Ok, so I want to talk about something important. One of the first things I learned about on the Cardschat forum was Leak Busting. The fine art of digging through your hand histories and finding difficult spots. Many players regularly dig through their histories and look for mistakes. I decided to give this a try, so I went into my tracking software and sorted my hands by largest USD loss. I found that I was losing a large amount of money from playing too many junky hands. Stuff like {53s, 87o, 64s, K2s etc). I noticed that I was entering a lot of pots with hands that were trash now but COULD be monsters later (But mostly weren't). While I was examining this I noticed something interesting.
I started looking at which kinds of connecting hands were performing the best. I really wanted to know WHY a hand like 65s does better than 42s, or 63s on average. How did gaps between numbers affect their chances of hitting? And which connecting hands were weaker/stronger? I got a pen and a pad out and started to analyse this. Under each of the different hand headings I wrote the hole cards in brackets. For example: I wrote 65s as (6,5). I then showed the different possible straights that each hand could fill. The results I got were eye opening. I did a LOT of work on this problem so I'm going to publish this in 4 parts. Starting with Part 1. Suited Connectors. (Hands with no gaps between numbers).
Suited Connectors (Zero Gappers)
---------------------------------
(A,2)
A 2 3 4 5
Ace-Two Suited can make the nut flush but it can only make 1 type of straight.
(3,2)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
Three-Two Suited can make a three high flush and only 2 types of straight.
(4,3)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
Four-Three Suited can make a four high flush and 3 different types of straight.
(5,4)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
Five-Four Suited can make a five high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(6,5)
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8 9
Five-Six Suited can make a 6 high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(7.6)
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8 9
6 7 8 9 T
Seven-Six Suited can make a 7 high flush and 4 different types of straight.
`
` `
` ` `
` ` `
` ` `
` ` `
` `
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(J,T)
7 8 9 T J
8 9 T J Q
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
Jack-Ten Suited can make a Jack high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(Q,J)
8 9 T J Q
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
Queen-Jack Suited can make a Queen high flush and 3 different types of straight.
I started looking at which kinds of connecting hands were performing the best. I really wanted to know WHY a hand like 65s does better than 42s, or 63s on average. How did gaps between numbers affect their chances of hitting? And which connecting hands were weaker/stronger? I got a pen and a pad out and started to analyse this. Under each of the different hand headings I wrote the hole cards in brackets. For example: I wrote 65s as (6,5). I then showed the different possible straights that each hand could fill. The results I got were eye opening. I did a LOT of work on this problem so I'm going to publish this in 4 parts. Starting with Part 1. Suited Connectors. (Hands with no gaps between numbers).
Suited Connectors (Zero Gappers)
---------------------------------
(A,2)
A 2 3 4 5
Ace-Two Suited can make the nut flush but it can only make 1 type of straight.
(3,2)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
Three-Two Suited can make a three high flush and only 2 types of straight.
(4,3)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
Four-Three Suited can make a four high flush and 3 different types of straight.
(5,4)
A 2 3 4 5
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
Five-Four Suited can make a five high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(6,5)
2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8 9
Five-Six Suited can make a 6 high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(7.6)
3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8 9
6 7 8 9 T
Seven-Six Suited can make a 7 high flush and 4 different types of straight.
`
` `
` ` `
` ` `
` ` `
` ` `
` `
`
(J,T)
7 8 9 T J
8 9 T J Q
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
Jack-Ten Suited can make a Jack high flush and 4 different types of straight.
(Q,J)
8 9 T J Q
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
Queen-Jack Suited can make a Queen high flush and 3 different types of straight.
(K,Q)
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
King-Queen Suited can make a King high flush and 2 different types of straight.
9 T J Q K
T J Q K A
King-Queen Suited can make a King high flush and 2 different types of straight.
(A,K)
T J Q K A
Ace-King Suited can make an Ace high flush and 1 type of straight.
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So what does this all mean? And how should we respond?
Conclusion 1:
Any suited connector of 54s and above has 4 ways to make a straight. Connectors below this only have 3 or less.
Taking action:
I tend not to play the connectors 32s and 43s*. I do this to trim my range because I know they cannot hit as many straights as 54s and above. I have kept A2s in my range as it can hit the nut flush. However when I take this hand to the flop I know that there is only 1 straight that it can fill. So I play this hand cautiously on boards that do not offer flush equity.
Conclusion 2:
Any suited connector above JTs has less than 4 ways to make a straight. Connectors below this down to 54s can all make 4 different straights.
Taking action:
I now play hands like QJs and KQs sparingly and with excellent position. When I enter pots with these hands I am ready to fold to heavy action. I consider these drawing hands that want to hit straights and flushes. I am constantly aware that these hands are crushed by AQ, AJ. So if I read that my opponent has one of these hands, then my goal is to draw cheaply or get out of the pot. Now that I am aware that these hands have a harder time hitting straights I focus more on their flush potential and Big Card equity.
*In low games, this logic must be reversed but it works well for NLHE.
Ragequit
Ace-King Suited can make an Ace high flush and 1 type of straight.
------------------------------------------------------------------
So what does this all mean? And how should we respond?
Conclusion 1:
Any suited connector of 54s and above has 4 ways to make a straight. Connectors below this only have 3 or less.
Taking action:
I tend not to play the connectors 32s and 43s*. I do this to trim my range because I know they cannot hit as many straights as 54s and above. I have kept A2s in my range as it can hit the nut flush. However when I take this hand to the flop I know that there is only 1 straight that it can fill. So I play this hand cautiously on boards that do not offer flush equity.
Conclusion 2:
Any suited connector above JTs has less than 4 ways to make a straight. Connectors below this down to 54s can all make 4 different straights.
Taking action:
I now play hands like QJs and KQs sparingly and with excellent position. When I enter pots with these hands I am ready to fold to heavy action. I consider these drawing hands that want to hit straights and flushes. I am constantly aware that these hands are crushed by AQ, AJ. So if I read that my opponent has one of these hands, then my goal is to draw cheaply or get out of the pot. Now that I am aware that these hands have a harder time hitting straights I focus more on their flush potential and Big Card equity.
*In low games, this logic must be reversed but it works well for NLHE.
Ragequit
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