Raising from up front with suited connectors to vary your play.
8 person single table
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds are at 50/50
UTG 7/8 suited
I raise from UTG with 7,8 S , 3X the BB (150) and get 1 caller from the cut-off seat, both blinds fold. The flop comes 456 rainbow. I check and the cut-off bets about 2/3 the pot (200). I call and the turn hits a 2. i check and the cut-off bets again, (350) about half the pot. I re-raise to 700, he folds. He later stated he had AK. He also said he thought I might have his same hand or hopefully AQ. This shows the value of changing up your starting hands occasionally in order to confuse your opponents. I am regarded by those I play frequently with as a pretty tight aggressive player, They were somewhat surprised when I showed the suited connnectors. I felt I would try some advertising in hopes to set up a play later, when I tryed the same up front play with some big pair. KEEP EM GUESSIN!
So heres a bluf worth mentioning, I however was not just the bluffer but also the bluffie. In a single table no-limit holdem tournament, one short stacked was all – in, I called for about 20% of my stack with A5 suited, the big blind calls as well as he was essentially priced in due to the size of the blinds and the amount of the all in. The flop hits with 3,5,T, BB checks I check, The turn hits 2, check check, the river 7 appeared insignificant the BB checked and I bet 600, with air into a pot of nearly 1500, the BB reraises 1200 more, I fold, he and the all in show having the same hands KJ of suit. I was taken off my air by worse air, and a better bet/raise. Well done Kelley!
In analyzing this, I may have won with an allin following his reraise, but i would have had to muster up a decent amount of testoterone for that one. I may have been able to get him off the hand with a larger intial raise as well somewhere in the line of 3/4 pot size may have done it but that would also have pot commited me, again with total air.
Playing connectors. Is this a profitable play? As with any other question relating to poker play, it depends. On what? Well, position 1st and for most. followed closely by how much is it going to cost me to even see a flop, this relates directly to position as well because from up front, I have no idea what the next several shmo’s at the table might do. Some body could come into a nice preflop hand and raise it up making it a bad play for me to see a flop.
Any ways it depends…
There are no real absolutes, but there is cost , risk and reward to consider. Suited connectors are best played cheaply and against several opponents to increase the size of the potential pot, optimally in position.
So if your at a 9 person table and there are 4 limpers in front, your in the cut-off with 5,6s and can see the flop for the cost the BB absolutely try to see the flop and hope to connect big. More on suited connectors. soon
Maverick calls and shows AJ the river came a 2 , nothing could be better, I win this one. Seems unclimactic in this example I came out well but this is just one scenario that developed with JJ from up front. An example where the JJ hooked the flop immediately and didnt meet with a flush or a straight during the course of the hand. Believe me when I tell you JJ from up front is not a lock by any stretch. They can be devastating and frustrating if you become too attached.
If the board and action behind you tell a story of defeat, and your intuition sends off alarms during the course of the hand, those jacks should be easy to let go.
We will talk about JJ from the middle, and back side with position and how they are played in the days to come. Comment on this particular set of circumstances let me know how you would play them differently.
On the turn, an A comes off. Could have hit the Maverick, but maybe and with any luck only giving him two pair or maybe just top pair, I decide to check the turn in hopes of inducing a bet from the Mav.
I check because if he hit top pair or even two pair he will certainly bet, and then I will check raise him all-in. This is my thought process on this particular situation. I do however run the risk of the him having hit a straight but a feel this is less likely than top pair or even two pair.
He bets half the pot, I move all in. If he has two pair he’ll call, if he has top pair with a K he’ll probably call.
So I’m under the gun and those pesky Jacks show up. Im at a familiar table with a varied group of opponents. Wild card, steady, and skilled all behind me waiting to act. whats my best move. A look around reveals no sign of whats to come as there is no indication given by any player as to his holding. If I limp, I gain no information and I give no one any reason to go away. So I raise.
By the way this is a 9 person table, single table tournament format, starting chip 3500 and its early blinds are 50/100 no ante.
Do I come in with 3x the blind, 4x the blind, 6x the blind or just 2x. Does it matter?
well 6x will clear everything but the hand that surely has me beat. 2x may not be enough to clear a path and then I may be faced with several callers, not good. 3x times is so common, lets make it 2.5 times and see what happens. 225 its is.
players 2,3,4, fold away. player 5 the wild card calls the 6,7, fold as does the SB, but BB completes and its time to run em. pot is 725.
The flop comes 7,10, J rainbow.
Good flop, maybe… what should I do? Im first to act, top set, yep but wild card has come in for a call, what the range of this Maverick? any suited connectors from 5 up, even single gapped suited connectors are possible, any suited A , any two face cards suited or not, any pair below a J. Yep thats what I figure for the Maverick.
The BB is another question all together, a skilled player with pot odds well counted before the flop. So his hand range would probably be suited connectors above a 7 , with or without a gap, any small pocket pair probably, A,234 suited. probably not A rag suited, probably not A10, but A,J or Q is likely. I slightly discount AK as he probably would raise but a smooth call is possible to see a flop.
My JJJ is certainly a good hand, but either of these two could have come in with connectors, I certainly cant let them see another card on a draw, an 8,9 has me beat right now, a Q,9 is drawing to an 8 or K.
The way I figure it I need to see where Im at so about 2/3 the pot would normally be right thats about 500-550. But heres the thing. I put in 550 and then what do I do on the turn if a K or 8 materialize. I think Maverick will call on an open ender, If it doesnt come on the turn, then my only move will be an all-in, but if it hits can I get away from this with 775 or about 1/4 of my stack in this pot.
Well I bet 2/3, the maverick calls the BB folds. stay tuned… whats your thoughts.
Lets open it up on the topic of pocket Jacks (JJ) in texas holdem tournament play. There is so much that can be said on this topic. And more ways to argue each point of view. I personally don’t worry too much about playing the JJ, I play them just like small pocket pairs before the flop. I consider how or even if I will play them depending on several factors:
My position at the time, and how many players have come in to the pot.
If there has been a raise and call. Or raise and re-raise, make the playing of this starting hand all the easier in my mind.
Is there 2-3 limpers in front of me, am I calling along as well to see a flop, or raising it up to thin the field.
To add more to the process, I consider who Im playing with if that is available to me. Do I know the tendencies of the players at my table. If I do, is that initial raiser a maverick, action player or is he/she a tight conservative player that will definately have a hand coming in from up front.
Or are the limpers, creative poker players that want to see a flop cheap and have the ability to play post flop aggressively, when the board allows.
Oh the options are so many whats a player to do with these pocket Jacks? Im opening it up for discussion, let me know how you would approach the pocket jacks.
This is a forum for poker players to discuss hands,strategy,plays, bluffs and yes even bad beats if they want.
#1 by El Cubanito on June 28th, 2010
Quote
Rush Poker on Full Tilt> what a blast, you change tables every hand…. Play is neck breaking fast. Loved it…. Cant wait for next weekend to play again.
#2 by El Cubanito on March 2nd, 2010
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Raising from up front with suited connectors to vary your play.
8 person single table
No Limit Holdem Tournament
Blinds are at 50/50
UTG 7/8 suited
I raise from UTG with 7,8 S , 3X the BB (150) and get 1 caller from the cut-off seat, both blinds fold. The flop comes 456 rainbow. I check and the cut-off bets about 2/3 the pot (200). I call and the turn hits a 2. i check and the cut-off bets again, (350) about half the pot. I re-raise to 700, he folds. He later stated he had AK. He also said he thought I might have his same hand or hopefully AQ. This shows the value of changing up your starting hands occasionally in order to confuse your opponents. I am regarded by those I play frequently with as a pretty tight aggressive player, They were somewhat surprised when I showed the suited connnectors. I felt I would try some advertising in hopes to set up a play later, when I tryed the same up front play with some big pair. KEEP EM GUESSIN!
#3 by El Cubanito on February 28th, 2010
Quote
So heres a bluf worth mentioning, I however was not just the bluffer but also the bluffie. In a single table no-limit holdem tournament, one short stacked was all – in, I called for about 20% of my stack with A5 suited, the big blind calls as well as he was essentially priced in due to the size of the blinds and the amount of the all in. The flop hits with 3,5,T, BB checks I check, The turn hits 2, check check, the river 7 appeared insignificant the BB checked and I bet 600, with air into a pot of nearly 1500, the BB reraises 1200 more, I fold, he and the all in show having the same hands KJ of suit. I was taken off my air by worse air, and a better bet/raise. Well done Kelley!
In analyzing this, I may have won with an allin following his reraise, but i would have had to muster up a decent amount of testoterone for that one. I may have been able to get him off the hand with a larger intial raise as well somewhere in the line of 3/4 pot size may have done it but that would also have pot commited me, again with total air.
#4 by El Cubanito on January 10th, 2010
Quote
Playing connectors. Is this a profitable play? As with any other question relating to poker play, it depends. On what? Well, position 1st and for most. followed closely by how much is it going to cost me to even see a flop, this relates directly to position as well because from up front, I have no idea what the next several shmo’s at the table might do. Some body could come into a nice preflop hand and raise it up making it a bad play for me to see a flop.
Any ways it depends…
There are no real absolutes, but there is cost , risk and reward to consider. Suited connectors are best played cheaply and against several opponents to increase the size of the potential pot, optimally in position.
So if your at a 9 person table and there are 4 limpers in front, your in the cut-off with 5,6s and can see the flop for the cost the BB absolutely try to see the flop and hope to connect big. More on suited connectors. soon
#5 by El Cubanito on December 30th, 2009
Quote
Maverick calls and shows AJ the river came a 2 , nothing could be better, I win this one. Seems unclimactic in this example I came out well but this is just one scenario that developed with JJ from up front. An example where the JJ hooked the flop immediately and didnt meet with a flush or a straight during the course of the hand. Believe me when I tell you JJ from up front is not a lock by any stretch. They can be devastating and frustrating if you become too attached.
If the board and action behind you tell a story of defeat, and your intuition sends off alarms during the course of the hand, those jacks should be easy to let go.
We will talk about JJ from the middle, and back side with position and how they are played in the days to come. Comment on this particular set of circumstances let me know how you would play them differently.
#6 by El Cubanito on December 27th, 2009
Quote
On the turn, an A comes off. Could have hit the Maverick, but maybe and with any luck only giving him two pair or maybe just top pair, I decide to check the turn in hopes of inducing a bet from the Mav.
I check because if he hit top pair or even two pair he will certainly bet, and then I will check raise him all-in. This is my thought process on this particular situation. I do however run the risk of the him having hit a straight but a feel this is less likely than top pair or even two pair.
He bets half the pot, I move all in. If he has two pair he’ll call, if he has top pair with a K he’ll probably call.
stay tuned…. the river coming next
#7 by El Cubanito on December 23rd, 2009
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So I’m under the gun and those pesky Jacks show up. Im at a familiar table with a varied group of opponents. Wild card, steady, and skilled all behind me waiting to act. whats my best move. A look around reveals no sign of whats to come as there is no indication given by any player as to his holding. If I limp, I gain no information and I give no one any reason to go away. So I raise.
By the way this is a 9 person table, single table tournament format, starting chip 3500 and its early blinds are 50/100 no ante.
Do I come in with 3x the blind, 4x the blind, 6x the blind or just 2x. Does it matter?
well 6x will clear everything but the hand that surely has me beat. 2x may not be enough to clear a path and then I may be faced with several callers, not good. 3x times is so common, lets make it 2.5 times and see what happens. 225 its is.
players 2,3,4, fold away. player 5 the wild card calls the 6,7, fold as does the SB, but BB completes and its time to run em. pot is 725.
The flop comes 7,10, J rainbow.
Good flop, maybe… what should I do? Im first to act, top set, yep but wild card has come in for a call, what the range of this Maverick? any suited connectors from 5 up, even single gapped suited connectors are possible, any suited A , any two face cards suited or not, any pair below a J. Yep thats what I figure for the Maverick.
The BB is another question all together, a skilled player with pot odds well counted before the flop. So his hand range would probably be suited connectors above a 7 , with or without a gap, any small pocket pair probably, A,234 suited. probably not A rag suited, probably not A10, but A,J or Q is likely. I slightly discount AK as he probably would raise but a smooth call is possible to see a flop.
My JJJ is certainly a good hand, but either of these two could have come in with connectors, I certainly cant let them see another card on a draw, an 8,9 has me beat right now, a Q,9 is drawing to an 8 or K.
The way I figure it I need to see where Im at so about 2/3 the pot would normally be right thats about 500-550. But heres the thing. I put in 550 and then what do I do on the turn if a K or 8 materialize. I think Maverick will call on an open ender, If it doesnt come on the turn, then my only move will be an all-in, but if it hits can I get away from this with 775 or about 1/4 of my stack in this pot.
Well I bet 2/3, the maverick calls the BB folds. stay tuned… whats your thoughts.
#8 by El Cubanito on December 22nd, 2009
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Lets open it up on the topic of pocket Jacks (JJ) in texas holdem tournament play. There is so much that can be said on this topic. And more ways to argue each point of view. I personally don’t worry too much about playing the JJ, I play them just like small pocket pairs before the flop. I consider how or even if I will play them depending on several factors:
My position at the time, and how many players have come in to the pot.
If there has been a raise and call. Or raise and re-raise, make the playing of this starting hand all the easier in my mind.
Is there 2-3 limpers in front of me, am I calling along as well to see a flop, or raising it up to thin the field.
To add more to the process, I consider who Im playing with if that is available to me. Do I know the tendencies of the players at my table. If I do, is that initial raiser a maverick, action player or is he/she a tight conservative player that will definately have a hand coming in from up front.
Or are the limpers, creative poker players that want to see a flop cheap and have the ability to play post flop aggressively, when the board allows.
Oh the options are so many whats a player to do with these pocket Jacks? Im opening it up for discussion, let me know how you would approach the pocket jacks.