How To Play Suited Connectors In Texas Holdem
Suited connectors regardless of the rank of the cards can develop into some spectacular hands. If your suited connectors mature, you could be sitting on straight flushes, or strong hands that your opponents will likely not give you credit for having.
Like other hands, you must consider where you are sitting in relation to the deal, the action that has taken place until it’s your turn and once the community cards start to come, you’ve got to accurately assess your chances of winning the hand.
Small suited connectors
2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, even 6-7 are considered small suited connectors. If you have been playing with people who usually play big cards, these can be exactly what you are looking for. If a flop comes 2-3-6 and you are holding the 4-5, few will put you on the 4-5. That is unless you frequently play cards like this.
In fact, if you are considered capable of playing any two cards aggressively, your opponents will accurately have you pegged, or at least consider the possibility that you just hit the flop big.
In early position, playing small suited connectors is risky. If you limp in to the pot, you may be raised and re-raised by the time the betting gets back to you. If you raise, you risk running into a really big starting hand and having to meet a substantial re-raise. For beginners, playing small suited connectors from early position may be beyond your ability.
Middle position
If you are in middle position, you can feel better about raising small suited connectors from time to time. Try not to go to the well too often though. Obviously, the chances that someone will raise and re-raise are lessened the further into a hand you go.
Late position
If the pot hasn’t been raised, you have the option of playing it cheaply, by just limping in or of raising it up and just trying to take it down pre-flop.
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Playing small suited connectors is a risky proposition, but one that can turn out well once in awhile. You’ve got to be willing to give the hand up, if things don’t seem to be going well.
After the flop
In either position, if the flop didn’t hit you, you need to be prepared to give it up. This recommendation comes knowing that you may bluff with any two cards and not care if the flop hit your hand or not. Otherwise, understand that your small suited connectors can’t win hands on their own, if the hand comes to showdown.
Also beware that if you make the bottom end of a straight that the top end will have you beaten. Nothing is more aggravating than hitting your hand and having someone hit theirs better. Likewise for the small flush that you might make. If you’ve got a flush with the 2-3 of spades, understand that it won’t take much of a flush to beat you.
Higher suited connectors
If you are holding 7-8, 9-10 or 10-J, you’ll want to see the flop. It may be best to just call in early position to get a chance to see the flop. If you are in middle position, a raise becomes more appropriate. You need to get a sense of how the table is running. If players are tight, raises can effectively thin the field.
Understand that unlike hands where you hold a high pair in the hole, suited connectors work best when there are multiple players in the pot. This will give a hand that needs more help the odds you need to get involved.
Once again, caution about being on the wrong end of a straight or flush, although, the higher the suited connectors, the more likely it is that you will be in good shape to win.
High suited connectors
J-Q, Q-K, A-K are all quality hands and can be played from any position. Raises are in order especially to a pot that hasn’t been raised if you are in late position.
In all cases, be ready to throw suited connectors into the muck if they don’t mature. You may come up with a small pair and no more after the flop. If someone is giving you the impression that they have something better than you do, toss the cards. Holding bottom pair, waiting to hit a small set or two pair is trouble.
If your small suited connectors hit that rare straight flush, you’ve hit the lottery. You’ll want to keep the others playing in the hand. This won’t happen very often. More likely you catch a part of something and be asked to contribute to a pot you have little chances of winning with the cards you have.
Know the odds against you making your hand. That coupled with knowing the other players at the table will help you get the most out of the suited connectors you play. While the examples here have been directly connected cards, one or two gap cards are suited connectors as well. A 4-6 of clubs will be a great hand when the flop is 5-7-8 of clubs.
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The reason to play suited connectors, at least on occasion is that others won’t likely credit you with having the hand you played. And if they’ve guessed incorrectly, you may have just gotten the combination to the vault.
