🃏 Hand vs Hand Equity Calculator
Select cards for each player to calculate win percentages. Click on a card slot to choose a card, or use the preset buttons for common matchups.
Player 1
Player 2
Community Cards (Optional)
Flop (3) + Turn (1) + River (1). Leave blank for preflop equity.
🎯 Classic Matchups
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Understanding Poker Hand Equity
Poker hand equity is one of the most important concepts in Texas Hold'em strategy. It represents the percentage of the pot a hand is expected to win at showdown, averaged over all possible board runouts. Understanding equity helps you make mathematically optimal decisions about betting, calling, and folding.
According to poker mathematics research published in resources like PokerNews and analyzed in academic papers on game theory, equity calculations form the foundation of game theory optimal (GTO) play in poker.
How This Calculator Works
Our poker equity calculator uses Monte Carlo simulation—the same method used by professional poker software. Here's how it works:
- Deal the remaining board cards: For each simulation, the calculator randomly deals the remaining community cards from the available deck (excluding cards already in players' hands or on the board).
- Evaluate hand strength: Using standard poker hand rankings, the best 5-card hand is determined for each player from their hole cards plus the board.
- Record the result: The winner (or tie) is recorded for that simulation.
- Repeat thousands of times: By running many simulations, the win percentages converge on the true mathematical equity.
Accuracy Note: At 50,000 simulations, results are typically within 0.5% of exact equity values. For practical poker decisions, even 10,000 simulations provide sufficient precision. Professional poker solvers use similar methods but with optimizations for speed.
Key Equity Concepts
Preflop Equity
When no community cards are dealt, equity is calculated across all possible 5-card boards. This is where the biggest equity advantages occur—pocket aces have approximately 85% equity against a random hand. Understanding preflop poker strategy starts with knowing hand equities.
Postflop Equity
Once the flop is dealt, equity changes dramatically. A hand that was behind preflop might now be ahead (and vice versa). Draws gain equity potential—a flush draw typically has about 35% equity with two cards to come.
Domination
A hand is "dominated" when it shares a card with the opponent but has a worse kicker. For example, A-K dominates A-Q because both share the ace, but K beats Q. Dominated hands typically have only 25-30% equity and need to hit their specific kicker or make a straight/flush to win.
| Matchup Type | Example | Favorite Equity | Underdog Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pair vs Pair (Cooler) | AA vs KK | ~82% | ~18% |
| Overpair vs Underpair | JJ vs 77 | ~81% | ~19% |
| Pair vs Two Overcards | 99 vs AKo | ~54% | ~46% |
| Domination | AK vs AQ | ~73% | ~24% |
| Pair vs Lower Suited Connector | AA vs 87s | ~77% | ~23% |
Using Equity in Your Strategy
Knowing your equity is only half the battle—you need to compare it to pot odds to make profitable decisions. The basic rule:
- If Equity > Pot Odds: Calling is profitable (positive expected value)
- If Equity < Pot Odds: Folding is correct (unless you have implied odds)
- If Equity >> Pot Odds: Consider raising for value
For a deeper understanding of applying probability to poker decisions, resources from the Two Plus Two poker forums provide extensive mathematical analysis and strategic discussions.
Important Caveat: Equity assumes you always see the hand to showdown. In real poker, fold equity matters too—a bet can win the pot before showdown regardless of your actual equity. Additionally, implied odds (future bets you'll win when you hit) and reverse implied odds (money you'll lose when you're second-best) affect decisions beyond raw equity.
Related Poker Mathematics Concepts
Understanding equity is just one piece of poker mathematics. For a complete strategic foundation, explore these related concepts:
- Pot Odds: The ratio of the bet you need to call versus the total pot, used to determine if calling is profitable given your equity.
- Poker Odds & Probability: Comprehensive guide to calculating hand odds, outs, and probability in Texas Hold'em.
- Expected Value: Understanding EV in gambling contexts, including how it applies to poker decisions.
- Kelly Criterion: Optimal bet sizing based on your edge—applicable to poker tournament decisions and bankroll management.
Responsible Gambling
While understanding poker mathematics improves decision-making, poker still involves variance and risk. Even with perfect equity calculations, short-term results can vary significantly from expectations. For information on managing your poker bankroll responsibly, see our bankroll management guide.
If gambling is causing problems in your life, help is available through BeGambleAware and the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is poker hand equity?
Poker hand equity is the percentage chance a hand has of winning the pot at showdown. If you have AA against KK preflop, AA has approximately 82% equity—meaning it will win 82% of the time if both hands are played to showdown. Equity helps you make mathematically correct decisions about betting, calling, and folding.
How does Monte Carlo simulation work for poker equity?
Monte Carlo simulation runs thousands of random poker hand simulations to estimate win percentages. For each simulation, the remaining community cards are dealt randomly, and the best 5-card hand is determined for each player. The win/loss/tie results are tallied to produce accurate equity percentages. More simulations yield more precise results.
What is the best starting hand in Texas Hold'em?
Pocket Aces (AA) is the best starting hand in Texas Hold'em, with approximately 85% equity against a random hand and over 80% equity against most specific hands preflop. However, equity changes significantly based on community cards—a pair of aces can lose to any hand that makes a straight, flush, or better.
Why does a suited hand have higher equity than an offsuit hand?
Suited hands have higher equity because they can make flushes. Having two cards of the same suit gives you approximately 3% more equity preflop because you have additional ways to win—you might hit a flush even if your pair or high card loses. This is why suited hands are played more often than their offsuit equivalents.
How accurate is this poker equity calculator?
This calculator uses Monte Carlo simulation, which becomes very accurate with sufficient iterations. At 10,000 simulations, results are typically within 1% of exact values. At 100,000 simulations, results are essentially exact for practical purposes. For preflop calculations without board cards, the simulation matches known preflop equity charts.
What does 'dominated' mean in poker?
A hand is dominated when it shares a card with another hand but has a lower kicker. For example, A-K dominates A-Q because both hands have an Ace, but K beats Q as the kicker. Dominated hands typically have only 25-30% equity against the dominating hand because their only outs are to hit their kicker or make a straight/flush.
How do I use equity calculations in actual play?
Compare your equity to pot odds to make profitable decisions. If you have 40% equity and need to call a bet that's 25% of the final pot, you have a profitable call. Equity helps with: deciding whether to call preflop raises, calculating if a draw is worth chasing, and determining optimal bet sizes. However, equity assumes you see all cards to showdown—fold equity and implied odds also matter.
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