Phoenix Wright
Legend
Loyaler
It depends on your skill level and post-flop ability. If a bit shaky on it, then there is no shame in avoiding most suited connectors entirely! (just fold the hands like T9s preflop and enjoy a slightly tighter range).
If you are deciding to play suited connectors, then I feel like playing them successfully is greatly about getting a good price and knowing when you are beat.
What I mean by this is that you continue when getting pot odds (or even bluffing/semi-bluffing if you think you have fold equity later; "floating" is a good example). When you aren't getting "a price" or suspect you are beat, then you have to fold. This is a lot tougher than it sounds. These "smaller cards" (suited connectors) are more vulnerable to being outdrawn or dominated compared to the regular higher hands like AK or AQ.
If you really want to incorporate suited connectors into your poker game, then I've got two sources for you
The obvious one is Daniel Negreanu's book "Power Holdem" because his "small ball" playstyle in that book plays suited connectors often as a core element to that playstyle. The goal is primarily to hit straights and flushes against a stickier opponent who can't fold top pair hands etc. and won't be likely to guess your exact holdings. This was a great book I liked a lot, but it is a bit more advanced. The reading isn't complicated in that sense, but by "advanced" I mean that it requires a certain level of poker understanding and ability to play effectively. A big part of these suited connectors is being able to outplay opponents post-flop or being able to bluff at the pot (usually as a blind steal) since we should realize that straights and flushes come fairly rarely and we can't rely only on hitting them.
The second resource I'll offer deals less with suited connectors (but does include them) is something I'd recommend for all poker skill levels (and especially players starting out!). That resource is the free cardschat 30 Day Course. I'd be remiss to not include this
Here is the 30 Day course hyperlink, but you can also access it in the forums under the pinned threads in "Learning" section:
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/cardschat-training-course-455641/
If you are deciding to play suited connectors, then I feel like playing them successfully is greatly about getting a good price and knowing when you are beat.
What I mean by this is that you continue when getting pot odds (or even bluffing/semi-bluffing if you think you have fold equity later; "floating" is a good example). When you aren't getting "a price" or suspect you are beat, then you have to fold. This is a lot tougher than it sounds. These "smaller cards" (suited connectors) are more vulnerable to being outdrawn or dominated compared to the regular higher hands like AK or AQ.
If you really want to incorporate suited connectors into your poker game, then I've got two sources for you
The obvious one is Daniel Negreanu's book "Power Holdem" because his "small ball" playstyle in that book plays suited connectors often as a core element to that playstyle. The goal is primarily to hit straights and flushes against a stickier opponent who can't fold top pair hands etc. and won't be likely to guess your exact holdings. This was a great book I liked a lot, but it is a bit more advanced. The reading isn't complicated in that sense, but by "advanced" I mean that it requires a certain level of poker understanding and ability to play effectively. A big part of these suited connectors is being able to outplay opponents post-flop or being able to bluff at the pot (usually as a blind steal) since we should realize that straights and flushes come fairly rarely and we can't rely only on hitting them.
The second resource I'll offer deals less with suited connectors (but does include them) is something I'd recommend for all poker skill levels (and especially players starting out!). That resource is the free cardschat 30 Day Course. I'd be remiss to not include this
Here is the 30 Day course hyperlink, but you can also access it in the forums under the pinned threads in "Learning" section:
https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/cardschat-training-course-455641/
Phoenix Wright
Legend
Loyaler
2 Big Blinds? Hopefully a typo as this would be missing a ton of value in situations. I will add the caveat that suited connectors typically play better deeper stacked (50+ Big Blind effective stacks) than shallower stacked. When deeper stacked, you are less likely to face an All-in shove to force you off your hand and you are similarly more likely to realize more of your equity with the suited connectors.
G
GalimullinI
Enthusiast
Silver Level
i like your advice
Suited bottom connectors are just in the range of these positions. But in MTTs I would rarely open these hands. Especially at low stakes.
eetenor
Legend
Platinum Level
Hello guys!
About mtts
How should i play small connectors
Basics grounds which can help me
Thank you for posting
We need to think about our Villain ranges and post flop fold frequencies when choosing to play small connectors.
If the pots are multiway most often and showdowns are frequent then we would only play Sm Con in position for the least we can preflop trying to nut mine with them in the early stages 40bb+ stacks. Bottom 2 pair on the flop multiway is not the nuts by the way so SM Con 2 pair hands are only marginal made hands
Why? if we are playing 76 suited the loose V are playing AxKxQxJxTx9x8x suited as well so reverse implied odds on flush draws.
The are also playing 87 97 107 98 reverse implied odds there as well.
They are also not folding so our fold equity is near 0 and we cannot realize our raw equity,
so even if we had 35% equity pre flop we may only be able to realize 50% of that.
Hope this helps
T
TomCj
Rock Star
Bronze Level
I seldom play them
Small connectors seldom make a winning hand
there are just too many over-cards that will beat them
Straights don't happen very often, high cards or low
so, they are risky to start with
you can hope to get lucky with trips after the flop,
but that's rare, too
You could catch 2 pair on/after the flop,
but you might have to wait all day, to see it, if ever
if you make just 1 pair after the flop,
most of the time an over-pair will beat you
Bottom line, frequently playing low cards, even if they are connected
will quickly eat your bankroll
My advice - if you are going to play low connectors,
at least have them suited
this doubles your chance of catching cards
to fill your hand after the flop
TC
Small connectors seldom make a winning hand
there are just too many over-cards that will beat them
Straights don't happen very often, high cards or low
so, they are risky to start with
you can hope to get lucky with trips after the flop,
but that's rare, too
You could catch 2 pair on/after the flop,
but you might have to wait all day, to see it, if ever
if you make just 1 pair after the flop,
most of the time an over-pair will beat you
Bottom line, frequently playing low cards, even if they are connected
will quickly eat your bankroll
My advice - if you are going to play low connectors,
at least have them suited
this doubles your chance of catching cards
to fill your hand after the flop
TC