AJ vs 98s: Preflop Equity & Odds
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJ (Ace-Jack) | 59.6% | 0.4% | 59.8% |
| 98s (Nine-Eight Suited) | 39.9% | 0.4% | 40.2% |
Suited vs offsuit: AJ
| Matchup | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AJs | 61.5% | 0.5% | 61.7% |
| AJo | 59.0% | 0.4% | 59.2% |
How AJ vs 98s unfolds by street
Ace-Jack (AJ) is still ahead on 71% of flops against 98s, and the lead survives to the turn on 66%. 98s takes the lead on the other 29% of flops. These figures come from full board enumeration, not a simulation.
| Street | AJ still ahead | 98s flipped the lead |
|---|---|---|
| Flop | 71% | 29% |
| Turn | 66% | 34% |
Two unpaired hands with all four ranks live: AJ vs 98s. AJ wins 59.6%, 98s wins 39.9%, and 0.4% of boards chop. The favorite isn't running away with it — 39.9% of the time 98s pairs up first or backs into the better runout — but higher cards making higher pairs is enough to keep AJ in front.
Here's the intuition behind 59.8% to 40.2%: AJ wins roughly 1 of every 2 times the chips go in, but the underdog cashing 40.2% of the time is exactly why you can't slow-play and let it draw for free.
How you play AJ vs 98s depends on which side you hold. With AJ you're not crushing, so keep the pot controllable and take the 59.6% edge to showdown when you can; with 98s, your equity is enough to continue with initiative but thin enough that bloating the pot out of position is a trap.
AJ vs 98s FAQ
Who wins AJ vs 98s preflop?
AJ (Ace-Jack) is the favorite, winning 59.6% of all runouts, while 98s (Nine-Eight Suited) wins 39.9%. The remaining 0.4% are split pots. Counting splits as half, AJ's preflop equity is 59.8%.
How often does 98s beat AJ?
98s wins 39.9% of the time all-in preflop against AJ — a genuine underdog, but with enough live outs (about 1 in 3) that the matchup is closer than the favorite would like.
Is AJ vs 98s a good spot to get all-in?
For AJ, yes — a 59.8% favorite should happily commit, especially with fold equity. For 98s at 40.2%, it depends on the price: enough to continue with initiative, but thin enough that stacking off out of position is usually a leak.
Does AJ hold up against 98s after the flop?
AJ is still ahead on 71% of flops and stays ahead through the turn on 66% of boards; 98s takes the lead on the other 29% of flops. These are exact figures from full board enumeration.
Run any matchup in the free equity calculator · AK VS QJ · AK VS QT · AQ VS KJ · AQ VS KT · AQ VS JT · AJ VS KQ