KQ vs KJ: Odds & Interactive Calculator
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| KQ (King-Queen) | 70.4% | 5.5% | 73.2% |
| KJ (King-Jack) | 24.1% | 5.5% | 26.8% |
Suited vs offsuit: KQ
| Matchup | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| KQs | 71.3% | 5.3% | 73.9% |
| KQo | 70.1% | 5.6% | 72.9% |
How KQ vs KJ unfolds by street
King-Queen (KQ) is still ahead on 84% of flops against KJ, and the lead survives to the turn on 80%. KJ takes the lead on the other 16% of flops. These figures come from full board enumeration, not a simulation.
| Street | KQ still ahead | KJ flipped the lead |
|---|---|---|
| Flop | 84% | 16% |
| Turn | 80% | 20% |
KQ vs KJ is the matchup every "but I had top pair" cooler is made of: KQ wins 70.4%, KJ wins 24.1%, and 5.5% of boards chop. Live to only its odd card (plus a thin straight or flush), KJ wins about 1 in 4; the 5.5% tie figure is the tell that these hands are tangled on the same rank.
Here's the intuition behind 73.2% to 26.8%: KQ wins roughly 3 of every 4 times the chips go in, but the underdog cashing 26.8% of the time is exactly why you can't slow-play and let it draw for free.
Domination is where preflop hand-reading pays off. With KQ you want stacks in; with KJ 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 KQ vs KJ 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.
KQ vs KJ FAQ
Who wins KQ vs KJ preflop?
KQ (King-Queen) is the favorite, winning 70.4% of all runouts, while KJ (King-Jack) wins 24.1%. The remaining 5.5% are split pots. Counting splits as half, KQ's preflop equity is 73.2%.
Does the KQ vs KJ 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: KQ's equity runs from 69.4% to 75.0% 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 (KQ leads on 84% of flops) and in multiway pots, where every extra caller takes equity from both hands.
Why is KJ so bad against KQ?
Because they share a card, KJ is drawing to roughly three outs and chops 5.5% 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 KQ hold up against KJ after the flop?
KQ is still ahead on 84% of flops and stays ahead through the turn on 80% of boards; KJ 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
KQ against a range
All-in against one known hand is the textbook case; at the table KQ is usually up against a range. Exact equities, computed over every combo with card removal applied:
- KQ vs calling station — 55.8% against 670 combos (50.5% of hands)
- KQ vs BTN open — 53.8% against 586 combos (44.2% of hands)
- KQ vs CO open — 50.8% against 366 combos (27.6% of hands)
- KQ vs 10bb shove — 46.8% against 334 combos (25.2% of hands)