Playing suited connectors

  • Thread starter Thread starter moshie
  • Start date Start date
M

moshie

Rock Star
Silver Level
Poker Chips
0
Casino Coins
0
How many like playing suited connectors like 10 9 in early position?
What is the smallest suited connector you would play under the gun?
In these situations you don't know if anyone will raise behind you or how many way the pot will be.

If you do , why do you choose to play them?
 
I like 910suited from early position. I will play any suited connector for early position, if it's a more of a limpy table. As is, if I feel there's a good chance I can see the flop without getting raised.
 
I don't like suited connectors in early position on a 9 player table. Even if no one raises, you are still out of position with what is often a second best hand. I don't even like KQs when UTG.

That said, once in a blue moon I'll semi-bluff raise from UTG. Anybody paying attention will think I have a monster. Suited connectors work good when making this very rare move.
 
Reply
  • Like
Reactions: ssangyongpoker
At a full table from an early position, playing minus is my opinion. And you need to play postflop well to put such a hand at a distance in plus.
 
Reply
  • Like
Reactions: ssangyongpoker
I don’t love playing suited connectors unless they are higher then 9-10 and even then I’m always nervous. At the same time I find myself playing stuff like 5-6 suited way to much lol
 
I like to play suited connectors in early positions ... and I would say that the smallest would be T9s .... I feel comfortable playing this type of hands .... and if I am in late positions I play some smaller ones like 98s, 87s,
 
Great hands !!! 109,23,45,67.... very good hands to play them))))
 
I only like to play them when I am in a good position, but I like almost all connectors, it is a weakness in my game because they are not good hands.
 
well said sir

UTG is a position you should be playing 10-12% hand range maybe 15%
thehangdude said:
I don't like suited connectors in early position on a 9 player table. Even if no one raises, you are still out of position with what is often a second best hand. I don't even like KQs when UTG.

That said, once in a blue moon I'll semi-bluff raise from UTG. Anybody paying attention will think I have a monster. Suited connectors work good when making this very rare move.
Click to expand...
 
Reply
  • Like
Reactions: thehangdude
As I have noted before in similar threads, I do not like playing anything but premium suited connectors, Broadway cards in any position (forget early).

I stuck with playing them for an inordinate amount of time and failed repeatedly. Put it down to bad luck as so many recommended the idea. Finally it sank in that the win percentage was so low it was not worthwhile.

I think playing suited connectors is one of the silliest ideas which permeates the poker world.
 
I play suited connectors quite often, and depending on the table I play aggressively or passively. My favorite cards are 78 or 89.
 
As others have noted , I will play only if I think I can limp without being raised.

Otherwise I'm having to fold on the flop most of the time
 
I try to keep a tight range in early position so T9s isn't a hand I would consider playing. I have sometimes broken this rule but only when I had a huge stack and felt like gambling a bit. The problem with suited connectors is they look so good after a string of garbage hands. If you are seduced into playing from early position you can find it hard to fold to a pre-flop raise. Basically you're leaking chips.
 
Of course, suited connectors are not bad hands, very promising. If we take an early position, I would prefer to raise 10-9, 9-8,8-7 more often than QJ, KQ. Because with them, in case of a call, you will be less likely to be dominated and more likely to get a positive draw.

Suited connectors are good for 3-bet and 4-bet, because against the call spectrum, you will have a good chance of flopping. but do not always play any suited cards, in the long-term game it is unprofitable.
 
Suited connectors vary a lot, table dynamics, stack sizes, player vs.
Suited connectors gain a lot of value in deeper stacked games and where players are tight and passive or loose and aggressive.
Here is a scenario-
Hijack raises 3bb with a stack of 200bb,
You would want to be calling or sometimes 3bet with your suited connectors here if your stack levels because you have massive implied odds.
If you have an assessment that the player is tight and passive then you can maximise fold equity giving out aggression post flop but when your opponent continues they will have a decent hand which allows you to gain more value when you continue and hit.

Of course you want to also look out be cautious of the spots where the reverse implied odds are massive and lay down at them points
 
I'll play as low as a 78 suited connector in early position depending on how the others have been playing.

I like suited connectors a lot actually. It really depends on the dynamics of the table though, the flush possibility is the real kicker for me. It catches so many people off guard when it does happen.
 
Suited Connectors

abpoker said:
I like 910suited from early position. I will play any suited connector for early position, if it's a more of a limpy table. As is, if I feel there's a good chance I can see the flop without getting raised.
Click to expand...

I typically shy away from suited connectors less than JQ in early position. It’s hard to hit a quality hand with much less.
 
I don’t think you should be playing these type of hands as an aggressive UTG raise. These hands play quite will in a less than 5% effective stack size multi way pot. Meaning if you get a limper ahead of you, then you can limp into this pot as well, as the BB is already in the pot.

The key to these types of hands is to invest very little to win a lot. Only continue post flop with two pair or better and a draw of 8 outs or more.
 
Dhendrixon said:
I don’t think you should be playing these type of hands as an aggressive UTG raise. These hands play quite will in a less than 5% effective stack size multi way pot. Meaning if you get a limper ahead of you, then you can limp into this pot as well, as the BB is already in the pot.

The key to these types of hands is to invest very little to win a lot. Only continue post flop with two pair or better and a draw of 8 outs or more.
Click to expand...


Although I agree with the conclusion, I don't like these hands in pots that are too multi way. Maybe 3 players with 1 dropping out early is OK, but otherwise it presents two related problems when you hit:

1) Somebody sticking around on a flush board is likely to have the nut flush
2) Those who don't have a nut flush are unlikely to pay on this board if it's multiway because they fear somebody else has.
 
T9s from UTG, 98s from MP (6 max). Without info. With info can be 65s-98s from UTG, from MP the same with some gapers. J9s, T8s. Also some other suited hands, if the situation is good. K6s, Q8s, J8s,97s, 86s.

I think the suited connectors are overrated for the early positions. And there are a reasons for this. There are an "old" strategies. 10 years old. But the people don't fold too much OTF. 10 years ago the average fold was 65-70% OTF. Very narrow 3bet from the field as well. Also at higher limits you can use smaller size for OR and play a wider range, low rake as well. Not at micros, you can't use the same ranges. At least it is not good to do that.
This days is better to avoid low suited connectors and low pocket pairs from UtG. As default. But with info you can use 22 and 65s from UTG. I think as default 98s from UTG will have very small profit in a long run. Let's say at NL10. A borderline hand. And you must avoid this "borderline hands" and play more hands, high volume. You will have a good win rate most likely and this hands are "waste of time".

I saw some other opinions. QJs and KQs are very strong hands. You can't even compare this hands to 87s, 98s.
 
Last edited:
I mean KQs is a "heavyweight", QJs is a "light heavyweight", 98s is a "welterweight", 87s is a "lightweight". 😀 Don't go with knife at shootout. Something like that...
 
In holdem hands can be divided into 3.
1.Hands with Good Pair Potential: like AK, KQ, etc
2.Versatility: like suited connectors
3.Nut potential: like pocket pairs and suited Aces
Amongst these -> hands with Good Pair Potential rise up in value in early positions and with shallower stacks because you usually flop one pair with approximately 34%. Flopping goodies with other two types of hand mentioned are less probable.
Versatile hands and hands with nut potential go up in value when you are deep and have implied odds. That's why I recommend playing them more on later positions.
 
Reply
  • Like
Reactions: thehangdude
No Bologna

Have to have a good flop, as with any other hand. A lot of times when I'm card dead I will play some, and pray!
 
Back
Top