Updated on August 25, 2025
What is a Connector in Poker?
In poker, a connector is a starting hand where both cards are in consecutive rank order, like 7♠️8♦️ or J♥️T♥️. These hands can be suited or off-suit, but suited makes them more playable (it’s generally poor form to play a poker hand like 7♠️8♦️).
Suited connectors make hands you don’t see coming — straights, flushes, and sneaky two pairs. Even when you don’t hit, they’re a powerful way to balance your range with more unpredictable holdings.
What is a connector in poker? A connector is a preflop holding where both cards are sequential.
Here are some examples of connectors and non-connectors:
| YES | NO |
| 6♥️5♥️ | K♦️8♦️ |
| T♠️9♣️ | 7♦️3♠️ |
What About Gappers?
Hands like 6♣️8♠️ or T♣️7♦️ are often casually referred to as “connectors,” but they’re actually gappers.
There’s a missing rank between the two cards:
- One-gapper: 9-7, T-8, J-9, etc.
- Two-gapper: 7-4, 8-5, 9-6, etc.
They function similarly to connectors but with slightly less flexibility. In other words, you need to basically hit gin to make a straight.
Their wide-gapped nature also means that the second card (kicker) will likely be very low, making pairs and two pairs significantly less valuable.
Why Connectors Matter in Strategy
Speculative Power
When learning how to play poker, connectors are highly speculative. They’re not premium holdings like pocket aces or ace-kings; you’re not starting with a strong hand. Instead, they’re about potential.
Think of them as lottery tickets with better odds: they miss most of the time, but when they hit, they can hit hard. And because straights and flushes are disguised hands, you can often stack opponents who get married to top pair.
Implied Odds and Stack Depth
The biggest key to playing connectors is stack depth. You need enough chips behind — and so does your opponent — to make it worth the gamble of chasing straights and flushes.
- Shallow stacks (under 30 big blinds): Connectors lose their power. You don’t have the implied odds to call and see a flop, because even when you hit, GTO poker dictates you won’t win much.
- Deep stacks (100 big blinds+): This situation is much better. You can win an opponent’s whole stack with an unpredictable hand; it’s worth the risk. You can intimidate more effectively by bluffing when deeper stacked, since everyone has more to lose.
Multiway Pots
Connectors and suited connectors do not play very well “heads-up” (against one opponent). When it’s just your hand vs theirs, even a pretty holding like 9♥️8♥️ is usually behind.
But against multiple players? Now the edges are much narrower — and the payouts much larger. If four or five players see a flop, the pot odds become favourable. You’re essentially gambling small to win big.
So, what is the answer to What is a Connector in Poker? It’s not just about definitions. It’s about understanding the conditions — deep stacks, multiway pots, implied odds — that make these hands succeed.
Suited Connectors — Playable Hands!
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So, what is a suited connector in poker? A connector where both cards share the same suit — like 9♠️8♠️or 6♥️5♥️.
These are stronger than off-suit connectors because they have double the ways to win — straights and flushes. But don’t get too comfortable: suitedness only increases your hand’s value by 2-3%.
Suited connectors retain their value due to their playability rather than their inherent strength. Miss your flush draw? Doesn’t matter — you can bet as a poker bluff.
Opponents think you’re too predictable. Not anymore — show up with T♦️8♦️occasionally, and they’ll no longer be able to get a read.
Mastery of suited connectors in poker is about balancing your range more than anything else.
Why suited connectors matter:
- They give you straight draws and flush draws at the same time.
- They win big pots when opponents overvalue top pair.
- They balance your range by adding disguised strong hands.
If you’re going to play connectors, start with the suited ones.
What is a suited connector in poker (practically speaking)? A way of turning small investments into big wins.
Playing Connectors in Texas Hold’em
Preflop Strategy
Not all connectors are created equal. Suited connectors (like 9♠️8♠️are vastly more valuable than off-suit connectors (9♠️8♦️).
Here’s your poker cheat sheet for playing suited connectors:
- Generally, only play suited connectors aggressively in late position
- Ensure you’re getting favourable odds to call.
- Open raise them occasionally to balance your range.
- Call raises in position if stacks are deep.
- Fold the weakest ones (like 5-4 suited) in early position — don’t get fancy without position and chips to back you up.
Off-suit connectors are usually trash. Yes, even the tempting J-10 off-suit. Muck it!
Postflop Play
Most of the time, your connectors won’t connect. The likelihood of flopping a pair with any two cards is only about 33%. So, most of the time you’re going to miss. And when you do hit, your pair might not be a winner.
- Straight draws: Open-ended straight draws (like 8♠️9♠️on a 6-7-K board) are powerful semi-bluffing hands. You can raise or bet because even if called, you have real equity to fall back on.
- Flush draws with connectors: A hand like 9♠️8♠️ on a 2♠️6♠️K♣️ board gives you both a flush draw and backdoor straight possibilities. Fire away.
- Weak pairs: If your 8♠️9♠️hits middle pair on an A-9-4 flop, don’t get married to it. Connectors are about big hands or nothing.
Common Mistakes with Connectors
The key to postflop play with connectors is to go for gold. Just a pair — even top pair — isn’t going to cut it. Where players usually go wrong is that they become attached to a hand that is second-best.
Remember that poker isn’t about how strong your hand is. It’s about how strong your hand is relative to your opponent. There’s no consolation prize for hitting the board when you’re outkicked.
These are common mistakes with connectors:
- Overvaluing them preflop.
Many players believe suited connectors give them a license to play any pot. They’re not. If the stacks are shallow, throw them away. - Chasing without odds.
If the pot is small and the bet is large, folding is usually best. Don’t bleed chips chasing a hand that won’t pay off enough. - Paying off when you hit weak.
Making bottom pair with connectors is not an excuse to stack off. The whole point is to either make straights, flushes, or strongly disguised hands — not to cling onto third pair.
Quick FAQ
Q: Are connectors beginner-friendly?
Most beginners get into trouble with suited connectors — clinging to the bottom pair, getting outkicked, or drawing to a straight or flush with terrible odds. The poker probability dictates that connectors will miss most of the time. Don’t play them unless you have the discipline not to chase.
Q: Which connectors are best?
Hands like J-T suited, T-9 suited, and 9-8 suited. These can make both strong straights and reasonable flushes.
Q: Should I play connectors out of position?
No. Position amplifies power. Without it, you risk bleeding chips and chasing draws.
Final Thoughts
Connectors represent everything players love about the game: creativity, hidden power, and allure. Their mystery and volatility are what make them exciting.
But they require discipline:
- Play them in the right spots — deep stacks, multiway pots, in position — or you risk bleeding all your profit.
- Play them conservatively — study a preflop Raise First In (RFI) chart to avoid mistakes.
- Navigate them artfully postflop.
- Be quick to let them go when you flop a weak pair and be nimble to play them fast when semi-bluffing a big draw.
And if anyone at the table asks, “What is a Connector in Poker?” or “What is a suited connector in poker?”— now you’ve got the answer.
See Also
Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, Gap, Implied-Odds
