The Basic Idea
If you raised before the flop, opponents expect you to have strong hands. A continuation bet uses that expectation to win pots even when you miss.
Example: you raise A-K, the flop comes 9-4-2 rainbow, and your opponent checks. Betting tells a believable story: you can still have overpairs and strong ace-high hands.
Good C-Bet Boards
- Ace-high dry boards
- King-high dry boards
- Paired boards
- Disconnected low boards
These boards are harder for callers to connect with.
Bad C-Bet Boards
- 9-8-7 with two suits
- J-10-9
- Low connected boards that hit blind defense ranges
On these boards, callers have more pairs, draws, and combo hands.
Coaching Point
C-betting is not automatic. Ask: Who has the range advantage? Who has the nut advantage? Will worse hands fold or better hands call?