Straight Draws & Suited Connectors In Poker

Straight Draws & Suited Connectors

Is playing straight draws and suited connectors a profitable poker strategy? Nearly 50% of the hands you are dealt will have a Straight possibility. There are three versions of Pre-Flop Straight Cards that have any form of a meaningful draw. Those are connectors, one gap, two gaps, and three gaps. Here is a chart that depicts each of the three categories of Straights, as well as the probability of being dealt each one.

Just for fun, what do you think your probability of flopping a Straight is? Take a look.

So, as you can see, it’s probably not a good idea to expect to Flop a straight. Ok, so what about total probability? I mean, making a straight from Pre-Flop to the river. Let’s see.

Suited Connectors

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying to play or not play any of these hands. I’m just providing you with the math. I am saying think about your position at the table and how the betting goes. Who is doing the betting? From what position?

Suited connectors are everyone’s favorite, right? If I had a nickel for everyone who has tossed their cards into the muck after the river, muttering something about how they never hit their suited connectors. Let’s see what the math says. You will be dealt suited cards about 24% of the time, and suited connectors will comprise about 4% of your hands. That’s one hand out of 28 for those keeping count.

Here is the detail regarding your being dealt Suited Connectors.

What Are the Odds?

So, how well do they really play? Well, that depends on the card’s strength. Remember that 7c8c from the analogy in Pot Odds & Hand Probabilities didn’t fare too well, as you may recall. However, if you have high-ranking cards, they can be profitable in the right situation. Let’s take a look at the chart.

So you can see, just as an example, that the infamous AKs makes a straight, or a flush, 9% of the time, or 10 to 1 odds. Also note that JT, 10, 9, etc., are your best-performing hands but also the weakest in card value when considering the Flush.

If you have two suited cards, not connectors, but say Ac, 9c, then your probability of making a Flush, Pre-Flop to River is 6.5% or 14.38 to 1 odds. True story: a few weeks ago, I was at the Beau Rivage, playing poker, of course. There was a lady there who was obviously new to playing Hold ’em. She asked the young man sitting to her left what the chances of making a Flush were, and he told her about 30%. I didn’t say a word. I want them both to believe that.

As always, check back in here often. I have lots more to post about Poker Probabilities. See you soon.

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