Axs vs suited connectors and suited broadways

[DMACM]

2 hypothetical situations:

1. You're on the button and 3 players limp. Would you rather look at your cards and see A2s, 78s, or KQs?

2. You're on the CO and havent played a hand in a while so you wish to raise to vary your play. It is folded to you. Would you rather look at your cards and see A2s, 78s, or KQs?

One of the most interesting things about Hellmuths book, which I have never heard anything good about, was the starting hands he recommended for NL. At the time I was going by Sklansky's limit hands and this was much tighter. But is Axs superiority over all suited connectors and even KQs really believed? Other books I have read have not said this and railbirding top players and discussion here seems to rank the power of the hands KQs, 78s, then A2s.

I would rather see the 7-8s. Its less likely to be dominated, more deceptive, and easier to get away from if you only catch a small piece.

[BobboFitos]

A2s for me is the best in that scenario...

does depend on stack sizes, but in almost all of the cases i would prefer A2s.

[HoldEmKillah]

Why A2s? Explain please....wondering the reason since that's my last choice. I prefer 7 8s for same reasons as Chicago.

[lapoker17]

I'll take KQs in position in a multiway unraised pot. I like the connectors and suited aces in position multiway raised pots. This could be wrong academically, just something that has been true for me over time.

[AZK]

1) 78s
2) 94o

[HoldEmKillah]

[ QUOTE ]

2) 94o

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Good point. If you want to vary your play, raise with crap like that.

[foldem]

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2) 94o

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I don't understand why you would prefer raising with 94o as to some sort of connected hand. I understand that the cards you are raising with aren't as important as your position but I would still prefer to raise with a hand like 56s that has more potential to make a big hand in case I get played with.

Do you prefer to raise with a complete trash hand like 94o or 72o to show a bluff?

[HoldEmKillah]

The idea is hit a hand and get to showdown with it so your opponents will see that you raising with crap. If you show your bluff it's just advertising and works in reverse.

At higher limits they expect you to raise with 56s and 78s. So when you get to SD with your 94 after hitting 2 pair it throws them way off when trying to put you on future hands.

[foldem]

[ QUOTE ]
The idea is hit a hand and get to showdown with it so your opponents will see that you raising with crap. If you show your bluff it's just advertising and works in reverse.

At higher limits they expect you to raise with 56s and 78s. So when you get to SD with your 94 after hitting 2 pair it throws them way off when trying to put you on future hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting point. So far I have found that I haven't needed to incorporate this into my game, currently NL 600 and 1000 6max. But I may experiment with this.

[The Ocho]

the hands you are trying to make in an unraised pot are different than in a raised pot. TPGK is often enough to win a small unraised pot. KQs fits the bill for this purpose. 78s is a hand built to crack raising hands. I'd rather take it into a raised pot where I can win a big one if it hits. It's the type of hand I like to take into possible aces or whatever.

[HoldEmKillah]

And it it's only 3:1 to crack aces (all card outs).

[The Ocho]

[ QUOTE ]
And it it's only 3:1 to crack aces (all card outs).

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so? i think i'm missing your point here.

[HoldEmKillah]

The fact that 78s is more likely to crack AA than any other 2 cards in the deck and is also super-easy to get away from are both great reasons to call an UTG/EP raise when you're in position. This is even more true with deep stacks.

[BobboFitos]

[ QUOTE ]
Why A2s? Explain please....wondering the reason since that's my last choice. I prefer 7 8s for same reasons as Chicago.

[/ QUOTE ]

because A2s in a limped pot - when you make flushes you can stack someone drawing dead. it's an easy hand to play well w/ position.

78s i'd have to be the raiser, not that i mind that at all, i just think a2s is more profitable for me.