The preceding article detailed how I (correctly) played one-gap suited connectors in a tournament. Sadly, the villain overcame 11-to-1 odds against him catching a four-outer to win. I employed correct game theory, thought patterns, opponent reads, position, strategy and tactics. A great plan almost worked. In poker – as in warfare – there exists “rules of combat.” Applicable to that hand was: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” That particular battle was lost; there was yet a war to win.
Reviewing conditions necessary for suited connectors (and one-gapped connectors) to play: First and ideally, is having a multi-way pot with many players limping in and no raises. Limpers build the pot, generally holding marginally playable hands like Q-7, J-8 or even A-x. These hands can cripple the deck insofar as since everyone is holding high cards, the deck is rich in medium to low cards. Here is an edge for your hand. Second, you observe from late position who enters the pot and how so. You want to see the flop from late position and as cheaply as possible.
The tournament was down to two tables from the starting four. Four players would be in the money; first place was 14.5 times the $100 buy-in. Smaller stacks were feeling the pressure and larger stacks were attacking in order to build for the final push. Moving to a new table it appeared the one-seat was bullying players with raises just large enough to force surrenders. I had an average chip count and while having a little leeway for mixing it up, had to do so with caution and care (the old mantra “selective but aggressive”). Two seats to my left was the button, two seats to my right was the villain. The action came to him and he min-raised (raised the minimum – two times the big blind). Hmmm. What could that mean? I looked at my hand finding Q-T of Hearts and decided a call might afford opportunity if the flop cooperated.
Flop cooperated? Heck, it grabbed me and gave a bear hug. A-K-J with two spades: “Broadway”, the nut straight. (It’s times like those one must keep from falling off the chair, making loud gulping sounds and high-fiving oneself. Remember, there’s still a battle to be won). The attacker bet out three-quarters of the pot; I ‘thought’ for a minute, and then called. No one else called, it was down to him and me; mano y mano, man-to-man. A low card on the turn couldn’t help and he bet again, about half the pot. Okay…tank time…just what could he be holding?
He had to have high cards fitting the flop (recall the old saying, fit or fold?); any A-A, K-K, A-K, A-Q, A-J or even JJ was a possibility. In all cases my Broadway still dominated but was vulnerable. Did I want to risk my sure thing any further or take the pot now? I felt he was even odds of flopping a set to having two pair and/or Ace-high with a straight draw. My highest risk was the board pairing on the river giving him a full house. I knew where three Aces, three Kings and three Jacks were (if he had pockets of any of those) and he HAD to catch one of them to beat me (if indeed he had those), so I figured the odds were three out of forty-six – or about 15:1 against him. And that was IF he had a pocket pair that was hit by the flop. So I just called his bet…
A King came on the river. ANYTHING but an Ace, King or Jack. It was against all the odds, there was no justice in it, and last of all…Why Me? Why Now? My opponent made a half-stack wager (about a pot-size bet) that would still leave me some chips with which to fight, although I would be crippled. Okay…deeper into the tank…why didn’t he go all-in to wipe me out if I called?
Think-agonize. Ponder-agonize. Contemplate-agonize. Consider-agonize. If he made the full house, why is he leaving me with chips? Did the King indeed help him? Why me? OK now…focus…use your brain. Was his bet enough to entice me to go all-in, in essence setting a trap? Or was his hand good but not the nuts, and he was trying to see where I was? I’d have settled right then for a split pot.
I’ve read when faced with a 50-50 decision whether to call on the river or not, to go ahead and call. Otherwise all the chips in the pot are surely lost; if you have a chance to win, take it. Hmmm…Or…ATTACK.
So I went all-in.
The villain went into the tank. Ooh-Rah. Now I was sure I had him. He hemmed and hawed and finally called; I showed my Broadway and he mucked his cards. I then figured him for A-Q. I dragged a HUGE pot, which provided momentum through the final table and into the money. Suited one-gap connectors, in good position, seeing a cheap flop, hitting the flop, and then making good decisions to finish it off. Doesn’t get any better’ than that.
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Drew Chitiea is a semi-pro poker player living in Colorado. His tournament wins amount to over $500,000 with fourth place at a World Poker Tour event and a second place at Binion’s World Poker Classic in Las Vegas, NV.
