SNGPT and KS hand range %s

[eastbay]

The middle suited connectors are relatively strong against a very strong range, and relatively weak against a broad range.

This may seem confusing at first. Take a simple example:

76s vs AA,KK,QQ 22% (very strong range)
76s vs A2+,K2+,Q2+,22+ 40% (broad range)

KJo vs AA,KK,QQ 18%
KJo vs A2+,K2+,Q2+,22+ 51%

KJo is better against a broader range. 76s is better against a tight range.

76s is not ahead against much but has a reasonable chance to beat even very strong hands with straights or flushes. KJo is ahead a lot of hands to start, but is dominated by a lot of strong hands.

The nature of the KS method is that it ranks strong hands against strong ranges and mid-hands against broad ranges. This is appropriate in many cases but masks some more subtle effects like the strength of a middle suited connector against a strong range.

IMO this just goes to show that any particular ranking is really a limited view of the preflop hands. Their strength is always relative to a situation, and any attempt at a "universal" ranking is going to miss something.

IMO this is important to understand and has practical significance.

eastbay