How do u play SCs?

[Johan L]

I´m just about break even with my QJs and JTs and have lost money when calling raises with them. Many of you seem to regard it as a hand with very strong potential. How do u play them?

Preflop Should I play them as AK and raise with them in unopened pots?
Do you call raises according to the 5/10 rule?
post flop when calling a pf-raise
Most of the time when they hit air or TPGK/MPGK how do you go from there if called a raise preflop?
The times they hit straight, flush or straight&flushdraws how do you play them on the flop and further?




I'll try to add some hand examples if I get the converter to work.

[DJ Sensei]

QJs and JTs are VERY different from middle suited connectors like 65s and 76s.

When you play a middle suited connector, if you don't hit the flop well, you're done, and out cheap. If you do hit the flop, they have great implied odds because mid-straights or 2 pairs will rarely be suspected by other players who are playing high cards.

QJs or JTs are a different story. They are more difficult to get away from, because more flops appear to be good for them. Jxx, for example. The problem is, you will win a small pot or lose a big one playing TP3K. Additionally, when you are drawing, the draw you are chasing is often less disguised, and thus less likely to pay off if you hit. For instance, the board is T9x, you call bets on flop and turn, and come alive on the 8 or K river? It can be pretty obvious what you have.

I will limp in MP, or open raise in LP with both types of hands. The difference is, I avoid calling raises with hands like QJs and JTs, but I gladly call with lower suited connectors. I face fewer difficult decisions, and am harder to read. And I win in the long run as a result.

[GGrey]

I usually avoid small/mid sc's anywhere except the blinds unless MAYBE I'm 100% sure I can stack a particular player should I hit the flop very well.

Thing with SC's is that it's different from playing pocket pairs for set value because you still have to draw to a straight should you hit relatively well (unless you flop a straight obviously, but the odds of that are what, 17-1?) Obviously two pairs are great hands to hit as well, but 2-3 broadway cards coming up can be scary.

Maybe I'm not adept enough to play sc's well yet, but I usually fold them if I have a choice.

[mike0292]

I'll call raises on the button with them from time to time and raise with them in LP depending on the table.

Really the only reason to raise with them in LP is for deception and being able to steal pots with aggression. With most SSNL tables the people don't pay attention to what you're raising with and are too loose to make stealing with crap profitable. I find it better to just try and get in cheap and hit a flop.

[cbloom]

I never ever call raises with SCs (unless someone open raised and many people called it). Usually I'll limp SCs in position with limpers before me. If there are a few limpers before me that I read as very tight/weak (set miners) I'll come in for a raise with a SC planning to steal the flop the 70% of the time they miss their sets (you can do this with any two cards, but the SC gives you a bonus of being able to hit a straight or flush and bust their set for their whole stack). I'll complete the SB with an SC but never call a raise in the SB or BB because the position sucks (unless it was just a button steal, then I might call a raise planning to stab at the flop).

[wyrd]

I'm curious as to what people think about my logic;

I believe suited connectors are raising hands in late position. The reason being, they lose so frequently, that you NEED to be the aggressive. Being the aggressive gives you two ways to win; 1) you hit the flop, 2) you bluff (continuation bet) and take the pot.

A situation in which I would call a raise, is if I'm in late position (obviously), and there was at least one other caller that came along for the ride. This gives me a few more advantages; 1) more players in the pot, which increases the chances of getting paid off if I hit my hand, 2) more money in the pot (pot odds), 3) I have position on the raiser and the caller(s).

Thoughts?

[12age]

Sure, as long as you don't treat 56s like AA every time.

[NYCNative]

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre> TD Win% $Won $/Hand BB/Hand Blind VP$IP PFR%
AKs 58 63.79 $162.20 $2.80 1.9651 11 100.00 94.83
A2s 64 15.63 <font color="red"> $43.70 $0.68 -0.4406</font> 11 76.56 6.25
KQs 63 55.56 $175.20 $2.78 2.721 15 87.30 23.81
QJs 77 29.87 $13.95 $0.18 0.2555 21 81.82 12.99
JTs 79 35.44 $45.40 $0.57 0.2239 18 94.94 16.46
T9s 92 29.35 <font color="red">$22.15 $0.24 -0.5139</font> 24 90.22 8.70
98s 68 27.94 <font color="red">$46.00 $0.68 -0.2653</font> 15 89.71 5.88
87s 60 23.33 $89.25 $1.49 0.6046 13 85.00 6.67
76s 66 25.76 $13.10 $0.20 0.2095 9 83.33 3.03
65s 60 16.67 <font color="red">$41.32 $0.69 -0.6763</font> 11 78.33 1.67
54s 87 11.49 <font color="red">$107.80 $1.24 -0.8129</font> 15 65.52 0.00
43s 80 13.75 <font color="red">$1.30 $0.02 -0.0339</font> 23 55.00 0.00
32s 70 7.14 <font color="red">$5.80 $0.08 -0.0568</font> 19 37.14 0.00</pre><hr />This has been a good thread because in posting this, I have now decided:

1) Stop playing suited raggy Aces. I'm getting paid off when I hit my flush but not nearly enough to offset the 85% of the time I lose the hand.

2) Don't play suited connectors below 76.

I don't mind the losses for 89s and 9Ts because I think those numbers will go up since I'm improving my post-flop play.

Remove the stupid A2 and the premium AK and I am an overall winner from 76-KQ. I'm actually surprised how much I've won with KQ since it's so easily dominated...

[MilkMan]

[ QUOTE ]
I usually avoid small/mid sc's anywhere except the blinds

[/ QUOTE ]

The blinds are about the worst place from which to play suited connectors.