Medium Connectors Pay Big in Poker

There are many big and subtle differences between No Limit Texas Holdem Poker and Low Limit Texas Holdem poker, and one of those has to do with medium connectors that pay big in poker if you know how to play them the right way. In Limit Texas Holdem poker there are far more multi-way pots that build up because the limits have a tendency to keep poker players in the game when they otherwise would have folded in No Limit where bullying and bluffing and shear power poker are more of a factor.

When you watch No Limit Texas Holdem poker on TV you will often see the player with large chips bully and intimidate a player with a short stack.  This is known as “Power Poker” and is not as prevalent in Limit Holdem poker because a player is likely to hang in there for a multi-way pot because it will cost him just another limited fixed bet or two or three. Even when drawing to a flush or straight on a low percentage hand, a Limit Holdem poker player may go ahead and take his shot if there has been a lot of betting activity and the pot continues to grow.

This leads to connector cards. When a large multi-way pot is building in a Holdem poker game it can be advantageous to hang around and pay to see the flop, turn and river if you are holding cards such as jack-10 or 9-8 or similar.  Particularly a 10, which is more valuable because you cannot make a straight without either a 10 or a 5 and the 10 being the higher ranked card makes it that much more valuable and a multi-way pot may be so big that it is worth taking a shot at.

Keep in mind in a Texas Holdem poker game if the pot was small, activity light, and play tight, a medium connector hand is not nearly as valuable because it is still a long shot to hit, with the added problem on the pot being small.  If you are going to take a long shot you should do so with a pot that will payoff and make it worth your while and worth the risk.  The same would be true with a flush draw situation.  If you are on a flush draw, particularly with a high “kicker” (tie breaker card) such as an ace, king or queen and there is a multi-way pot building and you can get in, it is sometimes worth the shot because of the return you can get on your bet.

If the raising becomes insane, you should probably get out, or pay attention to the board and analyze if someone else also has a draw to a straight or flush that would be higher than yours. Keep in mind that medium connectors can pay off but only if the pot is large enough. They are not worth playing for a small pot.