Hold 'Em Starting Hand Strategy – Suited Runners
One of the Most Underrated Hands, Surprise Busters
Dec 9, 2008
Suited runners are described in glowing terms by many professional and amateur poker players – including the legendary Doyle Brunson. It is hard to read a player playing suited runners in many instances, the reason being that they can be made hands as quickly as the flop, or cheap drawing hands all the way to the river when playing at a small table. The lovely thing about suited runners is that they are often either very strong hands or very weak ones – enabling the player to make a relatively stress-free decision when it comes time to call, raise, or fold.
The Pre-Flop Game
When playing low suited runners, that is, anything that is not a face card – be sure to avoid raising and only call small raises to moderate raises. Large raises essentially should tell you that there is a made pair out there, and it's very likely to be higher than your highest runner. At the very least, it tells you that you are looking at A-K, K-Q, or Q-J, likely suited as well. While this is an excellent scenario to be able to limp into, it is not worth the admission price at diminished odds facing a large raise.
Essentially, you should be willing to pay a small fee to see the flop – the best value for your odds because it allows you to see 60% of the community cards in one sitting and to determine what your odds are for the remainder of the hand. Optimally, you will limp in or simply check it down to see the flop for free or nearly free.
The Flop – The Most Important Part of This Hand
When the first three community cards drop, you should have much greater insight as to how to play the rest of your hand. If you have already made a low flush, you should raise substantially in order to push those hoping for a larger flush to fold, and those who caught a top pair, who have a good made hand, to call. If you've made the nut flush, it's best to slow play your hand at this point and let the others do the raising until the river – where you can re-raise or simply raise in order to sweeten what is very likely to be your pot.
If you have missed the board entirely, or only caught a third card that might fit into your flush or straight it is advisable that you check/fold. Do not throw bad money after good – you made the right play in paying to see the flop with regards to your odds, it is simply chance and circumstance that you missed this time. Next time, you may be luckier.
If you have one card to make the flush, you'll find this a very difficult position to be in. If you possess a high face card such as a Q or better – you should definitely call a small raise to see the turn. If you possess a very low flush, it might be better to hope to be able to check to the turn. There is always a substantial chance of being beaten by a better flush, so feeler bets are good ideas to try and determine who is playing a made hand and who is playing for a draw.
The Turn and the River
The turn and river can make or break a four-card drawing hand – and for that reason you should pay to see them if it is cheap, or check it down if it is free. Too many players, often those who have just begun to play, will call moderate to large bets in the hopes of catching their last card on the turn, or even worse, the river – and will get busted more often than not. Bringing a four-card draw to the showdown is an amateur mistake that one should try to avoid at all costs, it will reveal you as a calling station and as a poor gambler to the rest of the table.
Play on the turn and river is fairly straightforward. If you've made your flush and are reasonably confident that it is the highest, the odds favour you and you should take it to the showdown. If you fail to make your flush by the turn, it is likely that you should fold to any substantial bet as the odds do not favour you with merely one card to come.
Whatever may happen, always remember that suited runners are a valuable starting hand and should be slow played, or played very conservatively, until they have become made hands.
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