How To Play Suited Connectors
Suited connectors can be a very good starting hand in texas hold'em because there is the possibility of making some very strong hands such as a flush or a straight and they are very difficult for your opponent to put you on. Of course, the majority of the time you play suited connectors you will miss the flop entirely, but those few times that you do hit should more than make up for this because there is a good chance you will win a big pot. This article will look at the situations when it is best to play your suited connectors. We will look at when you should play your suited connectors with a short stack compared to with a big stack, and we will also touch on why you should not get too attached to a pair or two when you are playing the suited connectors to hit a flush or a straight.
If you have a short stack this hinders your ability to win a big pot with your suited connectors. You have to realize that you can only win as many chips as you have or as many chips as your opponent has. For this reason, suited connectors don't look nearly as good to a short stack player as they do to a big stack. With a short stack you should really only be calling with suited connectors from late position into a limped pot. If the pot has been raised then you should usually fold your hand and wait for a stronger starting hand that doesn't need as much improvement on the flop. If you do manage to see a flop with your suited connectors and you happen to make a good flush draw or an open ended straight draw it is often the right move to push all-in. This semi-bluff will often take down the pot right there and if someone does decide to call you then you still have decent odds of winning.
If you partially hit the flop with a straight or flush draw and your opponent is the aggressor making a big raise forcing all of your chips in, you should usually lay down the hand. It is much better to be the aggressor in these situations because there is the chance of your opponent folding. Of course all of these pointers depend on the amount of chips you have. If you have more chips there is more that you can do, whereas if you have fewer chips your options are limited.
If you have a bigger stack you have many more options when it comes to playing your suited connectors. Pre-flop you can call or raise from all different positions. This will keep your opponents on their heels and to keep them guessing as to what you have. When the pot has been raised you should take into account the number of callers and the size of each of their stack. The more callers and the bigger their stacks the better when it comes to playing your suited connectors. If you make your hand it will be a big one, so the number of players doesn't really matter. Also, the bigger your opponents stacks, the more chips they can lose to you when you do manage to make a hand.
If you make four to a flush or a straight on the flop it's often smart to bet out when there aren't many players in the hand. This semi-bluff will often win you the hand right there and if you do get a caller they likely won't be putting you on a straight or flush if you make your hand. Suited connectors are a much better hand for players with large stacks because there are many more options and more chips that can be won.
One of the biggest mistakes that occur when playing suited connectors is forgetting why you are playing them. The reason you are playing your suited connectors is to hit a big hand like a straight or a flush. You shouldn't get attached to your cards if you hit top pair or even two pair. These hands are a lot easier to beat than a flush or a straight and they are also much easier to detect. Your kicker will often be weak when you hit top pair and if your opponent shows any kind of strength you are often behind. Of course it is ok to bet out at the pot, but if you are called or raised you should not be afraid to lay down the hand.
Suited connectors are a great hand when you have a big stack and you get to see the flop for relatively cheap. Don't go calling big raises with suited connectors though because that will just lead to a lot of lost chips. You want to see a lot of flops with these cards and the more players the better. Also, remember that you are trying for a flush or a straight and that top pair is likely not good enough to win the pot.
Some great poker rooms to play your suited connectors at include PKR and Full Tilt. Both rooms offer great bonuses as long as you use a solid PKR bonus code or a quality Full Tilt referral code. Try them out and take down some big hands with your suited connectors.
