PSO Sample Lesson 3 - Al Spath

Instructor: ALSpath
Type: Article
Level: Basic
Subject: General Poker

The Continuation Bet

Many times you will pickup a most commonly sought-after hand: AK (Big Slick), and you will normally be in position to put in a raise, only to find you still are unable to thin the field entirely, and still have several callers. When the flop hits the board and misses your hand, you are faced with an immediate and critical decision. Because of your pre-flop raise, you will most likely be the first to act after the flop. From early position (EP) you most assuredly will be first to act, and from late position (LP), other players respecting your raise will check to you, and accordingly, "the continuation bet" is to be employed. You must keep in mind however, your opponents are aware that the flop probably did not help your hand and one or more of them will be reluctant to fold if they hold any pair, big draw, or significantly high overcards to the board.

How aggressively or cautiously you proceed with a raggedy flop and two premium overcards depends primarily on the "number" of opponents, and secondly on the quality of your remaining opponents. Should there be two or less opponents, the "continuation bet," (so aptly named as you are continuing the aggressive betting pattern you displayed pre-flop), is made leading at the pot. With two or less opponents, the correct play is to bet again, in spite of missing on the flop, unless one of several conditions exists within the texture of the flop. Should the flop contain three to a flush, three coordinated or running cards for a straight, or a pair in the playing zone (these are cards that others would be holding, if calling a raise), and your holding does not "fit" with the flush cards or straight cards, you must consider options other than a continuation bet. To be clear, if you held Ace/Jack off-suit and the Ace is in the suit of the three-flush, continue to pound the pot, and if your Jack extends a run of unsuited cards (T98), also continue your betting sequence. Occasionally the Ace or Jack will provide another draw (longer odds), such as a gut-shot straight draw with a flop like KT2, or 8T7. To continue the bet would be a semi-bluff, as you have many outs that can improve your holding, although presently you have only an Ace high hand.

Note: As I mentioned above, the quality of play your opponent personifies, can make this decision much more difficult when you consider the fact that a "solid" player called your initial pre-flop raise, and past encounters have shown this player to hold premium cards that will win a high percentage of hands. Additionally, more experienced poker players using the "continuation bet" will use this technique even with more than two opponents, especially if they feel their opponents consider them a solid/aggressive player. As you gain more experience and knowledge of your opponents, you too may decide to factor in having additional opponents when you employ this maneuver, however, if you are fairly new to the game, stick to no more than two opponents remaining in the hand.

Should one of your two remaining opponents fold following your bet on the flop, you should then continue the betting again as the turn card is exposed (even if it too misses your hand), as long as the board does not represent a potential fit for your opponent. If your opponent continues to call and you miss again on the river, I feel you have two logical options; you can bluff a final time, but without a draw on the board, it is most likely your opponent has remained in the hand with at least one pair, and has you beat. Or, you can check and then fold if your opponent bets. What I really can't advocate is that you check and call in hopes your opponent is betting a weaker unmade hand.

So to summarize, if you raise pre-flop, bet again (with a missed flop), with two or less remaining players (called a continuation bet). If both players remain in the hand, slow down (check) if you miss on the turn, as you are not likely to run them both off. If only one player remains following your flop bet, bet the turn even if you miss (unless you feel the board has dramatically improved your opponents hand). Should your sole opponent call or raise your turn bet, consider folding to the raise, and strongly consider checking and folding to a bet on the river if you have not improved.