10-9 Suited

Do you normally play a 10-9 suited from early position in limit hold'em? 10-9 suited (TNS) is a marginal hand even in a loose limit hold'em game. But in late position, especially in a well-attended pot (as in a loose hold'em game), there is usually good value in playing it. TNS is the second-best drawing hand in hold'em (J-10 suited is the best), and will certainly win its share of straights and flushes.

The main problem with TNS and all of the other medium suited connectors is that they often lose money to a hand with a higher kicker (as I mentioned in my last column about J-10 suited). Do you really want to find yourself playing another delicate hand that is hard to get away from?

In no-limit hold'em tournaments, especially in the early stages, TNS and even lower suited connectors can be very effective and flexible hands. You often get at least a little piece of the flop, and against only one or two opponents, you can easily justify making at least a small bet. Of course, making a small bet against one or two opponents who tend to fold when they don't hit the flop is usually a good investment whatever your cards. And when the flop gives you several prospects, which might well be more than your opponents have, you belong in the pot.

But isn't there simply an inherent weakness in playing middling cards? Everyone knows that hold'em is a game that emphasizes high cards. For example, you are playing TNS in a well-attended pot and you flop a flush. What are the odds that someone has a higher flush? In a 10-handed game, the chances of at least one opponent having a higher flush is about one out of six. But some of the hands that would beat you would be folded before the flop (for example, Q-2 suited), especially if there was a raise before the flop. So, you figure to have the best hand after the flop more than nine times out of 10. Thus, you probably should go all in to pressure the big single-card flush draws.

While I was writing this column, I happened to be playing online in a no-limit hold'em tournament. The poker fates, with their usual sense of humor, dealt me TNS four times during the course of that tournament. Twice, I saw the flop cheaply and simply folded.

I had a big TNS win when I crawled into five-way action from the button with the 10 9. The flop came 9 8 7. With the blinds at $25-$50, there was $250 in the pot. The player in third position, who had $1,100 in chips, bet $300. Although he conceivably might have a J-10 or a big 9 (a 9 with a big kicker), since he had previously been playing quite tight and had called preflop here from under the gun, I decided it was unlikely that he had either of those hands.

But, he might well have a big pocket pair or a set. So, I did not want to gamble by going all in. I decided to simply call and see the next card. The turn was the beautiful 6, giving me a straight and also a straight-flush draw. He checked to me. What would you do here?

I decided that I was about to win this pot and wanted to get as much of his remaining $800 as possible. But if I bet $800, he might well fold, since there was four to a straight on the board. So, I bet a mere $300. He thought briefly and then raised $500 all in. Of course, I called. Even if he happened to have the J-10 (the nut straight), I might make the flush. He turned over a pair of fives (which gave him a low straight), and I won a big pot.

The fourth time I played TNS turned out to be my "swan song," and it illustrates the danger of playing this sort of hand. Having made it to the money, with three tables remaining I hadn't had a playable hand for several rounds. My stack had dwindled down to a little more than $6,000, and the blinds were at $500-$1,000.

I picked up a TNS in the cutoff seat (one before the button), and it was folded around to me. Since I needed chips badly, I decided to risk raising $2,500. That amount had been bet frequently, and usually took the blinds. But this time, the big blind called.

The flop came 10-7-6, and the big blind checked to me. I certainly thought it was correct to go all in with my remaining $4,000, since I probably had the best hand and I didn't want him to outdraw me by hitting a big card on the turn or river. Unfortunately, my opponent had A-10. I didn't hit an 8 or 9, so I was knocked out.

Note that both my raise before the flop and my bet after the flop were quite reasonable and sound late-tournament moves. But when you play with fire, you sometimes get burned. And when you play TNS, you sometimes get out-kicked. Beware.