Nine-Eight suited, like other suited connectors, is a fun hand to get dealt. So many possibilities!
However, some nuances make Nine-Eight suited different from other suited connectors.
I’m going to help you play this hand more like a pro. Here’s what I’ll cover in this article:
- How to play 98-suited in common preflop situations
- 3 tips for playing 98-suited when you miss the flop
- 3 tips for playing 98-suited when you hit the flop
Let’s get to it.
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How to Play 98-Suited Preflop
Position is critical when considering how to play suited connectors before the flop.
These are the positions that will be referenced in this section:
Unopened Pots
98-suited is strong enough to raise from any position in a 6-handed game. Limping in an unopened pot should be avoided.
If you are playing a 9-handed, 98-suited should be folded from the first 3 positions*. It is not strong enough to raise with so many players still to act behind you.
The exception is if you’re at a table of weak and/or passive players against whom you have a big edge. You can generally loosen up and raise 98-suited in that case.
Against a Raise
98-suited has a unique property: when it makes a straight on a Qx Jx Tx flop, Ace-King also makes a straight. This might seem minor, but it actually has a notable impact because of the prevalence of Ace-King in preflop ranges.
When you’re in the Hijack through the Small Blind and face a raise, for example, 98-suited should almost always be folded. You could 3-bet with it a small fraction of the time, if anything.
Interestingly, this is a much more passive strategy than we see with lower suited connectors like 87-suited through 54-suited. Those hands 3-bet at a much higher frequency than 98-suited, even though they are weaker in terms of absolute strength.
This is an esoteric concept, but if you’re interested in learning more about it, check out this article:
Why 5
4
The Big Blind is the only position in which 98-suited is worth playing against any single raise. This is because you are getting great pot odds and because there are no more players left to act beside you and the opener.
The best approach from the Big Blind is to mix between 3-betting and calling with 98-suited. The closer the open-raiser is to the Button, the more often you should 3-bet (i.e. 3-bet less often against early position and more often versus later position).
You can, of course, adjust based on the players at your table. But now you know the “GTO” way to play 98-suited against a raise.
Against a 3-Bet
You should always continue with 98-suited against a 3-bet. The hand has plenty of equity and playability to make calling the best option.
The one exception is when you are playing against a really tight 3-bettor. If you know they’ve always got the goods, don’t give them action — just get out of the way and move onto the next hand.
Against a 4-Bet
I’m going to hone in on how to play versus a 4-bet after you’ve 3-bet from the Big Blind.
In this scenario, you should mix 50/50 between calling and folding when out-of-position. If you’re in position (meaning the Small Blind is the 4-bettor), always call.
Note: This strategy is only good against a strong opponent who actually 4-bets aggressively. If you are playing against a player who is not going to bluff enough, then calling with 98-suited would be a huge mistake.
3 Tips for Playing When You Miss the Flop
Most of the time, you won’t flop a pair with 98-suited. That’s what these 3 tips are for.
Tip #1: Consider check-raising when you flop an open-ended straight draw out of position
Example: You defend from the Big Blind with 9d 8d and the flop comes Jd Ts 5h. You should look to check-raise at a high frequency.
Including a mix of both strong hands and bluffs is essential when building a strong check-raising strategy.
Open-ended straight draws are ideal bluffs because they carry strong equity and give you the potential to make stronger hands (like Ace-high) fold. By occasionally check-raising with these draws, you can win either by completing your straight or by forcing your opponent to fold a superior hand.
Tip #2: If you raise preflop and flop a draw, c-bet almost every time
Example: You open-raise from the Cutoff with 9h 8h and the Big Blind calls. If the board comes Qs Js 5h, you should fire a c-bet at a very high frequency.
To keep your strategy balanced and effective, bet with gutshot straight draws, open-ended straight draws, and flush draws to apply pressure on your opponent.
By c-betting draws, you maintain a good mix of bluffs and potential value hands. These draws offer opportunities to improve on later streets. And when they hit, you can capitalize by maximizing value and potentially stacking your opponent.
Tip #3: If you 3-bet and the flop has two broadway cards, c-bet even if you totally missed
In 3-bet pots, you have a significant range advantage on “double broadway” flops (i.e. two cards above Ten). These boards connect strongly with the value hands in your range, so c-betting is often the best move.
Even if you completely miss, like holding 9h 8h on an As Ks 5d board, it’s still crucial to bluff. Not c-betting in this scenario is a fundamental mistake (unless you’re up against a calling station that never folds).
3 Tips for Playing When You Hit the Flop
Sometimes you’ll actually flop a pair or better. That’s what these tips are for.
Tip #1: Check back with middle or third pair in single-raised pots
Example: If you open-raise from the Button, the Big Blind calls and the flop comes Js 9d 4c, you should mostly check back with your 98-suited.
With marginal hands like middle pair and third pair, the goal is usually to get to a cheap showdown by playing passively. And when you improve to trips or two pair, you can start playing more aggressively.
Additionally, checking back allows you to capitalize on opponents who over-bluff (since they’ll bet into you on later streets and your pair is strong enough to call a bet).
Tip #2: Slow-play your two pairs when the flop is monotone
If you’ve been reading my articles regularly, you have probably read that slow-playing is something you should do very seldomly.
Well, here is one situation in which you should slow-play some of your strong hands (two pair or better): monotone flops.
For example, let’s say that the flop came 9h 8h 4h after you’ve called from the Big Blind with 9d 8d. When faced with a bet in this scenario, you should always just call.
Your opponent can already have a ton of better hands (flushes and sets) and is very likely to hit more on the turn or river. So, while your absolute hand strength is two pair, your relative hand strength is something like a top pair.
You have a great bluff-catching hand at this point, nothing more. Don’t bloat the pot by fast-playing or you’re gonna have a bad time.
Tip #3: If you raise preflop and flop top pair, mix between c-betting big and checking (in position)
On low boards, you should mix between betting large and checking back with your flopped top pair.
Let’s go through an example and I will explain why.
You open-raise from the Button and the Big Blind calls. The flop comes 9d 6s 3s and you’re holding 9h 8h.
In this spot, your range has a lot of missed hands in it. All your double broadway hands missed (Queen-Jack, Ace-Queen, etc). Your range cannot support a high c-betting frequency because of all those missed hands.
Your opponent also has a large amount of the same types of missed hands. For this reason, a bigger bet is better as it will push the large majority of those missed hands with one or two overcards out of the pot.
When you opt for this strategy of using a bigger bet, the threshold of betting for value goes up. For this reason, mixing between c-betting and checking with your top pair weak kicker is optimal, as this hand cannot go for three streets of value. But it is very vulnerable to all those overcards which are very likely to come on the turn or the river.
Wrapping Up
There you have it, the 5-minute guide to crushing it with 98-suited. Take this knowledge to heart, execute correctly at the tables, and get ready to have more big blinds coming your way!
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