Poker Glossary
Poker glossary

Suited Gappers

Suited gappers are two cards of the same suit that are not consecutive, but close enough to make a straight on the flop. For example, J-9 of one suit.

The simple explanation

A suited gapper is a hand like jack-nine of hearts. It can make a straight and a flush, but it has fewer straight combinations than suited connectors.

A closer look

Suited one-gappers and two-gappers are speculative hands that are used in late position with deep stacks. They have less value than suited connectors, because there are fewer ways to make a straight. They are good for balance and for making disguised hands. The more gaps, the weaker the hand.

A practical example

You are dealt J♥ 9♥. It is a suited one-gapper.

Full explanation

Suited gappers are two cards of the same suit that are not consecutive, but close enough to make a straight on the flop. For example, J-9 of one suit.

Suited gappers are suited cards with gaps.

They can make straights and flushes.

They are weaker than suited connectors.

They are used in late position.

A one-gap hand

No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake

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).

  1. 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 Jack of hearts (Jh)9 of hearts (9h) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
    • Player B BB King of clubs (Kc)3 of diamonds (3d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  2. Preflop · Pot: 8 chips

    Player A raises to 6 with jack and nine of hearts. The cards are two ranks apart, with one rank between them. This is a one-gap hand, or one-gapper.

    • Player A BTN / SB Jack of hearts (Jh)9 of hearts (9h) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B BB King of clubs (Kc)3 of diamonds (3d) · Stack 198 · In this round 2

Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.

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