AA vs 87 suited: the cracker matchup

Middle suited connectors are the classic aces cracker, and the number shows why: 23% is a better shot than kings get. Every card in the 87 is live, it makes straights in four directions, and the suit adds flush runouts the aces cannot block. This is also why suited connectors are playable at all: not because they win often, but because when they connect they tend to beat exactly the big hands that refuse to fold. The flip side matters just as much. That 23% arrives postflop in pieces, draws and pairs that cost money to chase, so the connector wants a cheap preflop price and deep stacks behind, never an all-in.

Quick tip: Suited connectors are a stack-winning hand, not a showdown hand. If the plan is to call an all-in preflop, the plan is wrong.

All numbers are all-in preflop equity vs one opponent, computed by the Poker Shark equity engine from the full 169 by 169 hand matrix, weighted across suited and offsuit combos.