What is the correct way to play hands like A2 suited to A8 suited in position?
Hi Sick Wolf,
Your question is very similar to the previous one about small pocket pairs, and the videos I shared in the post just above this will be helpful to you as well.
Medium strength suited Aces can be played in 2 ways and it depends on the situation.
If you are in a game where players are very loose, playing any suited cards, suited connectors, and so forth, then playing passively preflop with these hands is a great strategy. Just calling and hoping to flop a flush draw (or a flush) when someone else flops a weaker flush draw.
You won't hit that often, but just like when calling to flop a set, the times you hit your hand and get paid off should make up for the times you miss.
A general rule to ensure this is the case is to have at least 15-20x the size of the opening raise left to play to capitalize on your implied odds. This is especially effective at small stakes live cash games where people play too many suited hands because they are bored, and are unable to fold medium flushes when they hit them because "that's what I've been waiting all night for, was to a make a 'big' hand"
The other way to play these hands is against loose/aggressive players in headsup situations. Vs players who open a wide range of hands, broadway cards, pairs and suited connectors these small suited aces are the ideal hands to use as a 3-bet semi-bluff. Why?
1) You could easily have the best hand against a wide opening range
2) You holding an ace blocks/discounts the likelihood they hold an ace
3) You can dominate their suited hands and set up a big pot for a cooler
4) Even vs a pocket pair you have a ~30% chance of winning, and you'll likely get paid off at least one bet if you pair your ace
5) Flopping an overcard and a flush draw will give you great equity vs top pair+
6) On the rare occasions you make trips/2 pair/the wheel your opponents are unlikely to expect it since they expected AK/JJ+ when you 3-bet, so you can get paid off nicely
The key criteria for this is to be playing against a loose opponent, and ideally being in late position. Even loose opponents often have tighter raising standards in early position, and with 5-7 unknown hands left to act behind you this should be respected. Thus this play is best executed from the button or cutoff when facing a late position open.
This play can also be executed from the small blind or big blind when facing a late position open, but it's much harder to both bluff and get paid off when out of position. So a lot of the time I will just call from the big blind with these hands especially when it's multiway.
For even more on this topic check out this video
At the 11:00 mark I talk about the effect of stack size on strategy
and around the 22:00 mark I talk about specific holdings and when/how they play best
The main thing is usually who are your opponents and how are you most likely to make money off them?
a) by 'coolering' them because they can't fold decent hands after the flop
b) by
bluffing them because they play too many hands, and cautiously post flop
Hope this food for thought gives you some good consideration about the ways to play these types of hands and what situations/opponent types lead to alternative strategies being best!
Great question, thank you for posting it
