AK vs AQ: Preflop Equity & Odds
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK (Ace-King) | 71.3% | 4.6% | 73.6% |
| AQ (Ace-Queen) | 24.1% | 4.6% | 26.4% |
Suited vs offsuit: AK
| Matchup | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKs | 72.3% | 4.4% | 74.5% |
| AKo | 71.0% | 4.6% | 73.3% |
AK versus AQ is a textbook domination spot: both hands share their key card, so the weaker hand is fighting for just three outs. AK wins 71.3%, AQ wins 24.1%, and a substantial 4.6% of boards chop (when the shared card plays and kickers don't). Dominated spots like this are where most preflop money is lost — the weaker hand often can't fold preflop and can't outdraw postflop.
In equity terms — your long-run share of the pot counting split pots as half — AK holds 73.6% and AQ holds 26.4%. 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.
AK vs AQ FAQ
Who wins AK vs AQ preflop?
AK (Ace-King) is the favorite: it wins 71.3% of all runouts, while AQ (Ace-Queen) wins 24.1%. The remaining 4.6% are split pots. Counting splits as half, AK's preflop equity is 73.6%.
How often does AQ beat AK?
AQ wins 24.1% of the time all-in preflop against AK — roughly 1 in 4 — so it needs good pot odds or fold equity to get the money in profitably.
Are these AK vs AQ 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 · AK VS AJ · AK VS AT · AK VS A5S