Rate it!

4 votes

A suited connector is a hand that is both consecutive and of the same suit but in poker parlance does not include picture cards.

So when do you get involved in a hand when you have pocket cards like a five and six of hearts?

The most important consideration when playing connectors are how much pre-flop action does the table get and how deep are the stacks.

These two questions basically answer the question of whether or not you will get paid when you flop your straight as the pot odds are rarely good enough to truly call with your connectors.

Implied odds, however, are what make it worthwhile. So, if there's never much chance of much more money going in after the flop at your table, you should fold.

You have a 1% chance of flopping a straight, flopping two pair is 4% and you have a 9% chance of flopping an open ended straight draw with connectors.

You need to set your calculations as to what it costs to see the flop.

The best scenario when you have suited connectors is when several people see the flop, normally a minimum of four, as you are looking for a flop in which you can land a draw - either flush or straight.

Late position is obviously better than early as you can see what other people are doing before you make your move.

But it still requires plenty of fortune to complete that flush or straight and in No Limit Holdem, and that draw still might not be enough to win the pot. A flush can always get trumped by a higher flush so you would rather have the straight.

Indeed suited connectors are a better hand in Limit Holdem than No Limit where the pre-flop raises can become too large to get involved with the flop and in doing so drive big numbers away from the hand.

In Limit you have more scope because usually your initial investment isn't as much and you usually have more than just one opponent and because the pots are smaller, suited connectors are more playable.

In No Limit cash games, if you can limp in and see the flop, then it can pay off as people play weaker hands when no-one raises pre-flop and can you trap opponents.

A good player likes to mix up his tactics so it's worth playing suited connectors in some left field situations. True you could catch two pair or trips but most of the time that won't happen so is not the rationale in playing the cards when you want to vary your play.

Suited connectors are often nice hands to play out of the blinds with and paradoxically on occasions, you can raise from late position in hopes to steal the blinds.

Suited connectors are also playable in late stages of tournaments when the blinds are increasing and your chances for a high strength hand are diminishing.

Also if you are perceived as too tight and are not getting enough calls, you could raise with suited connectors in late position and play it from there.

Or you might take a look at a flop against someone with a large stack in anticipation of hitting the flush or straight but this is obviously a risky tactic.

Generally suited connectors are risky to play against pre-flop raisers and do not do well in heads-up.

Angus MacKenzie / Eurosport