ITH Poker Forum

[Scottso]

Using an odds calculator from another site, I've come up with the best hand (besides another A,A) to be dealt when going heads-up against A,A to be 6, 5 suited (with the suit being different than either of the Aces) but I don't understand why.

According to the odds calculator, these are the probabilities of the situation above and also 7, 6 and 8, 7.

6, 5 Wins: 22.87 Ties: .37

7, 6 Wins: 22.87 Ties: .32

8, 7 Wins: 22.87 Ties: .29

Now, of course the best hand to have would be the 6,5 suited, because even though it has the same probability of beating A,A, it ties just a bit more.

But why does 6,5 win just as much as 7,6? With 6,5, there are two straight possibilities that can't be had because there are two Aces that can't be dealt to the board (for A, 2 3, 4, 5). With 7,6, Aces won't help to make a straight.

[Bugsbunny]

They also won't help with 65:
23456 - no A required