Suited Connectors
Suited connectors are two cards of consecutive rank in the same suit, such as queen-jack of hearts or seven-six of clubs. They can make straights and flushes, so they play well in big multiway pots.
The simple explanation
The idea is that a hand like 7♠6♠ can make a hidden straight or flush. It rarely makes a top pair, so it is not a hand for small pots. You hope to hit big and win a large pot.
A closer look
Suited connectors profit from implied odds: you get paid when you make a hidden, strong hand. Deep stacks, position and loose opponents raise their value. They are weak in short-stack play, since the implied odds are lower. High suited connectors, such as king-queen suited, also make strong pairs, so they are more valuable than low ones. Low suited connectors are mainly useful for bluffs and for balance.
A practical example
You raise on the button with 7♠ 6♠. These suited connectors can make straights and flushes.
Full explanation
Suited connectors are two cards of consecutive rank in the same suit, such as queen-jack of hearts or seven-six of clubs. They can make straights and flushes, so they play well in big multiway pots.
Suited connectors are consecutive cards of the same suit.
They make straights and flushes.
They are valuable in deep-stacked, multiway pots.
They rarely make top pair.
Suited connectors
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of spades (7s)66 of spades (6s) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)88 of hearts (8h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 with seven and six of spades. Two cards of consecutive rank in the same suit are suited connectors.
- Player A BTN / SB 77 of spades (7s)66 of spades (6s) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB KKing of diamonds (Kd)88 of hearts (8h) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.