Best way to play suited connectors?

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luckytokenz

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What is the best way to play suited connectors in a tournament? I usually don't play them except in they are high SC's in EP, sometimes i will raise for deception or if i know i will get callers to build a pot, and if i flop a monster i will get paid off. How would they be played early vs. late in a tournement?
 
jj48fan

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I play them late and cheap. Although a raise on the button in an unopened pot isn't too far fetched.

Im mainly speaking of (2,3s--9,10s)
 
irishlatent

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If I have a deep(ish) stack I will usually try to see a cheap flop from the later positions, treating them like a low PP. I am a firm believer of at least *seeing* a flop for the sole reason as you mentioned, if you do end up flopping a straight draw, you are liable to get paid of very well. Esp if the flops comes raggity and you have people tossing chips around with overs.

This is just my 0.02
 
cardplayer52

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if i raise w/them from EP i try to avoid higher SC's. if i get called i don't want to be dominated. but i rarely raise w/them in EP. it would have to be later in the tourney when the table is tightend up. when i play them i mostly play them from LP w/ lots of callers if i think the blinds won't raise. i also want to make sure there are some pretty deep stacks in the pot w/me. i want the implied odds if i hit. i will also be very careful of going broke if i do hi my flush. in LP or CO i will open raise to steal the blinds. for the most part i aviod playing them from EP or MP as i don't want to get raised off them pre.
 
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cool2k9

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i usually play the suited connector when there is atleast three players in the pot..i usually avoiding playing them when i know that there is a maniac behind me who is going to raise..i try to play them as cheap and quiet as possible so as to make a decision after the flop..
 
lektrikguy

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I call with them and raise if im in late position,unles you have an aggressive player. Then I just call. If you hit an open ender raise.
 
GDRileyx

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Brunson likes low suited connectors, not high ones. Too many other people are in the hand with high cards. If you play qj and flop two pair, you have to worry more about somebody catching a straight. Brunson says small suited connectors are his favorite hands. He'll play them even if they are gapped, and even in a raised pot, because if he catches, he can bust people.

There was an interesting hand in a cash game on Poker After Dark. Doyle doubled through an internet pro, who had claimed Doyle's book was how he learned poker in the first place. Doyle called a raise with small connectors, and caught two pair. The internet guy went in the tank, then called Doyle's big raise. When he talked about the hand, the internet guy said he dismissed the chances Doyle had called his raise with two low cards. I was like, "I thought you said you read his book, Fool!"
 
zachvac

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Doyle also wrote the book about playing against idiots who limped a lot and over-valued 1-pair hands. While that's still true to some extent today games have gotten a lot more aggressive and even most idiots know that in a multi-way limped pot one pair is almost never good enough to play for stacks.
 
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mickyb

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Suited connectors are brilliant deep-stacked. Strongly recommend raising them from any position (at least some of the time that you pick them up). They are also good for occasional re-raise semi-bluffs of aggressive opponents.
 
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pokermatch

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I would almost always play them, unless someone made a verry substantial
bet. The reason for this is that you could make a lot of money with a suited
connector. A lot of people dont expect them, especially if they are low
cards. Imagine someone raises with ace king, and you call with 4 5 suited.
A 2 3 comes... you have him in your pocket... or even 2 3 6, he would raise
thinking you didnt catch anything since the board was so slow... hell you
dont even need to catch on the flop, a outside straight is good enough.
In early position I usually just call, since I dont know what the other people
have so by raising I might get a reraise and the pot would be too big for
my taist. In late position however sometimes you might want to raise just
so that people put you on a totally different hand. So if you catch they'll
think your bluffing, and if you miss, you can make a good bluff, especially
if the cards are high on the board since they will think you raised preflop
with high cards....
 
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Jordon_TylerPro

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Suited connectors are a good post-flop players best friend.
Its all about keeping the pot small preflop so I suggest a 2.5XBB raise from late position and a flat from early.
The reason this is such a great hand for post-flop players is you have to know when you hit the flop harder then your opponent and when your hand is no good.
The problem with playing these for amatuers, is they think any flush/open ended straight draw is the nuts.
You may think you have alot of outs but indeed you dont. So you have to know when your two pair/flush draw/straight draw is live and when you are way behind.
So in short keep the pots managable and outplay your opponent post-flop.
 
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teksmith

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Try to see a cheap flop from EP and call small raises from LP if there are several people in the pot.
 
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The Muppetteer

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I will limp with any any suited connectors in EP But in LP will raise if the pot is unopened or there are only 1 or 2 limpers. I am also happy to call a raise with SC's especially if the pot odds are good.

My goal with SC's is to see as many flops as I can even out of position if I know the players well enough because SC's great hands for cracking big PP's and you get paid off when you hit huge most times.
 
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StormRaven

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Doyle also wrote the book about playing against idiots who limped a lot and over-valued 1-pair hands. While that's still true to some extent today games have gotten a lot more aggressive and even most idiots know that in a multi-way limped pot one pair is almost never good enough to play for stacks.

I still have to learn that lesson! I'll watch others call off their entire stack with AK and A high flop of 2 same suits while AK doesn't have that suit, then keep betting strong even when the 3rd of the suit drops or 4th drops. I watch and think "Why would you risk your entire stack on just 1 pair? Especially with that board?"

Enivitably, I'll get something like KK, flop will be 2 5 J rainbow, I think I'm safe, bet big, then the 3 will drop, I bet big, opp reraises and I shove all in. Of course the Opp will have flopped open ended (if it's a lag) and have hit on the turn or the opp will have flopped a set, slow played the flop, reraised for value on turn and I shove. Lose it all with just 1 pair.

Got carried away, sorry. ? was su connectors - how to play.
As a general rule of thumb, I like to toss them in early pos most of the time, raise in ep sometimes, call in mid pos if there's other callers and blinds are weak, call in late pos or if folded to me, raise in lp. See a flop cheap, if don't connect, toss.
 
DrumDemon

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My favorite place to play these hands are on the button or one position earlier.

If I am on the button and it is limped to me my raise might take it down right then and there.

If someone tosses in a moderate raise and I reraise I might just take it down right there. If someone calls they will most likely put me on a hand that is better than it really is. This can be favorable on both high boards and low boards.

I might land some sort of flush draw, a sneaky straight draw, an ugly two pair, or a combination of the above.

However, I am willing to get right off this hand if things get really serious before or on the flop. I think its just a good way to randomize your starting requirements without just picking any two random cards. We have to keep people guessing after all don't we?
 
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billyth3kid

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im going to try playing them late for cheap... i usually dont play them unless i have to make a move .... maybe it will help my game out thank
 
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aznman08

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I like to play them on the button or right next to it for cheap, if I flop a straight or top 2 pair and its checked to me I would throw a feeler bet at least 3/4 the pot to find out where I stand and to eliminate any free draws against me
 
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Machidon7

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the way i'm gonna play depends on how i stand (if my stack allows me) ,on how the others played the hand (how much they raised preflop and how many called).... further i see the flop and depending on it i adjust my game ;)
 
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grafo

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I like playing SC's with the small ball tactics, preferred in position and some limpers before.
 
dwolfg

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"It depends on the situation. If the table is full of rocks and nits, then playing them is a bad idea, as the chances of winning a big pot are greatly decreased. If the table has decent-not world class, but not horrible players I tend to make a standard raise if my image is tag. If there are maniacs and calling stations abound, I try to see the flop as cheap as possible.
 
evildoesit2003

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10 j suited is my favorite but if I can limp with suited connectors I will for sure
 
Blazing_Saddler

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I don't think you are making a huge mistake by never playing them in a tournament to be honest.

Maybe in a super stack tournament they are fine. In tournament every chip is valuable. You need to manage you stack well. You can afford to chase draws even with correct odds. A couple that don't get there and you have lost half your stack.

Cash games, they are far more playable, because stacks are far deeper relative to the blinds, and you can stack off some monkey who has no idea how to play big pairs, and puts a little in when ahead, and most his stack in when he is behind.
 
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LizzyJ

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Sorry for chiming in kinda late...but I need you guy's opinion:

When you start a tournament with 1500 chips, your are entirely correct Blazing Saddler, every chip is valuable, so maybe playing a tight but aggressive game to build a chip stack. Then maybe changing gears in mid tournament to a small ball strategy. If the chips stack starts to disappear maybe switch back to a tight/aggressive approach. Maybe toggle back and forth between the two styles just to keep the opposition off balance so nobody gets a line on your play.

Sound reasonable?

Someone did me a huge favor by calling out all my hands pre-flop. Big red flag that i was being waaaay to predictable. Can't remember the person's name but i owe that person a big 'thank you' for forcing me to look at my game and make some adjustments.
 
chukky88

chukky88

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dont exist the best way to play suited conectors...depends how big is tournament,how many players left,blinds,style of players at yout table and many others...i think is just inspiration at suited conectors.i usualy call if the conectors ar bigger then 89.
 
Exit141RTe1

Exit141RTe1

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If you can get in the pot as cheap as possible its a great chance for winning a nice pot. They are sweet when it hits.
 
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