The c-bet
When to fire on the flop as the raiser, when to check, and which size belongs on which board.
Whoever raised before the flop told the strongest story at the table. The c-bet, in full continuation bet, the follow up bet on the flop, carries that story on. It works because your opponent usually misses the flop: two loose cards make a pair only one time in three. The danger is in the reflex: anyone who always fires becomes readable and pays on the wrong boards.
The three questions before every c-bet
1. Whose board is this? A flop with high cards fits your raise; a flop full of low, connected cards fits your opponent's calling hands. On your boards you fire, on theirs you check more often.
2. Against how many players? Against one opponent a bet gets through often enough. Against two or more somebody almost always has enough to call, and only real value deserves a bet.
3. Do I have position? With position you can fire cheaply and steer on the reaction. Out of position the automatic bet is a trap: you pump money into a pot where you have to guess first on every street.
Small on dry, big on wet
The size follows the board. On a dry board, with no flush or straight draws, a small bet of a third of the pot does exactly the same work as a big one: his missed hands fold anyway. On a wet board you want to bet bigger: draws should pay for their card, and your value deserves protection. And if the flop lands squarely in your opponent's range while you have nothing, the best c-bet is no c-bet.
Practise this with real boards in the free flop lesson, and see where the c-bet fits in the whole via the roadmap for beginners. Thinking about whose board it is builds on reading ranges.
frequently asked questions
C-bet questions.
What exactly is a c-bet? +
The follow up bet on the flop from the player who raised last before the flop. You told the strongest story preflop; the c-bet carries that story on, whether you hit the flop or not.
How often should I c-bet? +
More often than you hit, less often than always. Against one opponent on a dry board that fits your story, betting small is almost standard. Against several players, out of position, or on a connected board, checking belongs there just as much.
How big do I make the bet? +
On dry boards small is enough: a quarter to a third of the pot does the same work there as a big bet, for less risk. On wet boards, where draws should have to pay and your value needs protecting, you bet bigger, towards half to three quarters of the pot.
What if my c-bet gets called? +
Then he has something, and the real question starts: did the next card help your story or his? Trying once is fine; betting twice without a new reason is one of the most expensive habits there is.
measure your flop play
Do you fire on the right boards?
Pokiq measures on your own hands whether you fire too often or too rarely, and trains exactly the boards where you get it wrong.