Getting tilted after losing with aces. They are a big favourite, not a guarantee.
Where AA sits in the chart
Suited hands above the diagonal, offsuit below, pairs on it. Number = equity against one random hand. A white dot means the hand has a full guide.
Pocket aces FAQ
How often will I be dealt pocket aces?
Any specific pocket pair, including aces, arrives about 1 in 221 hands, or 0.45% of the time.
Should I ever fold aces before the flop?
In a normal cash game, no. The only exceptions are unusual tournament situations, such as a satellite where survival matters more than chips.
How do I play aces with a short stack in a tournament?
With 15bb or less, move all-in or raise with the intention of getting all-in. Aces are the best hand to get your chips in with.