Playing Combo Draws - How to Play Connectors and Draws PokerLaws.Org

A “combo draw” is when you have a draw that can make more than one kind of a hand after friendly or favorable flops.

For example, if you have 8♠ J♠ and the board is 9♠ 10♦ 2♠, then you have a combo draw. Any 7 (4 outs) or any Q (4 outs) makes you a straight and any spade (9 outs) makes you a flush. That gives you a total of 17 outs which is about twice as many as you would have had with either a straight or a flush draw only.

On top of all the outs that we discussed it is possible that you could still make 3 of a kind or two pair and either one of those hands might take down a pot.

Playing The Draw

So with a good combo draw like this you can make a call on the flop because you have a lot of possibilities to make a hand. In fact you also have an over card in your hand, the Jack, and this gives you another 3 outs to make a hand. Because you have so many outs you can reasonable play the hand like it is a made hand. Doing this you may be able to take down the pot even if you miss because you have represented a made hand from the beginning.

And if you play the combo draw strongly from the start, you will conceal the fact that you were on a draw and if you make your hand on any of the streets then the opposing players will have a harder time putting you on a flush or a straight. Something to bear in mind with the example that we have used is that both the flush and the straight that you are drawing to can be beaten by a higher flush or straight and that is definitely something that you should consider.

Suited Connectors

Suited connectors are when you are dealt 2 sequential cards that are also suited. Suited connectors are one of the better speculative hands there are to play. This is the type of a hand that can play against a wider field because you are drawing to hands that might win you a good sized pot. Against a player with an Ace and a ten, in the example that we used earlier, you are close to an even money proposition. Not quite even money but close.

Pot Odds and Implied Odds

A combo draw almost always stacks up well against pot odds and in particular against implied odds. The reason for this is that you have a pretty good chance of making your hand and it is the kind of a hand that should get paid off if you actually do make it.

Become Less Predictable

By playing a combo draw strong from the beginning you are helping yourself in other ways than just in this one hand. If you only play AK and big pocket pairs strongly pre flop then you are not going to get as much action as you will if the other players realize that you are also willing to mix it up with them when you are on a draw. So not only is playing a Combo Draw good for that particular hand but it has a good side effect that will carry over in to other hands and possible for the remainder of the session that you are playing in.

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