TT vs 99: Preflop Equity & Odds
| Hand | Win | Tie | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| TT (Pocket Tens) | 81.8% | 0.5% | 82.0% |
| 99 (Pocket Nines) | 17.7% | 0.5% | 18.0% |
How TT vs 99 unfolds by street
Pocket Tens (TT) is still ahead on 89% of flops against 99, and the lead survives to the turn on 86%. 99 takes the lead on the other 11% of flops, almost always by flopping a set. These figures come from full board enumeration, not a simulation.
| Street | TT still ahead | 99 flipped the lead |
|---|---|---|
| Flop | 89% | 11% |
| Turn | 86% | 14% |
TT vs 99 is two made hands colliding before the flop, and the higher pair owns it: TT wins 81.8%, 99 wins 17.7%, and 0.5% of boards chop — 4.6-to-1. With nothing but the case pair to chase, 99 is set-mining all-in: it wins about 1 in 6, correct to stack off preflop but a hand that hates a clean runout. It's a benchmark spot every serious player should know cold.
At a final table the raw 82.0% / 18.0% split is only half the story — ICM bends it. As the 18.0% underdog, 99 pays an extra survival premium, so the chip-EV "close enough" call can be a clear ICM fold. The pure equity sets the floor; the payout ladder sets the real price.
As the bigger pair, TT, your whole job is to get the money in before a scare card — there's no fold here and slow-playing only lets 99 realize its set equity for free. As the smaller pair, the discipline is recognizing when stacks are deep enough that calling off 17.7% equity is a leak, even though folding pre feels impossible.
TT vs 99 FAQ
Who wins TT vs 99 preflop?
TT (Pocket Tens) is the favorite, winning 81.8% of all runouts, while 99 (Pocket Nines) wins 17.7%. The remaining 0.5% are split pots. Counting splits as half, TT's preflop equity is 82.0%.
How often does 99 beat TT?
99 wins 17.7% of the time all-in preflop against TT — roughly 1 in 6 — so it needs good pot odds or fold equity to get the money in profitably.
Can you fold the smaller pair in TT vs 99?
Almost never preflop all-in — but the 17.7% the smaller pair wins (about 1 in 6) means that when stacks are very deep and the action screams a bigger pair, laying it down is a real, if rare, fold. Set-mining the lower pair works only with the implied odds to win a full stack when you spike.
Does TT hold up against 99 after the flop?
TT is still ahead on 89% of flops and stays ahead through the turn on 86% of boards; 99 takes the lead on the other 11% of flops. These are exact figures from full board enumeration.
Run any matchup in the free equity calculator · AA VS KK · KK VS AA · AA VS AK · AK VS AA · KK VS AK · AK VS KK