Tips On Dealing With Those Who Never Fold Suited Cards
By Rich 'Drarr' Hunt
No poker player likes being outdrawn by a donk! The feeling is all too familiar when you have that strong pair, or have flopped a set only to see your opponent hit their miracle card on the river. Suited cards are a favourite because…. well “They’re Soooooooooooted” and their potential of a flush is obvious. While you might dodge your opponent’s draws, there is still the chance they might have hit something due to the wide card rankings.
This article will take you through how to exploit players playing any two suited cards. To begin with I cover the two different types of opponents you will face and identify the differences you will need to spot early on. Then the odds are listed for typical flush chances and drawing scenarios before looing at strategies you can adopt to exploit these players using a few simple tactics. To wrap it up I show you where you can find many players who will insist on spewing off with any two cards, so you can put this advice to good use!
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Opponents Who Play Any Two Suited Cards – Who Are These People?!
There are two types of opponents who play a wide range of suited cards – those who know what they are doing and those who don’t. Luckily there are distinct traits you can easily spot between the two types and adjust your strategy accordingly.
The toughest opponents although they seem it, are not necessarily playing any two cards. They are likely choosing these are ‘cards with potential’ in order to widen their range. Normally in both SNGs and MTTs you will find this tactic used in mid-game to put pressure on weak players. Suited cards can be used as part of a 3-bet strategy or an overcalling one, mostly pre-flop and in position. The idea is they can put pressure on weak players and force a fold. If this doesn’t happen there is also the opportunity the flop may bring luck, and their hand will be well disguised.
Thankfully the vast majority of lower stakes players you will come across will not be so sophisticated. Instead these will likely play any two suited cards because they believe that they can hit a flush – this is very true at sites connected to sports-books or casinos like the cool 888.com, with less experienced players. You will find these players are the typical calling stations, unwilling to release their hands pre-flop and unmoveable off a flush draw. Despite the frustration you may feel when they hit, it is these fish you want in your game, and you need them to hit occasionally to keep them making the same mistakes again.
Opponents Who Play Any Two Suited Cards – The Odds Of Chasing A Flush
When playing against fishy poker opponents it helps to remind yourself that the odds will be in your favor if they are chasing flushes.
The odds of them flopping a flush when holding two suited cards is 118/1 (yes, that high!)
The odds of going with 2 suited cards preflop to hitting a flush by the river 15/1
The odds of them flopping a flush draw when holding two suited cards is 8/1.
The odds of them hitting one of their 9 outs on the turn or river to complete a flopped 4 card flush draw is 4/1.
The odds of them hitting one of their 9 outs on the river to complete a 4 card flush draw on either the turn or the river (if opponent is all-in before the turn) is 1.9/1.
As you can see fishy opponents who just play suited cards preflop to hit a flop are spewing a lot of chips – essentially giving away free money to the table. Even if they do hit a flush draw the odds are still in your favor if you are ahead. You will also find situations where your opponent catches a bit of the flop usually resulting in them playing too far with a weaker holding than you will have. The ideal situation will be when you are holding the A or K high flush and can stack them. This is why you want these players in your game.
Opponents Who Play Any Two Suited Cards - Exploiting Opponents Who Play Suited Cards
Against both weak and trickier opponents you need to bet your hands strongly preflop. This doesn’t necessarily mean increasing your bet sizes pre-flop, (normally you want to be consistent as to not give away indications of your hand strength) however you need to avoid slowplaying your hand. This is so you can get the maximum value off your hand – a weak opponent will call large bets to see a flop, a tough opponent may 3-bet giving you a chance to 4-bet or shove.
When facing a tricky opponent on the flop, you will have to access whether this is a spot where he will try to bully you or not. If you think your hand is sufficiently strong enough once you have stood up to him a couple of times he should leave you alone and pick on weaker targets – especially in SNGs there isn’t much time for ‘fancy play’. You just have to be very careful and selective with your hands when initially entering a pot with these type of villains in position.
If you still up against a typical ‘calling station’ opponent, on the flop you will need to first figure out if the flop helped him. If the board is dry, feel free to make your normal continuation bet and if he continues you can be pretty sure he has something, although it is likely weak. When a flush draw comes you may need to adjust your bets to charge him the wrong odds to chase his draw. Remember the odds are in your favor so, in a similar way to if you had AA preflop, you do not want to scare your opponent away just because there is a chance they can win. You want your opponent to make a series of mistakes by calling down incorrect odds in order to pay you.
Sometimes they will get there and that will be unfortunate, although over the long-term this strategy will reward you with larger profits. You can also limit losses by simply accepting they may have got there when a flush comes in and not paying off their bets. A large bet can be a red flag particularly if they are generally passive players at low stakes.
Opponents Who Play Any Two Suited Cards And How To Exploit Them – In Summary
Even though it may be frustrating at times, players who play any two suited cards with the only plan being to hit flushes, are the fish you want in your game. Be bold with your bets against these opponents and keep the odds in mind so you can take them for as much as possible. Keep disciplined however and be prepared to back off if you think they have hit – this will save you both money and greater frustration!
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