Playing Baby Straight-Flush Starters Too Aggro on Early Streets?

[Andy B]

A number of years ago, Andrew Prock or someone like that did a ranking of all possible hands based on how they fared equity-wise against six random hands. I wasn't able to find it after a half-hearted Google search. AAA was best and I think something like Q93r was worst. It seems to me that there was a sizable gap between 999, the worst roll-up, and then best three-card straight-flush (I forget whether it was 654 or 543).

I personally favor putting in a moderate amount of action early on with these hands. Two or three bets is good, but if you play for five bets, which is the cap at Canterbury Park and in Vegas, you're committed to a hand that needs to hit twice. The good news is that it's pretty easy to hit. The only real blanks are 9-K of the other three suits. Of course, you're not really looking to make a pair or draw to 8543. Being a little more conservative can make the rest of the hand easier to play, but you do give up a little value. Besides, jamming is fun.