A 2-5 suited: how strong is it?

[4thandinches]

False... A2 only has one straight possibility... 345, and even then you have the dummy end of the straight. A5 on the other hand has one 3 card straight possibility, and numerous 4 card straight possibilities.

One thing to remember when playing these hands though, whenever you get a straight, it is NEVER the nuts... there will always be a possibility for a bigger straight.

That is why you need to proceed very cautiously with this hand. If I am heads up and called a fairly nice raise, I would have no problem risking all my chips with 2-pair or the straight. But with another player in the pot or a limped pot, it is very difficult to know where your hand sits. And if you flop the nut flush, you will probably only get paid off if someone flops a lower flush or a set (and possibly lose a huge pot if they pair the turn or river).

 

[heAdstroMan]

depends what position you are in, are you opening, calling or raising?

 

[nomadnative]

The only real value this hand has is the flush draw. Which only gives you about 3% equity pre-flop. A vs. A will be dominated, any other like gapped cards have more straights they can hit, and the chance of flopping two pair is the same as any one opponent without a pair. Pre-flop equity sucks and reverse implied odds if you hit a pair of aces sucks.

You will make a flush by the river only once out of 16 times!!! So...whatever you are calling, you have to make "15 x the call" just to break even. This usually only possible against multiple players or a hyper aggressive with a deep stack. Also; you will probably flop the draw, not the flush, so calling more than a 1/3 pot size bet without implied odds is a losing play. This is the situation you will most likely face!

 

[babydrago9]

To me it completely matters about what position you are in and what the other players at the table are like.... im always folding it UTG but at the CO or button i will most likely raise, its never a hand to fold on the blinds unless there is a big raise before. If I dont have many chips this hand is usually a fold though

 

[Ambushed]

A2-5s looks strong, but plays bad. Most of the time you won't get a flush draw and when you hit an ace, you're not even sure if you have the best hand. Farming for a straight is also bad, since you can only flop gutshots with it.

 

[DrazaFFT]

Where da f..ck did you find this tread...

Wow, after reading all the posts here i can see how Alfie has grown as a poker player, really big difference in your posts year ago and now...

Unfortunately my thinking of Axs is at the level you have left in mid 2012
I really love playing Axs, and now because im forcing myself not to limp i raise with them and hope for a draw and good pot odds to play, but variance can be a bi..h sometimes and for example yesterday happened to me what Ducky described year ago, in my very first CC game (wcoop fr) i was BB and had A2s, flop comes Axx and i couldnt let it go and lost to a SB with AKd, i think that i was out first in whole tourney...

 

[aa88wildbill]

You guys say this like hitting a flush is very common. Flopping a flush is very unlikely and shouldn't be a reason for playing AXs, at that point you are simply falling into a gamblers mindset. Even if you do flop the nut flush, chances are nobody else flopped a flush ( let alone have a flush draw). AXs is -EV if you ask me.

Flushes are high up on the hierarchy for a reason. A3s is only a slight edge to A3o. The suited aspect gives you a false sense of confidence when in reality not much changes.

You also could run into deep trouble if you flop an ace. In a full ring game your weak ass kicker is most likely crushed. An ideal flop for AXs is obviously the trips w/ your rag kicker, a two pair, or top pair w/ flush draw. All others will probably make you lose money.

+1

 

[AlfieAA]

OOP stands for "out of position" - so you act first in the round of betting and don't know what your opponent will do - so you are at a disadvantage.

HJ stands for "Hi-Jack"is 2 seats before the button (BTN)

CO is "Cut-off" - 1 seat before the button (dealer)

BTN and CO are strongest position and HJ is the next strongest but OOP is a relative position. So if you're in HJ and your opponent is in CO or BTN you will be OOP.

Hope that helps.

thanks honey, only just seen this, didnt notice it at the time...oh it helps

Someday you will look back at this and say..."what was I thinking?" lol..
Oh well, good luck at the tables!

what was i thinking.

 

[zveri666]

I tend to play A2-A5 suited a lot because i see it as a suited connector along with the benefit of having an ace. I usually bet it the same way I would bet A10-AK suited. In 9 player games I'm not quite as loose with this hand but 6-max and below I will play it almost every time. Is it correct to do this?

Thanks.

I think this is correct. I play it similarly. The two reasons I like it are: 1) nut flush possibilities it brings and 2) the hidden straight you can get out of it. Number 2 is the money maker because opponents usually dont put you on a hand like that, sometimes they dont even think about a straight possibility if you flop it with such a hand.

 

[ahol27]

I generally chuck it unless I can limp in. Even if you hit the ace, you're typically behind. Best bet is to get in cheap in a family pot and look for a flush.

 

[scorpion1367]

Suited aces are speculative hands imo ,keep pots small and get in cheap to see a flop would be my way of playing them .Sometimes if the board texture is right your small kicker might not play but that would be on very rare occasions and then you are chopping the pot at best...........scorp

 

[Andrei196RO]

I don`t play 2-5 but if i have a good position and I don`t have to call much I wait for the flop.

 

[BigCountryAA]

It's obviously not a strong hand but it is a very playable hand from position. I will play this hand looking to hit 2 pair, flushes or to steal the pot if I miss. Depends on my mood.

 

[INGAJ]

I have never played with them, and will not try. I dont think that is a strong starting hand

 

[stefffan1]

For me these are bad hands , but they worth give them a shot. If the blinds are low and nobody raises I ussually pay to see what the flop brings to me.

 

[sillymunchie]

just remember, with speculative hands, you can make the "bad call" pre if you expect to be paid off when you hit your hand, so making these kinda calls HU are bad, its also going to be very rare if you hit your ace that you will get called by a worse hand, so if your in position and raise it, your hoping to outplay your opponent and take it on the flop, your not looking for showdown value

 

[oooo]

Best answer is right here:

The only real value this hand has is the flush draw. Which only gives you about 3% equity pre-flop. A vs. A will be dominated, any other like gapped cards have more straights they can hit, and the chance of flopping two pair is the same as any one opponent without a pair. Pre-flop equity sucks and reverse implied odds if you hit a pair of aces sucks.

You will make a flush by the river only once out of 16 times!!! So...whatever you are calling, you have to make "15 x the call" just to break even. This usually only possible against multiple players or a hyper aggressive with a deep stack. Also; you will probably flop the draw, not the flush, so calling more than a 1/3 pot size bet without implied odds is a losing play. This is the situation you will most likely face!