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To play winning poker, it is important to keep opponents guessing. One of the ways to accomplish this is by being unpredictable, acting differently in similar situations. If opponents are able to get a good read, they will have gained a significant advantage, or an edge.
Winning at poker requires a complete knowledge and understanding of the game. It is not just about pulling off a big bluff, as seen on television. Good poker players study and practice. Becoming a proficient poker player requires mastery of many different strategies, along with many other skills, such as understanding the math involved in calculating outs and odds.
How does a player that took the betting initiative prior to the flop, act when the flop completely misses his hand? A common and aggressive play, for this kind of situation, is the Continuation Bet.
What is a Continuation Bet?
A continuation bet is when the player that took the betting initiative before the flop, continues to bet on the betting round after the flop.
A continuation bet can be made regardless of the strength of the hand the player holds. The continuation bet gives a player several big advantages. Having been the aggressive bettor before the flop, and then coming out again with a continuation bet after the flop, is often powerful enough to take down the pot right there. Even if other player(s) call the post flop bet, it will have been useful in probing for information about the strength of the opponent’s hand(s). A continuation bet should not be made every time. There are a number of factors that should be considered before making an effective continuation bet:
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Bet Sizing
A good continuation bet size is somewhere between 60 % and 80 % of the pot. Betting much less would seem weak and would be an open invitation to a raise. Betting much more might make a player pot committed. In the event that the continuation bet is raised, being committed to the pot could force a call. Because of the amount of money already invested in the hand, it can be very difficult to get away from a hand when the pot has gotten very big. There are other factors that, when taking in to consideration, make it easier to make good decisions.
- Position
As with most situations in poker, position is of primary importance. Being in late, or even last, position allows the player to see how the action proceeds before having to act. It is much safer and more effective to make a Continuation Bet when sitting in last position. Of course this does not preclude betting out in first position. Even though there is no chance to see how the other players act before having to make a decision, a continuation bet in first position represents a big hand.
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The Texture of the Board
The community cards that are placed in front of the dealer are available for all players to use. These cards are referred to as the board. Viewing the board, it is possible to figure out the hands that other players might holding. If the flop contains 3 cards that are all the same suit it is likely that a bet would be up against a flush or a flush draw, and that would be a good reason to slow down. A flop with 3 cards in sequential order could also mean that a straight or a straight draw is in the mix. Of course, more is involved then just the texture of the board. Depending on the other information that is available, a continuation bet could be made to represent any of the hands that the board makes possible.
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The Field
Going to the flop, there is a big difference between having 1 opponent and having 4 or more. The bottom line is that the more opponents, that are still in the hand, the more likely it is that your continuation bet will be called. On occasion, making a continuation bet, in first position with a big field, helps to win the hand in other ways. For example, if four players remain to see the flop and the first position player makes a continuation bet, the player in second position may throw away the best hand because he is concerned that there are still has two players to act behind him.
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Getting Good Reads
A good poker player always pays attention to the action, even when no longer in the hand. Not only is it important to stay alert, even after folding a hand, but it is even more important to remember everything that has been observed. By doing this it is possible to get a read on other players and be able to recall how they acted in similar situations in the past. It is important to know who the calling stations are and who the rocks are. Observing how other players act in various situations, and remembering how they acted, will give a good idea of how they will act in a similar situation. Being able to get good reads on opponents makes all other poker decisions easier and much more profitable.
Important Factors for Continuation Betting: Bet Sizing, Position, Texture, Field, Reads
Summarizing the Continuation Bet
To maximize winning percentage it is necessary to understand, and to use, many different strategies proficiently. Often the different strategies are connected and are used during the same hand. A good example of this would be a situation where a player made a continuation bet and was called, by one or more players. Which strategies would be possible for use on the following betting round?
As always there is more than one possible way to play the hand in this situation. Assume that the turn card completely missed the hand, or that it opened up possibilities for other players, making straight and flush draws possible. After having made a continuation bet on the flop, and having been called, the choice would be to either back off and check, or to bet out once again. This is called Double Barreling.
Read other articles from our Advanced Poker Strategy section.
Posted by M.B |
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