SUITED CONNECTORS

Suited connectors - in my opinion underrated. If you can see the flop for free (unraised big blind) or cheap, it is a wise investment.

Advantages

1. They are hard to predict.
2. They are easy to let go if you miss on the flop.
3. There are loads of outs that you can hit to improve your hand, like pairing,
tripping, straight, flush etc as opposed to a high pair where you are
restricted
4. If your opponent has AA or KK and you get a straight, you can maul him
for all his chips, as he wont suspect a straight. (see 1.)

Say you have 6h 7h and your opponent has Qs Qc and will probably slow play - this is exactly what you want!!! He is giving you the opportunity to improve your hand. He bets a reasonable amount, and you call. If he bets big, then you fold... its only worthwhile if you can get in cheap. Another advantage - it works well against slow play.

You: 6h 7h
Him: Qs Qc

Flop: Qh 5d 8h

Now you are in very good shape - he has flopped the nuts, but you could get a four or a nine to complete straight (8 outs), or a heart for a flush (9 outs) minus the 4h and 9h (counted twice) and the 5h (giving him a full house). 14 outs (i think, im not so good at this), and he will most likely be slow playing with his monster trips, giving you a chance to make your hand on the turn or river.

Turn: 3s
River: 9c

Your opponent has put you on a pocket pair or similar, and thinks mibbe you have caught trips or top two pairs. He has top trips and does not suspect your 'hidden' straight. He checks or small bets and you raise all-in. He calls, thinking you are trying to steal and you have just won a monster pot.

He will curse and swear about how QQ was beaten by 67, and brand you lucky, a fish etc. but you have actually played very cleverly. He also trapped himself by slow playing, allowing you to improve your hand.

IN BRIEF: get in cheap, and if you hit on the flop, maul his sorry ass! If not,
its an easy fold.

As always, comments, criticism and abuse welcome

I love it! especially the versatility these kinds of hands have... well said dude

yeh grate post

Yeah I agree, I think they are underated also.I like to play these hands just as I would my big hands and u tend to hit more with these hands. But they can also get u in trouble if you play them all the time.

__________________
Let's Gamble

ive won with 72 agianst QQ before...lo...the flop was 779 A K...

But your screwed against hands like JT. Be sure you are holding the nut st8 and not the sucker str8.

yeah but you could use J-10 s. thats a great hand, as it is always gonna be the nut straight... i agree though, you've got to play them cautiously.

Most of the time a nut str8...but not always...a board of T987 would give JQ the nut...but a good point Scotia!

Whilst I like Scotia's post I feel that the problem in 5-20$ tourneys is not that players UNDER ESTIMATE the worth of suited connectors it is that they OVER VALUE them. Aside from faring better in all in situations than you would first think and being better than hands like AKos or AKs v. 22 they are generally just trash and dont favour all that well against 2 higher hole cards in the all in kind of scenario. Look at the post on J10s for more info.

When playing trash position is more important than anything else and sure 67s is much better than 27 as a trash hand to play it is still a trash hand that you will be chucking or bluffing on.

Now when Scotia says it is an easy hand to throw away that is generally true but what if you hit say 752 with your 78. You have top pair but your kicker is terrible - quite often there will be a 7A and if you get your 8 you will be unlikely to win big because they will be cautious with the possible straight on the board. Sure if the turn comes a 6 you have an open ended straight draw but so what? That isn't money in the bank.

As far as there all in potential - generally at the stakes we play all in is a play normally best avoided without the nuts because normally your opponents will be rubbish enough that you can expoit weaknesses on a less risky way. Sure you will have better drawing chances with them but it is better not to need to catch cards if you can help it so.

Scotia is right suited connectors are great BUT they are just great trash cards (J10 and up aside) that are best played 1) cheap with position, 2) as potential bluffing hands/ blind steals

So if you havent considered playing them instead of J10os or K9os etc consider it but generally they are best viewed as trash that you should need quite strong justification to play.

And J10s is also in my opinion well overplayed. It is an excellent hand to play cheap but do you really want to call 1/3 of your chips with it when you expect some of your opponents to have 2 higher hold cards?