Playing Suited connectors

What are suited connectors?

These are hole cards containing two cards that are numerically concurrent and the same suit (such as the seven and eight of clubs). Some players will consider this a strong hand but others think it’s useless. The latter however, may simply not know how to play them effectively

Strengths in Connectors

The strength of suited connectors is the possibility for a strong flush or straight. After all, connectors have the potential to grow into a very big hand in conjunction with the community cards.  Just be aware that these big hands aren’t exactly easy to make. 

Suited connectors are best played with a larger number of players in the pot. This way if you actually make the hand, you have a good chance of finding an opponent who has caught a piece of the action and will pay off. When playing against a single opponent, if he gets even the smallest whiff of a flush he will fold.

Connector Weaknesses

The real test for this hand comes on the flop. Therefore you should try and see it as cheaply as possible. If you happen to get a flop that gives you four cards to a flush or straight, then more than likely you are going to stick around for the turn.

However, if the flop doesn’t help, then it’s unlikely you are going to pay to see another card. Because you are facing multiple opponents, bluffing with this hand is not the best idea. You might bluff one person, possibly even two, but with three or more opponents, someone is likely to have hit something on the flop and will be calling your bluff.

When to giver’er

If you do hit a killer hand, then by all means bet to your hearts content. You need to try and build a pot. With multiple opponents in the hand someone is likely to push some chips in the middle and pay you off.

So playing suited connectors is all about picking your spots and making careful decisions about when to stay in the hand and when to quit. Learn to master this hand and it will become a valued part of your poker arsenal.