22 vs AK: Preflop Equity & Odds
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 (Pocket Deuces) | 51.7% | 0.6% | 52.0% |
| AK (Ace-King) | 47.7% | 0.6% | 48.0% |
Suited vs offsuit: AK
| Matchup | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKs | 49.6% | 0.6% | 49.9% |
| AKo | 47.0% | 0.6% | 47.3% |
22 versus AK is the classic preflop "race": a pocket pair against two overcards. The pair is a small favorite — 22 wins 51.7% to AK's 47.7%, with 0.6% ties. The unpaired hand has six outs twice (any Ace or King on any street usually takes the lead), which is why this matchup plays so close to a coin flip and why tournament players talk about "winning the flip."
In equity terms — your long-run share of the pot counting split pots as half — 22 holds 52.0% and AK holds 48.0%. To make these numbers practical: facing a pot-sized all-in you need about 33% equity to call profitably, and a half-pot bet needs about 25%. Numbers on this page are exact, computed by full board enumeration (not simulation). Try any other hand or full ranges in the free equity calculator.
22 vs AK FAQ
Who wins 22 vs AK preflop?
22 (Pocket Deuces) is the favorite: it wins 51.7% of all runouts, while AK (Ace-King) wins 47.7%. The remaining 0.6% are split pots. Counting splits as half, 22's preflop equity is 52.0%.
How often does AK beat 22?
AK wins 47.7% of the time all-in preflop against 22 — essentially a coin flip — so it is nearly even money.
Are these 22 vs AK numbers exact?
Yes. They are computed by exhaustively enumerating every possible five-card board (1,712,304 boards per card combination) and averaging across all suit combinations of both hands — not by Monte Carlo simulation. Display values are rounded to one decimal place.
Run any matchup in the free equity calculator · QQ VS AK · JJ VS AK · TT VS AK