Suited connectors and small pairs are great hidden hands. If you hit the flop with a straight or a flush or trips, these hands can be very profitable. You need to understand that about 85% of the time this will not happen. But when it does you can use it to your advantage and rally clean up.

The ‘Rule of 5 and 10’ is a good rough guide for whether to call with these marginal hands.

1. If it costs you less than 5% of your stack pre flop then you should usually play.
2. If it costs you more than 10% of your stack pre flop you should usually fold.
3. If it costs you in-between these amounts then use your table knowledge to make the call.

When you are in the awkward in between stage of whether to call or fold you need to use all those notes you should have been making since the beginning of play. A good position on the table late or on the button is a good place to call. If the player making the raise is very tight and they suddenly raise 5 time the BB preflop this would be a red flag to fold.