Suited connectors are the types of hands that made Doyle Brunson famous. Or was it the other way around? Suited connectors, hands with both straight and flush possibilities, are hands that are fun to play in Texas holdem poker, but can also be tricky to handle.

Suited Connectors in Limit Texas Hold’em Poker

Suited connectors should be played sparingly in limit hold’em, and you need knowledge of poker odds and some other concepts to do so. The reason for this is that even when you hit your hand, you may not be able to win enough to make up for all the times you see a flop with them and miss. When you do play them, you should try to play them in late position for one bet.

Suited Connectors in No-Limit Texas Hold’em Poker

In no-limit hold’em, the value and dangers of suited connectors go up. Here, if you flop a well-hidden monster hand, you can relieve an opponent of their entire stack. However, if you flop a flush or straight and someone hits a bigger one, it could be you that finds yourself without any chips. Even in no-limit, suited connectors should be played mostly in late position, so that you can take full advantage when you hit your hand. Try to play them against opponents with many chips so that they will really pay off when they hit.

Clearly suited connectors play better in later position. If you’re going to play them in early position, try to make sure they have some high card value as well, or make up your mind before the flop that you are going to play aggressively and try to take down the pot whatever way you can.