AK vs AJ: Odds & Interactive Calculator
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK (Ace-King) | 71.0% | 4.5% | 73.3% |
| AJ (Ace-Jack) | 24.4% | 4.5% | 26.7% |
Suited vs offsuit: AK
| Matchup | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKs | 71.9% | 4.4% | 74.1% |
| AKo | 70.7% | 4.6% | 73.0% |
How AK vs AJ unfolds by street
Ace-King (AK) is still ahead on 84% of flops against AJ, and the lead survives to the turn on 80%. AJ takes the lead on the other 16% of flops. These figures come from full board enumeration, not a simulation.
| Street | AK still ahead | AJ flipped the lead |
|---|---|---|
| Flop | 84% | 16% |
| Turn | 80% | 20% |
AK vs AJ is textbook domination: the hands share a card, so AJ is fighting for barely three outs. AK wins 71.0%, AJ wins 24.4%, and 4.5% of boards chop. With the shared rank gutting its outs, AJ is a 2.9-to-1 underdog, and 4.5% of runouts split outright when both play the common card.
Translate that into a decision and it's simple pot-odds math: counting split pots as half, AK carries 73.3% equity and AJ 26.7%. Against a pot-sized shove you need about 33% to call and about 25% versus a half-pot bet — so AJ needs real fold equity, not just its raw share, to justify stacking off.
Domination is where preflop hand-reading pays off. With AK you want stacks in; with AJ you want out, because three outs and a prayer is not a stack-off — recognizing that you're crushed against a strong range is worth more than any postflop move.
Where to take AK vs AJ 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.
AK vs AJ FAQ
Who wins AK vs AJ preflop?
AK (Ace-King) is the favorite, winning 71.0% of all runouts, while AJ (Ace-Jack) wins 24.4%. The remaining 4.5% are split pots. Counting splits as half, AK's preflop equity is 73.3%.
Does the AK vs AJ 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: AK's equity runs from 69.4% to 75.3% 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 (AK leads on 84% of flops) and in multiway pots, where every extra caller takes equity from both hands.
Why is AJ so bad against AK?
Because they share a card, AJ is drawing to roughly three outs and chops 4.5% of the time — it wins only about 1 in 4. That's the danger of a dominated hand: too strong to fold, too far behind to outdraw, which is how kicker problems quietly cost full stacks.
Does AK hold up against AJ after the flop?
AK is still ahead on 84% of flops and stays ahead through the turn on 80% of boards; AJ takes the lead on the other 16% of flops. These are exact figures from full board enumeration.
Run any matchup in the free equity calculator · AK VS A2S · AK VS A3S · AK VS A4S · AK VS A5S · AK VS A6S · AK VS A7S
AK against a range
All-in against one known hand is the textbook case; at the table AK is usually up against a range. Exact equities, computed over every combo with card removal applied:
- AK vs calling station — 64.5% against 670 combos (50.5% of hands)
- AK vs BTN open — 64.0% against 586 combos (44.2% of hands)
- AK vs SB open — 64.0% against 534 combos (40.3% of hands)
- AK vs CO open — 61.7% against 366 combos (27.6% of hands)