Learn Texas Holdem

Question: 1) You mention suited connectors throughout these pages and how you have to know what to do with them. Could you talk about the 'when', 'where' and 'how' of playing them?

2) I play in a locally organized tourney situation that has a low buy-in ($30), but then plays No-Limit. Often 3 or 4 people will stay in and chase to the river with off-suit middle cards or inside straight draws. Even with a high pair in the hole, in order to better my odds or 'make them pay to chase', I'd have to put in up to 1/3 of my chips, and I am hesitant to do that. I really have no idea how to play smartly in these types of games. Help!

Looking forward to you answers, Phil

Answer: First of all, a suited connector is a hand that is both consecutive and of the same suit. For example, 6s7s would be considered a suited connector. Usually, we stop referring to cards as suited connectors when they pass JsTs; that hand and above has some high strength potential so we don't usually describe them that way -- you wouldn't call AKs or KQs a "suited connector."

Before I get into exceptions, let me state what generally suited connectors do well at. Suited connectors do best in volume pots. Volume pots are hands in which a number -- usually 4 or more -- of people see the flop. By understanding how these hands win, we can also understand the conditions that suit them best. When you play 54s or 76s or 98s, you are looking for a big flop. A big flop would be a flop in which you caught a flush draw or a straight draw.

You could catch two pair or trips, but that isn't likely enough to make calling worthwhile; in that sense, any two cards would work. Top pair or middle pair sometimes will win, but most of the time these hands won't be strong enough to stay ahead against the competition. Since the hands do best when we have ample odds in our favor, we need to play them in spots where we are sure we will get that cushion to try and hit a flop. Late position is obviously better than early position when we are trying to see what other people are doing before we make our move.

Limit holdem offers people a greater chance to play suited connectors than no limit does. Often times the raise preflop will too large in no limit to give the suited connector a look at the flop. Also, most of the time if there is a raise preflop in no limit, the amount of people in the hand will only be 2 or 3. That situation is not ideal for a little hand like 8s7s.

Now for some exceptions. Suited connectors are nice hands to play out of the blinds with, if the price is right. Suited connectors are also playable in late stages of tournaments when the blinds are increasing and your chances for a high strength hand are waning. Make no mistake though, 5s4s does not play well heads up. You would much prefer a hand like Q4 than 67 if you are going heads up to the river. On the World Poker Tour, I often hear Mike Sexton speak fondly of suited connectors as if they are up there with AJ, KQ, etc. They aren't.

The reason the pros are playing them are either they are hurting for chips, are raising from late position in hopes to steal the blinds, they have a volume pot, they are in the blinds, or they want to strictly gamble in hopes of catching something lucky and doubling through. So don't think that if you are in your no limit holdem game a suited connector is what you want to look down and see to play against a preflop raiser.

It takes a big flop, plus a bit of luck after to actually make a flush or straight. Also, when playing no limit holdem, you always need to keep in the back of your mind that even if you make your draw, it may not be the nuts. In no limit holdem you prefer straights over flushes because straights are more likely to not be bested than a flush would versus another higher flush. Back to the exceptions. Another exception for when you might play a suited connector is when you want to vary your play.

Let's say that people are seeing your table image as too tight and you are getting too much respect and not enough calls. You might raise with a hand like 9s8s in late position and play it from there. Also, occasionally you might take a look at a flop against someone with a large stack in hopes to hit something big -- but you would be gambling with them.

In limit holdem you have a bit more flexibility because usually your initial investment isn't as much and you usually have more than just one opponent. Also, post flop play in limit holdem is much easier than in no limit since you won't be faced with large bets. That's not to say that winning at limit is easier than no limit, it's just that suited connectors are more playable in limit.

Let me finish but by saying that -- in no limit holdem cash games only -- I like getting in with little hands like 35s or 46s, etc. I won't pay much to see the flop, but if I can limp in or pay just a small amount, then I can occasionally break someone. What happens is when no one raises preflop, people play weak Aces like A5, A4, etc. Then if you are in there with a junk hand that can make "the wheel" (A - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5), you can often trap them if they have two pair.

For example, if I have 24 and the guy has A5 and the flop is A - 5 - 3. On the same note, if you have a hand like 64 or something and there isn't a raise preflop, then again people often have weak Aces or pocket pairs. Sometimes you'll catch a straight against their set or two pair versus their top pair with an Ace (46 against A6 and the flop is 6 - 4 - 2). No limit cash games are about trapping and these hands, if played correctly, can do it like nothing else.