Suited Connectors in No-Limit Hold’em

While attending the 2010 Spring National Bridge Championships at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, I frequented the poker room. Not only was there great live action ($1-$2, $3-$5, and sometimes $5-$10 no-limit hold’em), there were several tournaments offered each day, and they brought in trays of free hot food each night.

I was playing $3-$5 no-limit hold’em at what could well be described as a slow table, as about half of the hands were played without a raise before the flop and there were usually five or more callers. Most of the raises before the flop were made by either me or the player on my right. In late position, I picked up the 8 7. A few players (including the player on my right) called $5 around to me. If I tossed in a green chip and said the magic words, “Make it $25,” most of the players would fold.

Is it sound poker to play suited connectors in no-limit? Some experts play them only occasionally, for PR purposes and to disguise their tight strategy. But some of us think that you can actually show a profit by playing suited connectors — especially from late positions. And depending on the game and the players who call in front of you, you might raise various amounts before the flop. One good reason for raising before the flop is that with fewer opponents, you are less likely to lose to a random higher flush.

If you merely call and there are several other players, and you flop a flush or a flush draw, there is more danger that a higher flush or flush draw is present. Then, you must greatly rely upon your opponent-reading skills to determine when to get out before losing your whole stack. Many raises that you make with small flushes should be considered mostly “test raises,” to see which way the wind is blowing. And oftentimes, you should be quite content to win a small pot by calling rather than risk losing your whole stack by raising.

The best-case scenario is when you flop or turn a straight (and there is no flush or pair on the board). Note that with suited connectors, three of the four possible straights are nut straights. With one-gappers (for example, 8-6), two of the three possible straights are the nuts; and with two-gappers (for example, 8-5), one of the two possible straights is the nuts. When you do flop the nut straight, you often do best by trapping or by making a small (provocative) bet. And although even a non-nut straight is often the best hand (absent board pairs or possible flushes), some amount of caution is wise; many big stacks are lost to higher straights.

What if you flop two pair (one of each of your cards is in the flop). Should you trap the preflop raiser? Experience teaches us that two small pair is a very fragile hand, and should be played fast rather than slow. Although you probably would allow the preflop raiser to make his usual continuation-bet, you probably should make your big move right away, before the turn card is seen. It is better to win a small pot than give your opponent a cheap shot at outdrawing you (which could turn into a big loss). If your opponent calls against the odds and hits, well, you probably would have lost just as much if you had played it slowly.

Meanwhile, back at the poker table with my 8-7 suited, I elected to simply call and see the flop cheaply. In six-way action, the flop came K 9 6. So, I had an open-end straight draw and a flush draw. It was checked around to the aggressive player in front of me, who announced, “I’m going to bet $50, just to get some money into the pot.”

Since I have noticed that this player often raises before the flop with a soft ace (an ace and a non-facecard), he might well be playing a king. I choose to call, and one of the blinds also calls. In three-way action, the turn card is the J, giving me a low flush. Both opponents unceremoniously check to me. The player on my right and I both have more than $500 in chips, but the player in the blind has only about $200. What would you do in this situation?

I chose to bet $80, and I probably would have folded if the player on my right had check-raised all in. However, the player in the blind called, and the other big stack folded. The river card was the A. He checked to me, and since he had only about $100 remaining, I felt safe in betting $100. He called with his two pair, and I won a decent pot.

So, is playing suited connectors from late position in no-limit hold’em a winning proposition? The answer is probably yes — especially if you are good at anticipating and avoiding the occasional disasters. The main principle to keep in mind when you play suited connectors is that you are venturing forth with a “dabbling” hand — as opposed to a serious big-money hand. And when you are dabbling and the stakes suddenly get high, you usually have to back down and fold what easily could be a big loser. ♠

Formerly a career lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice, Mike Cappelletti has written numerous books on poker and bridge, and is considered to be one of the leading authorities on Omaha. Mike has also represented the U.S. in international bridge competition, and he and his wife were featured in a four-page Couples Section in People magazine. His books include Cappelletti on Omaha, Poker at the Millennium (with Mike Caro), and Omaha High Low Poker.