Continuation Bets

[Macedon]

I would like to hear people's opinion on Continuation Bets in NL; specifically, how much is reasonable and what can your opponents read from betting too small or too big.

Here is a typical case where this problem might arise:

You have AKs/AQs in late position or the button.
One or two players merely match the BB.
You raise 3 times the BB (or some amount close to that).
The Big Blind and MP1 calls.
[The pot: $9]
Flop: 2-5-9 rainbow

[For the sake of argument, assume that your opponents are average players and their stack sizes are equal to yours. I am looking to reproduce a very generic example here.]

If both opponents check, how much would you lead out and bet?
Pot size: $9
2/3 pot: $6
1/3 pot: $3
Or would you check behind them?

If you bet pot size, aren't you saying, in effect, that your hand is vulnerble, for if you did have a better hand wouldn't you (in their opinion) either bet small to get them to call OR check and let them see a free card so you can punish them on the turn?

If you bet 2/3 of the pot wouldn't your opponents suspect that you don't have THAT decent of a hand and you are trying to buy the pot? Or perhaps the bet is small enough to give them decent enough odds (actual or implied) to see the turn, especially if they were lucky enough to hit one of their low cards.

And if you bet $3, aren't you sending out the signal that you hold a poor hand and are merely hoping that your opponents have a worse hand? Wouldn't that be a reasonable conclusion for your opponents to draw from such a meagre bet? Or would they suspect you have a monster and are trying to suck them in, or induce a re-raise?

As you can see, there are so many variables involved with a continuation bet. Are there any good tips/thoughts anyone has for determining what to throw down? I'd appreciate comments.

[capone0]

Always make the same bet whether you have an overpair or overcards. If you don't vary what you do, they can't possibly put you on a hand. If they do flop something big or call you bet which should be around 2/3rds to me on the flop, then you can either go on if you think your ahead with overs or easily fold. Betting pot can potentially get you pot committed with out many outs or no outs if they potentially have a set. Then again your table image matters and the table matters. There is no definite answer to this question. If there was "everyone" would do it, and that's never true. Also if you keep the same line every time, you might come across as easy to read. So sometimes you bet small when your big, and vice-versa. You bet big against certain opponents. You can't really put "rote-rules" to memory with poker. Opponents, cards, feel always matter.

[TheWorstPlayer]

It's drawless, so I bet 2/3. 3-way I'm betting 90% of the time at least. Unless the guys are very loose in which case I might check behind.

[mosuavea]

[ QUOTE ]
It's drawless, so I bet 2/3. 3-way I'm betting 90% of the time at least. Unless the guys are very loose in which case I might check behind.

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Thats pretty much my line

[BZ_Zorro]

Personally I don't like continuation bets at $25/$50 because people will call with middle/bottom pair far too often. At $100 I do it occassionally.

Continuation bets are used to achieve three things:

1. Take the pot when you have nothing
2. Hide your hand. Good players never know if you have it or are continuation betting.
3. Intimidate your opponents by constantly betting at them. This also provides information as most SSNL players will played scared against an intimidating opponent.

(1) is simple enough. Achieving (2) and (3) requires one very important thing: consistency.

The idea is to give away as little information about your hand as possible. To do that, you have to bet your A high the same way you bet good hands. If you pot a good hand (say an overpair or tptk on the flop), do it with AK too. It can be scary to do so but once you get into the rhythm it'll become automatic.

I normally bet a bit over 2/3 pot for a continuation bet and most other hands, I think it represents a strong hand and allows you to get away cheaply.

Again, I don't recommend coninuation bets below $100NL unless at a tight/scared table. Some more experienced posters may disagree though.

[amoeba]

against multiple opponents I don't like to make a continuation bet. I like checking behind.

[amoeba]

I agree that at lower limits its not that useful.

I'll also give the correlary, at lower limits if you raise preflop with big pocket pair and overcard flops (especially an ace), you can rep the ace with a flop bet but once called, don't try to move opponent off ace weak kicker by representing ace strong kicker with a turn bet.

[RatFink]

If you bet, you need to bet the same way you would if you held KK on that flop. It may hurt, but anything else can spoil this hand and future hands when you do have KK/AA.

Think of your bet as a semi-bluff of a 6 out draw. You may get a fold, you may get a free look at a river card.

Consider who your opponents are. If you are betting a semi-bluff into two calling stations, I'd check behind. They aren't folding and will give you a free card anyway. All the reasons for making the bet are removed.

You'd like to get two folds here, but you're probably not. On a drawless flop people tend to hold on to their pre-flop convictions and will repeat the actions they took their on your aggression then.

[unlucky513]

when i miss a flop like this and its checked around to me, i usually like to bluff at this pot by folding. think about it, your opponents will NEVER put you on AK if you fold!! try it out, its killer.

[mosuavea]

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when i miss a flop like this and its checked around to me, i usually like to bluff at this pot by folding. think about it, your opponents will NEVER put you on AK if you fold!! try it out, its killer.

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