Continuation Bets

[unlucky513]

douche bag.

[Macedon]

Thank you for the responses. When giving a Continuation Bet a try, it has been my observation that it works much better with B&M games than it does with the online community.

Perhaps it has something to do with my reputation as a player, or perhaps it the reality of facing faceless people who can care less about making ridiculous calls. (Psychologists could easily explain this phenomena I'm sure)

Either way, I still think you risk giving too much away when you check behind. Sure, you might be beat, or you might be up against a caller who could catch something on later streets, but there does seem to be an EV in betting and taking down the occasional decent pot. And besides, wouldn't your opponents pick up on your weak-tight pattern and start stealing pots from you?

I like the advice to bet the same (2/3 of the pot) whether you have it or not, but I wonder if this can lead to a potential leak in one's game. If an opponent is savy enough to put you on this type of betting, they could milk you on 4th street and 5th street when you offer up continuation-continuation bets.

Here's the conundrum: You want your pre-flop raises to be respected much like you want your continuation bets to be respected for the time will come where you will need to represent a decent hand when you don't yet have one AND there will be a time where you DO have a nice hand and you wouldn't want the whole board ignoring your raise and seeing the flop.

[imported_anacardo]

[ QUOTE ]
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.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't find the situation quite as grim as all that.

I find continuation bets extremely useful even at NL $25.
If you really do your homework, you can find the occasional tight player that will fold a better hand (e.g. weak ace to underpair) to your second barrel on the turn. These guys are rather rare at these limits, and of course counter their bluffability w/ solid play in other areas, but they're certainly valuable to note. I'm a big fan of the "represent the ace" tactic, including the near-instant giveup to a caller.

[TheWorstPlayer]

The key is to know what to do on the turn. If the opponent is always calling the flop with any pair, but then folding the turn, then you want to fire two barrels with AK and you will show a great profit. If he is calling turn bets with any pair also then you definitely don't want to fire a second barrel with AK but you can get him to call two streets with any pair so you should be value betting your TT on that Qxxx board. You just have to know your opponents.

[-Skeme-]

Almost always the same as my bet with a monster.

[Mercman572]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree that at lower limits its not that useful.


[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree. I am playing only 25 NL and, except of course when I'm at a table full of calling stations, I make a good amount of money off of continuation bets. At this level alot of times you are betting the best hand even when your cards don't hit. I check behind LP most of the time in multi-way pots on a 9 high, but if a Q or higher flopped I'll bet it and usually take it down. Alot of players late at night (when I've been playing lately after work) will call alot of raises preflop and dump on the flop when they miss.

[amoeba]

I think repping the ace on the flop is fine. but firing a turn shot is often incorrect at these limits.

you are playing against guys who call preflop raises with ace weak kicker so it seems unlikely that he would call the flop then fold to turn bet, especially when most of the time you probably won't be betting full pot on the turn.

[amoeba]

hmm, its been a while since I've played 25nl so maybe you guys are right.

[kurto]

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

[/ QUOTE ]

I make continuation bets all the time if its checked to me. (I play $50 or $25NL) I take down enough hands with continuation bets that its definitely worth continuing.

And I agree that your continuation bets have to be consistant with your good hand bets. 2/3 pot is good.

[BZ_Zorro]

[ QUOTE ]
I make continuation bets all the time if its checked to me.

[/ QUOTE ] What about out of position?

I often bet flops that are checked to me, I don't see that as a continuation bet but rather a position play with any cards.