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When not to continuation bet

• 30.06.2025 7:19 pm
• Helen
• 0 Comments

In the poker world today, you would be lucky to come across a player who does not know what is meant by a continuation bet.

C-bet upsides are obvious: you simply exploit that initiative you achieved by raising preflop and carry it with another bet to flop.

Often, you will win this pot without too much of a struggle. Hence this makes the c-bet one great weapon in your playing.

The exact moment you start experiencing problems is the moment you begin c-betting automatically each time you happen to raise pre-flop.

Continuation betting is without a doubt profitable, but not where you are doing it all the time. There is need for a middle ground; otherwise you end up becoming predictable and hence exploitable.

Where is continuation betting not advisable?

Against Multiple callers

Incase you raise pre-flop and then get called by numerous opponents, the continuation bet you make scarcely or singularly never works. The more the players in this pot, the higher the chance that you will be called in a single or many spots.

A continuation can be defined as a mini-bluff through use of the fold equity you have gotten from being the raise before flop.

The fold equity you have diminishes with a higher number of players in the pot, and you end up being called regularly. When probability of you being called is high, its better betting made hands compared to bluffing.

Against Calling Stations

For the reasons already tackled above, the moment you find you are up versus calling stations, all you need to do is c-bet less. There is an old saying that states that you cannot bluff any calling station.

This is not to say that you should simply give it up. There is need to take into consideration your rival before choosing how to play.

If the calling-station rival you are against happens to be that type that peels very lightly the flop, then folds frequently to any turn bet, you should keep up continuation betting.

Be prepared to fire in an additional barrel on turn. These specific players make the most profitable ones to play against.

Calling stations simply love to call, and its good simply letting them. You should however, bet a much higher mix of some of your good hands then keep to a minimum of your continuation bets and bluffs.

On that Highly Draw-y Board

Some flops are better compared to others regarding continuation bets. Incase rivals hit the flop, there is a high likelihood they are going to call. It is therefore important to think about the range of your rival. If a higher percentage of it happens to nail the flop, it's wise to forget the continuation bet.

Incase the board happens to be super draw-y, for instance don't fire a c-bet. This is because draw-y boards in most cases give your rival a good thing. If you c-bet this board type regularly, you are regularly throwing cash away.

Do not forget all about your perceived range

Try to put yourself in the shoes of your rival. Try to anticipate what he anticipates you are holding. If it is looks like the flop hasn't helped you, it is advisable not to continuation bet.

For instance, you happen to raise from MP then get called by any player specifically on the button. The flop then comes . Your bet will not be respected, simply because you will have missed completely the flop most of the time. Continuation bets in most cases work when the flops that come appear probable to aiding a pre-flop raiser.

When you happen to be out of position

As it is in poker always, things are much more difficult incase you happen to be out of position. In case you make any habit out of c-betting and then simply giving up the moment you are called, your rivals note it. They will then begin calling in position your raises, calling the flop bet you have and simply taking away on the turn the pot from you.

In case a tricky opponent call in position your pre-flop raise, it is advisable to c-bet less regularly. It is tricky playing a given pot when out of position already, and it's even trickier against any tough player.

The moment you are in position, it is much easier, simply because it's possible to gauge the hand strength of you rival accurately. This means you are at liberty to c-bet more regularly, because you can confidently fire your second barrels on the turn, the moment your rival happens to check to you.

The moment you are out of position, guessing is simply what you are left with, and you regularly end up simply getting to check-fold the moment your c-bet ends up failing on the flop.

The Recurring Theme

It goes without saying that a recurring theme is evident here. Fold equity is literally the determinant whether you are going to continuation bet or not.

To be precise, the higher your fold equity, the higher the chances that your rival is going to fold, and the more you need to c-bet.

C-betting ceases to be profitable the moment you lose your fold equity. Therefore, stop trying winning each single pot you have raised pre-flop. It won't happen.

Take a minute: carefully evaluate the board texture, the rival along with his range, and then your perceived range.

Incase all the signs favor continuation betting, go ahead.