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"Texas Dolly" Doyle Brunson changed the way poker would be played forever when he wrote "Super System" so many years ago.
In that legendary bible of poker, Doyle introduced some new poker concepts that, until then, only he and a few other professional players truly understood. I'm specifically referring to playing suited connectors.
Back in the days when Doyle was cleaning up with his aggressive style, most of the other players played close to the vest and waited for high-card combinations like AA, AK, or KQ.
Once Doyle understood that his opponents would never play those garbage hands like 6-7 suited, it became easier to read his rivals. Doyle knew that little cards on the flop likely wouldn't help his opponents. He also knew that his opponents either started with a pair or that they likely had two high cards like Big Slick (AK). With this information, Doyle cemented his reputation as one of the best who have ever played the game.
So why would you want to play a hand like 7-8 of clubs if you know that your opponents are starting with strong hands?
Well, because in No Limit Hold 'em, it's not what you start with that counts — it's what you end up with.
If you're holding small-suited connectors, and for a relatively small percentage of your stack you can stay in to see the flop, there are several benefits:
If you happen to get lucky with that 7-8 of clubs and hit a flop like 4-5-6 or 8-7-3, you'll often trap an opponent with an overpair like AA, KK or QQ.
It adds unpredictability to your game. Playing cards at every end of the deck will make it much more difficult for your adversaries to get a read on you.
Now here's the best part: You'll actually be able to bluff more. This may sound strange to you, but think about it. If your opponents catch on to the fact that you play all sorts of funny cards, you'll be able to bluff them on the flop when you don't improve your hand.
For example, if you played a hand like QJ suited, and the flop came 4-5-6, you could still win this pot. How? Well, your opponents may fear that you are playing the little cards again and flopped two pair or maybe even a straight. If they have Big Slick, they'll usually throw it in the muck, making you the winner.
In "Super System," Doyle also discussed the concept of limping in — just calling the big blind — to see the flop cheaply with these types of hands. Unfortunately, once the book came out, better players recognized that those limps usually signified a suited connector, sometimes a small pair or, in rare cases, a strong hand like AA or KK looking to set a trap.
So today's lesson is to take it one deceptive step further.
If you're holding suited connectors, throw out some small raises with them from time to time. This way, people won't know if you have AA, AQ or 6-8 of diamonds. Mixing up your play, by throwing in the occasional raise with relatively weak-suited connectors, will go a long way toward making you a dangerous and tricky player. That's exactly the type of player that you want to be and that most people fear.
When deciding if it makes sense to play suited connectors, there are several things you should think about:
Your stack size. If you are on a short stack, you won't get the implied odds you would with a big stack. On a short stack, you need to avoid these hands and look for cards that are higher in rank.
The size of the bet. You can't call raises with suited connectors if the size of the bet is too big a percentage of your stack. Ideally, you want to invest only a small percentage of your stack when trying to hit a home run.
If you don't hit the flop, abort mission. Don't get stubborn. These are tricky hands to play, and if you don't improve with a good flop, you need to dump the hand and move on. You'll get other chances later.
When you see me playing poker on TV, you'll notice that I take my own advice. You'll often find me in there with some strange-looking hands, but, rest assured, there is method to this madness. Add some suited connectors to your repertoire from time to time, and you will see your overall results improve.
That is a guarantee.
By Daniel Negreanu |
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