Continuation Bets
You've already learned in the basic strategy section that it's always correct to bet the flop first to act against 2 opponents after raising preflop.
Doing so without a made hand is called continuation bet (short contibet).
We exploit the fact that we showed strength preflop to buy the pot on the flop.
What the basic section tells you is to bet the turn again if there is only 1 opponent left. Otherwise we check and see what happens behind us.
As well as to play check/fold on the flop against 3 opponents.
We'll now look for exceptions for these simple rules to improve our game because poker is a complex game where we can't adjust enough.
The following should be interesting for beginners as well as for advanced players.
Why are contibets an advantage which we should use?
There are 2 elemental reasons why a contibet is mandatory against 2 opponents for us:
1. There is a good chance that we are still ahead
Sample:
Preflop: Hero is CO with A♠, Q♥
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.
Flop: (6,50 SB) 9♥, 4♣, 3♦ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets.
It is hard to hit this flop for our opponents as well so there is a high chance of having the best hand with A-high and a good kicker.
That's why we have to protect our hand with a bet to not let them draw us out cheaply.
2. There is a high chance to get better hands to fold.
Example:
Preflop: Hero is CO with J♠, T♠
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.
Flop: (6,50 SB) K♣, 7♥, 2♦ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets.
Here our chance of being ahead is very low but anyway we should bet because of our preflop raise. There is a good chance to get a better hand to fold.
These better hands don't have to be pairs or better because even Q-high and A-high hands beat us and we benefit if they fold.
Even if the chance that they fold a better hand is low we only invest 1 bet in a 6,5 bet big pot so both only have to fold ~15% of the time to let our bet be profitable.
On this flop they will fold way more often than 15%.
How do we act against 3 opponents on the flop?
While a continuation bet against 2 opponents is mandatory against 3 opponents we should check and fold or play according to odds and outs most of the time.
This is because having the best hand against 3 opponents is less likely than against 2 and the chance that all 3 opponent fold is lower as well.
On the other hand the pot is already bigger.
So when should we bet unimproved against 3 opponents?
With A-high:
If the board was hard to hit so that we are more likely ahead even against 3 opponents. This is given on low card boards with no or nearly no draws.
Example:
Preflop: Hero is CO with A♠, Q♥
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB calls, BB calls.
Flop: (7,50 SB) 9♥, 4♣, 3♦ (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets.
Equal boards would be: T♥, 3♣, 2♦ or 8♠, 4♠, 8♦.
With trash:
Boards which are hard to hit with one high card so that the chance that the opponent holds an overcard is lower.
Example:
Preflop: Hero is CO with J♠, T♠
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB calls, BB calls.
Flop: (7,50 SB) K♣, 4♥, 4♦ (4 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets.
Equal boards would be: Q♣, 6♥, 2♦ or A♠, 3♥, 7♦
Boards where we should NOT bet with A-high nor with trash (hands with no showdownvalue) against 3 opponents are for example:: Q♣, T♣, 7♦ or K♣ 9♥, T♥.
On these boards the chance that no one has a hand is too low because these kind of cards are often played and there are several draws as well.
How to act if there are still 2 opponents left on the turn?
Here we act nearly in the same way as we did on the flop against 3 opponents. We check and fold most of the time.
But when to bet again?
With A-high:
If there is a good chance of still being ahead on the turn.
Example:
Preflop: Hero is CO with A♥, K♣
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.
Flop: (6,50 SB) 6♠, 8♠, 2♣ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BU calls, BB calls.
Turn: (4,75 BB) 2♥ (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets.
Both opponents call our bet on the flop and one already checked to us on the turn. We should definitely bet again. On boards like these the opponents holding straight or flush draws or just overcards to the board are very likely. All in all with this turncard we are still often ahead so we have to bet for protection.
But:
Even if you think you are ahead against 2 opponents after their flop call you should not bet again if a bad card hits.
Example:
Preflop: Hero is CO with A♥, K♣
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.
Flop: (6,50 SB) 6♠, 8♠, 2♣ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BU calls, BB calls.
Turn: (4,75 BB) 9♠ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero checks, BU bets, BB calls, Hero folds.
With the 9 another overcard to the flop hits the board and straight or flush draws could be completed by now.
With trash:
Preflop: Hero is CO with J♠, T♠
6 folds, Hero raises, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls.
Flop: (6,50 SB) 2♣, 2♥, 4♦ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BU calls, BB calls.
Turn: (4,75 BB) K♠ (3 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, Bu folds, BB folds.
Here one of the rare situations occurs where it is correct to bet the turn again into 2 opponents with a hand with no showdownvalue (trash hand).
On this flop our opponents will call our bet with nearly any two cards which are higher than a 4 (which are nearly all).
With the K our chances to get them to fold for one bet is very high especially because we could very likely hold a K due to the fact that we made a preflop raise.