How to Play Suited Connectors

Suited connectors are playable hands in a no limit poker tournament, yet too many players see them as chip burners. What are the best poker moves when you have suited connectors? How do the Poker Pros handle them? Here are the best ways to handle suited connectors.

 

Suited connectors are hands of the same suit which are close in rank. For example, if you had the 10 and Jack of clubs you hold a no gap suited connector. A one-gap suited connector is a hand like a 9 and J of spades since there is one rank missing between the cards you hold. A two-gap suited connector would be a hand like a 4 and 7 of diamonds since there are two ranks between these cards. The more connected the cards the better your chances of making a straight.

 

 

Early on in a no limit poker event, you want to see a flop cheap with these hands, and play against multiple opponents. You are risking a few chips with your call for the opportunity to win a big pot.

 

Starting at the middle stages of a tournament, you should be more aggressive with your suited connectors and raise pre-flop when first in the hand and in late position. The objective of this play is to steal the blinds as players tend to tighten up in the later the stage of a tournament. Even if you are called, your pre-flop raise allows you to win with a continuation bet on the flop.

 

You can call a pre-flop raiser with suited connectors (if you don't think someone will re-raise behind you) since you are giving yourself an opportunity to win a big pot. For example, your opponent raises your big blind with Ace-King and you are the only caller with 6-7 suited. If the flop comes 6-7-A, you are going to win a big pot.

 

If there is a raise in late position from a player who is loose (raises too often pre-flop), you can even re-raise this player from the button or blinds with suited connectors. This play is an advanced move, but your opponent probably has a weaker hand than he is representing and your re-raise represents a premium hand. Therefore, you will win a bigger pot as he is most likely going to fold.

 

Pros have learned the best moves with suited connectors, have you? Improve your game by learning the moves you can make with suited connectors.