A 2-5 suited: how strong is it?

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OniGamer

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I tend to play A2-A5 suited a lot because i see it as a suited connector along with the benefit of having an ace. I usually bet it the same way I would bet A10-AK suited. In 9 player games I'm not quite as loose with this hand but 6-max and below I will play it almost every time. Is it correct to do this?

Thanks.
 
AlfieAA

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i do the same, im just learning the game but having any suited ace i atleast call to see the flop...if i dont hit the flush draw i fold....although if i was short stacked maybe i would raine it in abit and wait for more premium, but on a good stack the curiosity gets the better of me haha
 
Ducky7

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The deeper you are the more you can justify playing this hand full ring, only because of the fact you can hit the nut flush. Even then i wouldnt play it from OOP because when you hit an Ace you never really know where you are in the hand and it will put you in terrible spots. So from full ring (9 players) i will only ever play this hand if it is folded round to me in the HJ or CO.

6 Max you can justify opening an Ace from any position. In tournaments when the antes are in play i would then open Axs from any position because you can steal the blinds, but again when playing cash i would only play it in position looking to make the nut flush or a wheel (so again we need to be deepstacked)

4 players or less - We open any Ace anytime :)

GL
 
AlfieAA

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what does OOP, HJ and CO mean?
 
honeycrush

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what does OOP, HJ and CO mean?

OOP stands for "out of position" - so you act first in the round of betting and don't know what your opponent will do - so you are at a disadvantage.

HJ stands for "Hi-Jack"is 2 seats before the button (BTN)

CO is "Cut-off" - 1 seat before the button (dealer)

BTN and CO are strongest position and HJ is the next strongest but OOP is a relative position. So if you're in HJ and your opponent is in CO or BTN you will be OOP.

Hope that helps.
 
Four Dogs

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I tend to play A2-A5 suited a lot because i see it as a suited connector along with the benefit of having an ace. I usually bet it the same way I would bet A10-AK suited. In 9 player games I'm not quite as loose with this hand but 6-max and below I will play it almost every time. Is it correct to do this?

Thanks.
These hands have little to no value as anything other than speculative flush hands. You might win a small pot with a wheel or a pair but you'll never want to play those hands for a big pot. But the nut flush potential is usually good enough to make limping or calling a small raise in position worth the price of admission. I generally open raise 2.5-3x from EP with these hands but look on it as a slightly negative EV way to mix up my EP betting range and I'm never c-betting OOP.
 
Arjonius

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Until you have a decent understand of how to recognize situations where Ax suited is playable, don't. It's not a big winner anyway, even for the best players, so you're giving up very little by not playing it voluntarily.
 
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InfamousAmos

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Phil Helmuth always plays A-xSuited... he says is often worth it to try and call with A-2-5 Obviously A2 is worth more than A3 then A4 etc.

Also if you hit the flush on the flop you have NUTS
 
AlfieAA

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Unless the board pairs, then you dont always have the nuts...but I always play ace rag suited...ALWAYS I just love a nut flush....sometimes I even play king rag suited...hell yeah I will
 
coyotegal

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Unless the board pairs, then you dont always have the nuts...but I always play ace rag suited...ALWAYS I just love a nut flush....sometimes I even play king rag suited...hell yeah I will
Someday you will look back at this and say..."what was I thinking?" lol..
Oh well, good luck at the tables!
 
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You guys say this like hitting a flush is very common. Flopping a flush is very unlikely and shouldn't be a reason for playing AXs, at that point you are simply falling into a gamblers mindset. Even if you do flop the nut flush, chances are nobody else flopped a flush ( let alone have a flush draw). AXs is -EV if you ask me.

Flushes are high up on the hierarchy for a reason. A3s is only a slight edge to A3o. The suited aspect gives you a false sense of confidence when in reality not much changes.

You also could run into deep trouble if you flop an ace. In a full ring game your weak ass kicker is most likely crushed. An ideal flop for AXs is obviously the trips w/ your rag kicker, a two pair, or top pair w/ flush draw. All others will probably make you lose money.
 
JCgrind

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Someday you will look back at this and say..."what was I thinking?" lol..
Oh well, good luck at the tables!

best post in this thread. AXs from anywhere other than BTN and CO is retarded, shorthanded or fullring.

having said that A2-A5s > A6s-A9s imo since you can wheel up + opponents will negate 2-5 trips from your range more than 6-9 and pay you off lighter
 
acky100

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best post in this thread. AXs from anywhere other than BTN and CO is retarded, shorthanded or fullring.

having said that A2-A5s > A6s-A9s imo since you can wheel up + opponents will negate 2-5 trips from your range more than 6-9 and pay you off lighter

so retarded to even say that.
 
AlfieAA

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Someday you will look back at this and say..."what was I thinking?" lol..
Oh well, good luck at the tables!

Lol yeah one day that will deffo be the case, but I think its good to have a decent size range, would hate to be a nit ...good luck to you too :)
 
AlfieAA

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You guys say this like hitting a flush is very common. Flopping a flush is very unlikely and shouldn't be a reason for playing AXs, at that point you are simply falling into a gamblers mindset. Even if you do flop the nut flush, chances are nobody else flopped a flush ( let alone have a flush draw). AXs is -EV if you ask me.

Flushes are high up on the hierarchy for a reason. A3s is only a slight edge to A3o. The suited aspect gives you a false sense of confidence when in reality not much changes.

You also could run into deep trouble if you flop an ace. In a full ring game your weak ass kicker is most likely crushed. An ideal flop for AXs is obviously the trips w/ your rag kicker, a two pair, or top pair w/ flush draw. All others will probably make you lose money.

Very helpful answer, cheers
 
UnknownPr0

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You guys say this like hitting a flush is very common. Flopping a flush is very unlikely and shouldn't be a reason for playing AXs, at that point you are simply falling into a gamblers mindset. Even if you do flop the nut flush, chances are nobody else flopped a flush ( let alone have a flush draw). AXs is -EV if you ask me.

Flushes are high up on the hierarchy for a reason. A3s is only a slight edge to A3o. The suited aspect gives you a false sense of confidence when in reality not much changes.

You also could run into deep trouble if you flop an ace. In a full ring game your weak ass kicker is most likely crushed. An ideal flop for AXs is obviously the trips w/ your rag kicker, a two pair, or top pair w/ flush draw. All others will probably make you lose money.

^^^definately..your odds of flopping a flush are around 118:1 . Just because it's suited only gives you a 3% advantage over offsuite. I've always been told to think about "would i play this hand if it wasn't suited." Ace rag can get you in some trouble but then again what do I know.. lol
 
AlfieAA

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wow 118/1....thats big.....everytime i get ace suited more often than not i flop a flush draw...or get it on the turn....i think ace 2,3,4 or 5 suited has more value, since you get the straight draw too......
 
4thandinches

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Ideally, you want to flop the nut flush or the set with your Ace kicker. However, if you flop a two-pair or a straight, this can get you in a lot of trouble. That being said, I love seeing flops with A-junk suited, but rarely play them when NOT suited.
 
UnknownPr0

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wow 118/1....thats big.....everytime i get ace suited more often than not i flop a flush draw...or get it on the turn....i think ace 2,3,4 or 5 suited has more value, since you get the straight draw too......

the 118/1 are your odds of FLOPPING the flush..2 pairs and straights are a whole different story.

Odds/probability of flopping a flush 118 to 1
(or 0.84% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping a flush draw 8.1 to 1
(or 11.0% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping a backdoor flush draw 1.4 to 1
(or 41.7% chance)
Odds/probability of making a flush by the river 15 to 1
(or 6.25% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping any two pair from two non-pair cards 24 to 1
(or 4.00% chance)
 
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OniGamer

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the 118/1 are your odds of FLOPPING the flush..2 pairs and straights are a whole different story.

Odds/probability of flopping a flush 118 to 1
(or 0.84% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping a flush draw 8.1 to 1
(or 11.0% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping a backdoor flush draw 1.4 to 1
(or 41.7% chance)
Odds/probability of making a flush by the river 15 to 1
(or 6.25% chance)
Odds/probability of flopping any two pair from two non-pair cards 24 to 1
(or 4.00% chance)

what are the chances of hitting a 2pair or a straight?
There seems to be some disagreement about whether these hands are worth playing, but it seems to me that the odds are good enough its worth playing once in a while (at least when you are in position).
 
hysterisis

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Phil Helmuth always plays A-xSuited... he says is often worth it to try and call with A-2-5 Obviously A2 is worth more than A3 then A4 etc.

Also if you hit the flush on the flop you have NUTS

False... A2 only has one straight possibility... 345, and even then you have the dummy end of the straight. A5 on the other hand has one 3 card straight possibility, and numerous 4 card straight possibilities.

One thing to remember when playing these hands though, whenever you get a straight, it is NEVER the nuts... there will always be a possibility for a bigger straight.
 
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All more reason to jump in with my 67 or like.
Now that will be a prize.
 
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emirlidan

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I tend to limp in with ace 2-5 suited but I won't invest too much into it unless something comes on the flop

Just my 2 cents and from my past experience It has it's ups and downs def not a hand to raise big with until you hit something
 
AlfieAA

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I tend to limp in with ace 2-5 suited but I won't invest too much into it unless something comes on the flop

Just my 2 cents and from my past experience It has it's ups and downs def not a hand to raise big with until you hit something

personaly i dont think you should 'limp' in with ace 2-5 suited unless you are on the blinds....otherwise the villians will notice a betting pattern that you limp with flush draws and raise with your premium hands....i think its better to raise in every poistion with a playable hand, limping only in the blinds....also raising on the blinds to mix it up......you have to keep them guessing
 
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