ConceptsBetting
Continuation betting
The preflop raiser betting the flop — often right, never automatic.
What it is
A continuation bet (c-bet) is a flop bet by the player who made the last raise before the flop, continuing the aggression. On the turn it is usually called a second barrel.
How often and how big to c-bet follows from range and nut advantage: on boards that favour the raiser's range, c-bet often and small; on boards that favour the caller, less often, and bigger when you do.
Why it matters
The raiser's range usually has more big cards and big pairs, so many flops hit it better — and the caller misses most flops. A cheap bet then wins the pot often or builds it with value.
Position changes it. In position the raiser can check back and still act last on the turn; out of position, checking gives up the initiative and betting is more expensive when raised.
Multiway, every extra player makes a c-bet less likely to work: someone usually has something.
The maths
The fold rate a c-bet bluff needs equals the bet divided by the pot plus the bet.
Worked example
Small c-bet, dry flop
Heads up in a 6 bb pot on K♦7♣2♥ as the button against a big-blind call. Using the illustrative ranges, the button's range has about 53% equity there.
- A third-pot c-bet of 2 bb needs folds 2 / (6 + 2) = 25% of the time to profit with a hand that never wins when called.
- The big blind misses this flop with most of its range, so it folds far more often than that.
- On 8♥7♥6♣ the same ranges are about even, and the big blind has as many strong hands: the button c-bets less, and its weaker hands check back.
The flop decides the c-bet, not the fact that you raised before it.
Try it
Set the pot and the c-bet: the calculator shows how often it must work as a pure bluff.
Common mistakes
- C-betting every flop, which makes your checks and bets easy to read.
- C-betting into two or three players with the same frequency as heads up.
- Using one size on every board.
- Betting the flop with no plan for the turn.
Related concepts
- Range advantageOn a given board, whose whole range has more equity — which decides who can bet often.
- Board texturePaired, suited, connected, high or low: the board's shape decides which hands and draws exist.
- Check-raisingCheck, let them bet, then raise: the out-of-position player's strongest weapon.