Fundamentals of Post-Flop play for Suited Connectors

Originally Posted by Icanhastreebet

A super obvious question is how stack depth will affect how/if you play these hands under different circumstances.

Too right. I knew it would be foolish of me to think I hadn't forgotten something. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Fnord

Q9s is a VERY different hand than 54s. Short handed Q9s can expect to hit a pair and be best a fair % of the time. Against a very loose player, Q9s is a value raise, 54s is a lot more bluffy/spewy.

This is a useful insight, as I've come to expect from you.

I must admit that I thought longest and hardest about the Q9s. My reasoning to include it as S2G is 1) It is not a PP. 2) It is not a suited broadway. 3) It is not a suited Ax or Kx. 4) I was not thinking about short-handed play.

Originally Posted by Fnord

[Suited connectors] play these roles in my game:
o To broaden my range so [villains] can't assume certain flop textures miss me.
o To broaden my range to exploit someone who's making very large mistakes post-flop. (Usually folding too much on the flop/turn and not playing back enough.)
o It's a little something-something of a hand to pre-flop bluff with.

These seem to answer questions that I took for granted:
Why would these hands be playable?
What value do they add to/remove from a range?


@seven-deuce: Wow, all excellent answers to the posed questions. Thanks. I will use more of this material when I am satisfied that my list of questions is (at least mostly) complete.

Originally Posted by seven-deuce

Can't seem to think of a scenario where you would favour keeping the pot small? I'm sure someone will.

Personally, I like to keep the pot small when I have bottom 2 pair or low pair and gut-shot.

Revised list of questions:
Why would these hands be playable?
What value do they add to/remove from a range?
How does stack sizing affect your decision to get involved in a pot with these hands?
How do pre-flop bets affect your overall strategy or goal when playing these pockets?
How does stack sizing or SPR affect post-flop play of these hands?
What board textures are favorable/unfavorable?
How does position and number/style of opponents factor in to your play?
In what circumstances is building the pot favorable to playing a small pot?

What obvious questions am I missing here?

why not look at fundamentals of pre-flop play with scs? or at least address pre-flop action/relative position/stack depth/villain tendencies before trying to make blanket rules for postflop play.

I mean, i guess we can talk about draws and made hands and stuff? (see isf's made hand article etc). What is fold equity? how do outs + etc impact decisions? what boards hit your range hard vs those that hit your hand hard? this goes forever. Is it worth perhaps narrowing it down a bit?

playing high scs and s1gs in position 100bb deep after having attempted to isolate a limper preflop would be a huge topic by itself.

Originally Posted by daven

(see isf's made hand article etc).

What is isf? could you post a link please?

Originally Posted by seven-deuce

What is isf? could you post a link please?

IowaSkinsFan's Poker Strategy Articles

Originally Posted by daven

Why not look at fundamentals of pre-flop play with SCs... or at least address pre-flop action/relative position/stack depth/villain tendencies before trying to make blanket rules for post-flop play?

I feel that pre-flop play is one of the most-discussed topics in NLHE and I'm not sure what another thread would contribute. Also, I feel like these questions are covered implicitly in other questions I have already posed. I have re-organized the list of questions again to emphasize the way pre-flop action sets the scenario for post-flop play.

Do you feel as though I am missing your point?
What specific questions do you think need asking?
How may one of my questions be re-worded to yield more enlightening answers?

Originally Posted by daven

What is fold equity?

Exploitation and the FTC Theorem

Fold equity is based on a stat attached to a specific villain on a specific street to a specific bet. I don't think much can be generalized about fold equity in the context of this discussion, other than that it IS equity to count against all but the most stubborn of calling stations.
Again: Have I misunderstood you / is my analysis complete bunk?

Originally Posted by daven

how do outs + etc impact decisions? what boards hit your range hard vs those that hit your hand hard? this goes forever. Is it worth perhaps narrowing it down a bit?

I think any topic is too broad when: It keeps digressing into specifics and no patterns emerge which categorize the specifics. I am confident that poker lends itself to descriptions in the form of broad guidelines from which deviations are made.

I think "outs + etc" is covered in the "board textures" question. I really like your range vs hand question.

Originally Posted by daven

playing high scs and s1gs in position 100bb deep after having attempted to isolate a limper preflop would be a huge topic by itself.

I honestly feel that these hands play the same whether they're high or low. Mid pair/weak kicker or worse is likely to happen more times than not with these pockets. In short handed play, I can see some showdown equity in these hands, but not in FR. Other than that, this statement seems related to questions 3 - 5.

Revised list of questions (2):
<< Justification >>
1) Why would these hands be playable?
2) What value do they add to/remove from a range?
<< Pre-Flop Scenario >>
3) How does stack sizing affect your decision to get involved in a pot with these hands?
4) How does position and number/style of opponents factor in to your play?
5) How do pre-flop bets affect your overall strategy or goal when playing these pockets?
<< Tactics >>
6) What board textures are favorable/unfavorable?
6a) What boards hit your range hard vs those that hit your hand hard?
7) How does stack sizing or SPR affect post-flop play of these hands?
8) In what circumstances is building the pot favorable to playing a small pot?

What obvious questions am I missing here?