Reluctant to play suited connectors

[Poker Plan]

Quick background:

I play strictly Limit at the nano levels.
Have read GSIH /SSHE

-No problem with TAG style
-No problem with waiting for good hands to come, etc

BUT....
I seem to have a mental block against suited connectors.
I'll obviously check the BB with them and sometimes complete the SB.


I only really interested in them if their big cards, eg JTs.

I wouldn't consider playing (say) 89s.

I have this mental block that says "they won't come in enough times to make them worth bothering with"- so I carry on waiting for my big cards / PP's/

This is abviously a leak that I want to address. I am sure I am losing value on these. But how much value (in the larger scheme of things) am I missing out on?

Any pointers to good articles / threads on medium / small suited connectors would be much appreciated.

Ian

[big_d_awg]

I am stating a thought aloud. I assume you have Poker Tracker could you look at the hands you are concerned about and see where you might have missed opportunities.

[Paxosmotic]

I don't know dude, it seems to me that if you've read SSHE and are playing a TAG style, that you should be perfectly comfortable playing any hand deemed profitable. You should probably rethink how much emotion you're letting in to your preflop decisions.

[Poker Plan]

[ QUOTE ]
I am stating a thought aloud. I assume you have Poker Tracker could you look at the hands you are concerned about and see where you might have missed opportunities.

[/ QUOTE ]

Definitely a good idea. many thanks

[Poker Plan]

[ QUOTE ]
You should probably rethink how much emotion you're letting in to your preflop decisions.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep- spot on. If I'm honest (and I realise I need to be if I'm going to progress), I am trying to minimise the swings in my play. Which means I am too results-orientated. As the straights and flushes need very careful play to ensure they're played profitably- I guess I may be doubting my ability to do that just now. Also, even if played 100% correctly, there will be bigger swings in your stats as they miss more than they hit (I appreciate that if they're palyed properly, they the hits will more than compensate the misses)

Thanks again for your input.
Ian

[McNeese72]

[ QUOTE ]
I have this mental block that says "they won't come in enough times to make them worth bothering with"- so I carry on waiting for my big cards / PP's/


[/ QUOTE ]

If you play them at the right tables they can be profitable. A loose passive table with a lot of limpers and hardly any pre-flop raises is the best. When they do come in, they will make enough money to make up for all the times they don't come in. You play them similiarly to playing low pocket pairs when you are trying to make a set.

Doc

[KingOtter]

Big pots.

The advantage of suited connectors is the implied odds you get with them. They don't make the top-pair hands very often, this is true. But if the pot is mulitway, and big, they're fun to play because they make draws very nicely that'll take you to the river.

I like looking down and seeing 67s, 78s, 89s... and start chanting 'limp, limp, limp'.

[kerowo]

How aware are you of position? If you look at your position stats does your vpip go up the closer you are to the button? Suited connectors over 4 are pretty easy limps in late position, it's fairly easy to see if you need to go past the flop with them and it's less likely you are going to be raised behind with them. If you are in late position and 3 or 4 people have already called an EP raise these are the kinds of speculative hands you should be seeing a flop with. If your afraid of variance you are playing the wrong game.

[ESKiMO-SiCKNE5S]

just wanted to say that i feel the exact same way as the op. anything lower than TJs is pretty much instafold from anywhere but the sb. its not emotional either, i just dont feel comfortable playing them. i think it must come from the way we approach the game.

[DrModern]

The truly l33t way to play s00ted hands. Bozlax'll tell you, if you have anything resembling a suited connector, go nuts and raise with it preflop:

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...Number=6768193