05 Dec 2024 Intermediate This material is for medium-skilled players bluff continuation bet flop Continuation bets, or c-bets, on the flop are among the most fundamental post-flop strategies every poker player learns first. Read any poker book or watch a training video, and you’ll find advice like: “Raise preflop, and if there’s only one caller, continue betting on the flop.” Many beginners hear this advice and conclude they should c-bet 100% of the time. However, this approach quickly becomes a problem. It leads to overbluffing with weak hands, like gutshots or even complete air. The Problem with 100% C-betting In Texas Hold'em, your hand will rarely connect with the board. Playing only your strong hands is not an option either. You need balance. If you c-bet too rarely, you’ll miss +EV bluffing opportunities. But if you bluff too often, especially in inappropriate spots (e.g., OOP n a multiway pot), you’ll lose money. These small losses from frequent c-bets can be easy to miss. Players tend to remember big losses, like failed triple barrels, but often overlook the -5bb lost with a failed c-bet on the flop. Over time, these small losses can add up significantly. A common question: “I know I should c-bet frequently as the preflop aggressor, but opponents keep calling, and I end up check-folding on the turn. What should I do?” This is a common problem. Many players learn to c-bet often after raising preflop but fail to adjust when opponents don’t fold enough. Is the Flop C-Bet Instantly +EV? Before discussing multi-barreling or adjusting frequencies and bet sizes, ask yourself: Was the flop C-bet profitable in the first place? If you с-bet automatically without considering the board texture or your opponent’s range, you’re burning money. While you might win small pots occasionally, this approach will lose in the long run. C-Bet Misunderstanding The concept of a "с-bet" is often misunderstood by players. A с-bet doesn’t inherently indicate whether your hand is weak, strong, or anything in between. It’s simply a bet made on the flop by the preflop aggressor, and it doesn’t reveal whether you’re holding the nuts, air, or something in the middle. When you make a с-bet as a bluff you want to ensure that your opponent will fold enough of the time, either immediately or on later streets. However, many players who с-bet on autopilot hope their opponent will fold right away, expecting their с-bet to be instantly profitable. The profitability of a c-bet bluff depends on fold equity. For example: Bet Size Auto-Profit Fold % 1/3 pot 25% 1/2 pot 33% 2/3 pot 40% Full pot 50% With common c-bet sizes of 1/3 to 2/3 pot, you need opponents to fold 25-40% of the time. Will your opponent fold often enough? Keys to Effective C-Bets Two main factors determine whether a c-bet is good or bad: Your range-reading skills: Estimate your opponent’s range based on preflop and their tendencies. Then assess how that range interacts with the flop. Opponent’s continuation range: Players who continue with wide ranges on the flop are less likely to fold. Conversely, tight players might fold enough to make bluffing profitable. Also, consider preflop ranges. For example, a free-position caller usually has a stronger range than someone defending the big blind. Adjust your strategy accordingly. Should You Bluff If They Don’t Fold? If opponents rarely fold to your C-bets, you have three options: Don’t adjust: Keep c-betting and losing money on the turn. (Not recommended!) Reduce bluff frequency: Tighten your c-bet range, focusing on value-heavy bets. Barrel more often: Plan for multi-barrel bluffs to capitalize on fold equity on later streets. The second option can sometimes be the right decision. It’s one of the best adjustments I use when playing against calling stations (recreational players who don’t like folding). Against such opponents, I strengthen my c-bet range by removing some bluffs and adding more thin value hands. This way, I exploit their excessive curiosity. Bluffing against recreational players isn’t easy, so I usually stick to single barrels on very dry boards and only when I’m in position. The third option, however, is the one you should focus on. If your single flop c-bet isn’t profitable in a vacuum, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make it. Ask yourself the following question: Of the hands my opponent continued with on the flop, how many will fold to a second barrel on the turn? Notice that this approach isn’t based on what hand you have but rather on what range your opponent has and how it will respond to multi-barreling. This is a key shift in thinking that many beginner players lack and is the foundation of all +EV bluffing decisions. However, diving deeper into these strategies is out of scope for this article and would require separate discussions. How to Improve Multi-Barrel Bluffing Work on hand-reading: Understanding your opponent’s likely range is critical. Use tools like Flopzilla to practice estimating ranges and board interactions. Learn board textures: Analyze how ranges hit or miss different boards. Practice identifying spots where opponents will struggle to defend effectively. Master poker math: Use the breakeven equation to calculate fold equity. Breakeven % = Risk / (Risk + Reward). For example, $20 into a $45 pot requires 31% folds to break even. Memorize common thresholds for standard bet sizes. Key Takeaway A play can be +EV overall even if some individual actions within it aren’t immediately profitable. Bluffing on the flop against a player who rarely folds might seem risky, but it can work if you follow up with well-timed barrels on later streets. Stop mindless c-betting! Think ahead, and if a single flop c-bet isn’t enough, consider firing the second or even third barrel.
