I play more no-limit then limit, so this might not be as applicable in limit:

I would rather have lower suited connectors then 7-8. My favorite suited connectors are 4-5. These are a part of the nut wheel straight, which can kill someone playing an ace. Wheel straights are harder to notice then other straights, because weak players forget to look for them sometimes. So they think their aces are good, and get hit by a straight.

The problem with the higher suited connectors is that it gets more likely that someone is playing A-x, or K-x, or some other high card hand. Basically, making a pair with a suited connector hand is trouble. If it's not two pair or better, you're probably dropping the hand in no-limit. I could see playing it through in limit if it's somehow second pair or top pair, but in general, you're folding if you don't hit big. So the question is not how valuable your mediocre hands are, but how much you win with your big hands.


4-5 and 7-8 make the same amount of straights, the problem is that when 7-8 is the nut straight, there's not too much else you can have. But when you make a wheel, it's possibly my favorite feeling in poker. Because people tend to play any ace, and will probably stay in with a pair, or two pair, or whatever they have. You stand to win a lot more when you have the wheel then with any hand 7-8 makes. Also, if you make two pair or three of a kind with low cards, you're more likely to be alone with it then sharing with a higher kicker.

The only problem with the low connectors is the possibility of flushes. Obviously, you want your flushes to be as high as possible. But how much stronger is 8 high then 5 high? In either case, you're playing because you have two of the suit, rather then playing because your one is good. So if the board makes four to the suit, in no-limit, there's a good chance you're going to fold to a big bet. So the only real risk is if you lose to higher suited connectors of the same suit. But in that case, you may realize they must also have a flush. And in either case, I'd be willing to bet the odds are that you make more on the good situations with low connectors then you lose in the rare case that someone beats your flush with higher suited connectors.