88 vs AK: Odds & Interactive Calculator

Suited vs offsuit: AK

How 88 vs AK unfolds by street

Pocket Eights (88) is still ahead on 67% of flops against AK, and the lead survives to the turn on 61%. AK takes the lead on the other 33% of flops. These figures come from full board enumeration, not a simulation.

When a pair meets two bigger cards you get a flip, and 88 vs AK is exactly that: 88 wins 54.3%, AK wins 45.3%, and 0.4% of boards chop. The overcards lean on six live outs — either Ace or King pairs to take the lead — which is why the unpaired side converts about 45.3%, the math behind every "I have to gamble" all-in in a tournament.

Think in variance terms: 54.5% equity means 88 loses this all-in nearly 46 times in 100, so even a "dominant" spot is a coin you'll see come up tails plenty. Getting it in as the 54.5% favorite is correct every time; the 45.5% that goes the other way is math, not a misplay.

In practice, 88 vs AK rewards aggression from the favorite and caution from the dog: 88 wants to realize its 54.3% edge by getting value and denying free cards, while AK should lean on fold equity and position rather than hoping to win the pot at showdown about 1 time in 2.

Where to take 88 vs AK next

Getting it in near the money bubble or at a final table? Chip equity isn't prize equity — check the spot in the ICM calculator before you call off your stack.

Played a hand like this yourself? Import it into the poker hand analyzer for a street-by-street review of every decision, not just the all-in.

For the bigger picture, the poker tournament strategy guide covers when to shove and when to fold as stacks shrink, and what GTO poker is explains why strong players think in ranges rather than single hands.

New to the game? The poker hand rankings chart shows which hand wins at showdown, how to play poker: a beginner's guide walks through the rules and betting rounds, and the poker strategy guide shows where preflop equity fits into a winning game plan.

88 vs AK FAQ

Who wins 88 vs AK preflop?

88 (Pocket Eights) is the favorite, winning 54.3% of all runouts, while AK (Ace-King) wins 45.3%. The remaining 0.4% are split pots. Counting splits as half, 88's preflop equity is 54.5%.

Does the 88 vs AK probability change all-in preflop?

No. Once both hands are all-in preflop the odds are set by the cards alone — position, stack size and who bet first change nothing. The only thing that moves the number is suits: 88's equity runs from 52.3% to 55.6% depending on suitedness and which suits the two hands share, which is why different sites quote slightly different figures. It does change once board cards are dealt (88 leads on 67% of flops) and in multiway pots, where every extra caller takes equity from both hands.

Is 88 vs AK a good spot to get all-in?

For 88, yes — a 54.5% favorite should happily commit, especially with fold equity. For AK at 45.5%, it depends on the price: enough to continue with initiative, but thin enough that stacking off out of position is usually a leak.

Does 88 hold up against AK after the flop?

88 is still ahead on 67% of flops and stays ahead through the turn on 61% of boards; AK takes the lead on the other 33% of flops. These are exact figures from full board enumeration.

Run any matchup in the free equity calculator · JJ VS KQ · TT VS AQ · TT VS AJ · TT VS KQ · TT VS KJ · TT VS QJ

88 against a range

All-in against one known hand is the textbook case; at the table 88 is usually up against a range. Exact equities, computed over every combo with card removal applied:

• 88 vs calling station — 61.4% against 670 combos (50.5% of hands)
• 88 vs BTN open — 60.6% against 586 combos (44.2% of hands)
• 88 vs CO open — 57.2% against 366 combos (27.6% of hands)
• 88 vs 10bb shove — 57.4% against 334 combos (25.2% of hands)

All 200+ hand-vs-range matchups →