Comments on: 45s. What flop are you hoping for? http://www.billrini.com/2004/09/14/45s-what-flop-are-you-hoping-for/ Bill Rini's Poker Weblog Tue, 6 Jan 2009 07:33:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Pauly http://www.billrini.com/2004/09/14/45s-what-flop-are-you-hoping-for/#comment-144 Pauly Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.billrini.com/?p=139#comment-144 Playing 45s could be a good hand to play in late position to switch gears at a table of tight players. You pretty much know they are playing a solid hand so a flop like 45K or 44A would be interesting for you... an automatic trap hand if you know they are playing anything aside from AA, KK or A4, A5 or K4, K5. Playing 45s could be a good hand to play in late position to switch gears at a table of tight players. You pretty much know they are playing a solid hand so a flop like 45K or 44A would be interesting for you… an automatic trap hand if you know they are playing anything aside from AA, KK or A4, A5 or K4, K5.

]]> By: Bill Rini http://www.billrini.com/2004/09/14/45s-what-flop-are-you-hoping-for/#comment-145 Bill Rini Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.billrini.com/?p=139#comment-145 Yep, that seems like a good use for it but then again 72o might be just as good for that purpose. :-) I guess the issue is more about it being included in many starting hand charts for beginning players. The person asking me about it was a newer player and thought I was crazy to say I wouldn't play that hand in a low limit game. That's somewhat how the question of what type of flop are you hoping for came to mind. It's a weak hand and you either need to be able to play post-flop really well or you're using it to change up your game. Both are not things beginning players do very well. One of the reasons someone usually wants to change up their game is to keep other players guessing. In a mid or high limit game if you're a rock and come in with a raise UTG everybody knows you have a strong hand. If you do the same move and show down 45s the next time you come in they might not put you on the big hand. But the key is that it happens in a mid or higher limit game where people are paying attention to what you play. In the $1/$2 or $2/$4 world, not only are they not paying attention but in the rare case that they are . . . they actually think 45s is a good hand because it's suited. :-) Yep, that seems like a good use for it but then again 72o might be just as good for that purpose. :-)

I guess the issue is more about it being included in many starting hand charts for beginning players. The person asking me about it was a newer player and thought I was crazy to say I wouldn’t play that hand in a low limit game. That’s somewhat how the question of what type of flop are you hoping for came to mind. It’s a weak hand and you either need to be able to play post-flop really well or you’re using it to change up your game. Both are not things beginning players do very well.

One of the reasons someone usually wants to change up their game is to keep other players guessing. In a mid or high limit game if you’re a rock and come in with a raise UTG everybody knows you have a strong hand. If you do the same move and show down 45s the next time you come in they might not put you on the big hand. But the key is that it happens in a mid or higher limit game where people are paying attention to what you play. In the $1/$2 or $2/$4 world, not only are they not paying attention but in the rare case that they are . . . they actually think 45s is a good hand because it’s suited. :-)

]]> By: hdouble http://www.billrini.com/2004/09/14/45s-what-flop-are-you-hoping-for/#comment-146 hdouble Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.billrini.com/?p=139#comment-146 Small suited connectors are terrible in tight games. You nailed it- only playable in late position with no raise and lots of limpers. Simulations have shown that the medium suited connectors are very overrated, but they do very well under the right conditions (loose-passive games with big multiway pots). If you throw away this hand in these type of situations you are giving up a lot of EV. You gotta get in there and gamble in those loose-passive games. Small suited connectors are terrible in tight games. You nailed it- only playable in late position with no raise and lots of limpers. Simulations have shown that the medium suited connectors are very overrated, but they do very well under the right conditions (loose-passive games with big multiway pots).

If you throw away this hand in these type of situations you are giving up a lot of EV. You gotta get in there and gamble in those loose-passive games.

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