Playing suited, connected hands OOP

[Sugarmaan]

Hey everyone,

A situation I sometimes encounter at the 1/3 tables I grind at would be me opening to $15 (a standard raise at the card room I play at) from ep with pretty, connected hands such as JTs, QTs, 9Ts, JQs etc and getting 3-bet from lp to usually $40-50. This doesn’t happen too often, but will happen occasionally. Should these types of hands be a part of my calling range pre-flop? (assuming both players have 100bb stacks, and Villain is an unknown).

A significant factor is that this is the only casino in my state, so the rake is outrageously high – 10%, $15 max, INCLUDES pre-flop.

I don’t really like to put these hands in my 4b bluff range, as I would rather use hands with more raw equity and better removal such as ATo, A5s, KQo etc, and I think including all of these types of high-end suited connectors as well would cause us to overbluff.

What do you guys think?

All responses appreciated

[Paul Hewson]

I think the major consideration here, when deciding whether to fold, call or raise, is your stack to pot ratio if you call. Playing 100bb effective, calling a 15bb raise will give you an SPR of 2.8:1.

With the majority of flops seeing you
– out of position,
– checking to the raiser,
– facing a c-bet of probably 20bb (your SPR is now 1.7:1)

and you will be put to a fold or shove decision on the flop.

I think that alone makes these hands, with low raw equity unplayable to most 3 bets, if we assume they represent real strength.

Against a loose aggressive player, I would look to add one of them into my 4bet shove range. But I just don’t ever see calling be profitable with the SPR and poor position you’ll be left with.

So most of the time I think these are folds.

I’m keen to hear if you agree or disagree.
Cheers
Paul

[David Wibel]

Most suited connected hands fit into a bet fold type of range comfortably, especially from early position. T9s, JTs, and even QJs are hands where unless we kill the flop (2 pair, pair plus straight/flush draws) we are likely going to be either dominated or out kicked by our opponent, flopping top pair on a T64 rainbow board still isn’t comfortable to a 3 betters likely range of broadway hands, ATs+, AQo+ and 88+ as a range. KQs and AKs are comfortable calls because we block AK, AQ, KJ, and KQ and it is more likely a hand like top pair is good.

With the rake at 10%, I think even some of these suited connectors like JT or T9 can be folds from EP if we think there is a large enough chance of getting 3bet by late position. If we call a raise to $40, the rake is already $8 and if we are flipping (T9 vs 22-77) we are actually at negative EV since we have bet $40 to win $72 and may not get paid off if we hit our hand.

I agree with Paul, in a deeper game (200+BB) then some of these hands may be better calls but with 100bb you go into push fold mode and that makes for big swings. I play in a state where the max bet is capped ($1-$2 with a maximum bet of $100 and max raise of $100) this makes it harder to get folds and limits how large a pot can get if I make a hand. Because of this middling suited connectors are better left in a bet-fold range rather than a bet-call range.

Also, I would advocate for trying to use a smaller open bet (try $10 or $12) this actually helps to play suited connectors and makes a fold decision to $40-$50 much easier. I use a $6 open at my $1-$2 game and it tends to get the same number of folds as a $10 raise gets me.

[Sugarmaan]

Interesting, thanks for the replies. I fully agree with deeper stacks an open-call even for this number of blinds seems standard. I’m going to stop getting so stick with these hands pre in situations like this.

Also, thanks David for the advice and lowering open sizes, I just find that generally at the tables I play anything under a $15 open will get a torrent of callers. Worth trying a switch up though.

Cheers guys

[Author]

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