Raising suited connectors from early position

[ianlippert]

Lately I've been experimenting with a more Laggy style of play and I read somewhere that Daniel N. will usually open a pot with a raise with any suited connector. I was just wondering how good of a play this is? Is it more useful at the higher stakes where you have a chance to steal the blinds?

Not that one hands really means anything, but yesterday I raised T9s 3x BB UTG and got 3 callers. Flopped the nut straight plus flush draw. Bet the pot ($2) get raised to $8 by KK and we get it all in, and I double up. Obviously this is a dream situation for this kind of play, since he probably put me on 99-QQ but I think it illustrates how you can make a lot of money by concealing what type of hand you have with a raise. It was also fun being called a donkey [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[c_strong]

I think open-raising suited connectors can be OK now and again, but I wouldn't do it from early position. I don't like raising callers either.

To me the main advantages are that you may win the blinds, and if you get callers you will be the pf raiser in position so may be able to take the pot with a c-bet (or perhaps get a free card depending on situation). Every once in a (long) while you'll get the sweet situation you had, where the big pair etc. can't put you on your hand, but if this was the only reason for raising the play would be -ev in my opinion.

[4_2_it]

If your game is on par with Daniel's then have at it. SC are best played in multiway pots. If, based on table conditions, you think a raise in early position gets you a multi-way pot AND you are skilled at playing OOP for the rest of the hand then I guess it will work.

I routinely play SC near the CO (occasionally elsewhere) when I can get a cheap flop or if a raise will disguise my hand and randomize my play. I also like raising them when I think I can steal blinds or the button.

I am not a big fan of playing them OOP as you tend to get into a lot of marginal situations that somehow wind up costing you a lot of money (flop bottom two-pair, TPWK, etc.).