The Continuation Bet (C-Bet) is likely one of the most necessary facets of Texas maintain’em. Understanding how and why it is best to use it’s an integral basis to being a talented and worthwhile participant in tournaments or money video games.
There are six most important facets that may have an effect on C-Bet sizes and frequencies in tournaments. While these most important elements usually work on this trend, there are all the time exceptions to every rule.
Note: These hand examples are taken from RangeTrainerPro, all solves are right down to 0.5% exploit.
Stack Depth – Arguably a very powerful facet of C-Bet measurement. Generally talking, the deeper efficient you might be when it comes to pot measurement, the extra ceaselessly you’ll have the choice to select a bigger C-Bet measurement.
Example: If UTG opens and the massive blind calls off of 40 large blinds, and the flop is J 9 5, after the massive blind checks the opener ought to C-Bet 84% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot 7% of the time, 2/3 pot 35% of the time, and full pot 41% of the time.
However, if UTG opens and the massive blind calls off of simply 20 large blinds, and the flop is J 9 5, after the massive blind checks the opener ought to C-Bet 97% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot 69%, 2/3 pot 8%, and full pot 0%.
This instance clearly exhibits that the shallower stack doesn’t require as massive of a C-Bet measurement. This is essentially on account of the truth that it’s nonetheless very simple at shallow stacks for all-ins to happen, even with a small flop guess.
Board Texture – The extra playing cards that change one of the best hand potential, the extra dynamic the board texture is. The fewer playing cards that change one of the best hand potential, the extra static it’s.
Usually, the extra dynamic boards have choices for bigger guess sizes and at greater frequencies. Dynamic boards can even trigger the preflop aggressor to test again extra usually as effectively.
Example: If UTG opens and the massive blind calls off of 40 large blinds, and the flop is J 9 5, after the massive blind checks the opener ought to C-Bet 84% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot 7% of the time, 2/3 pot 35% of the time and full pot 41% of the time.
However, in case you change the flop to J 9 5, then after the massive blind checks the opener ought to C-Bet 81% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot each time.
This instance exhibits that on static boards, smaller sizes are favored, and usually on dynamic boards, bigger sizes are favored.
Ranges – This is definitely essentially the most advanced facet of C-Betting, and there are a lot of facets to it. Because of that I’m going simply to checklist and outline every of the principle ones, and word how they influence guess sizes and frequencies.
1. Player Ranges – What occurred preflop and thus what ranges are seeing the flop will dictate many facets of the hand, these will usually influence Range Advantage and Range Interaction essentially the most although.
2. Range Advantage – Which participant has the strongest general vary for this example. Generally talking, the bigger the benefit, the extra usually the participant will C-Bet.
3. Nut Advantage – A modifier to Range Advantage. In many conditions, the participant who most ceaselessly has all-in high quality palms will get to select bigger sizes extra usually.
4. Range Interaction – Different board textures will join with totally different preflop conditions. As an instance, vs an early place open, a flop of J-10-9 will hit a button caller extra, whereas a flop of 5-6-7 will hit a giant blind defend extra.
Raised Pot Or Three-Bet+ – Whether you might be enjoying in a single-raised pot (SRP) or three-bet+ pot will usually dictate measurement choices.
For occasion, until you might be very deep efficient in three-bet pots, you’ll fairly often be C-Betting only one/4 pot. This is as a result of nature of how condensed ranges play in addition to being shallower efficient.
Position – Being in or out of place will usually dictate test frequencies and guess sizes. This is particularly true on flip and river, the place the in-position participant very hardly ever bets a measurement lower than half pot.
Example: If the cutoff opens and the button calls off of 60 large blinds, and the flop is J 9 5, the opener ought to C-Bet 26% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot 4% of the time, 2/3 pot 8% of the time, and full pot 13% of the time. If the cutoff C-Bet 2/3 pot on the flop and the flip is a J, they need to be barreling 22% of the time, with 1/4 pot 1%, 2/3 pot 20% and full pot 0%.
However, if the cutoff opens and small blind (comparable vary as button) calls off of 60 large blinds, and the flop is J 9 5, then after the small blind checks the opener ought to C-Bet 49% of the time, choosing 1/4 pot 0%, 2/3 pot 37%, and full pot 11% of the time. If they C-Bet 2/3 pot on the flop, on a flip J after checked to, the cutoff must be barreling flip 44% of the time, for 1/4 pot 0%, 2/3 pot 36%, and full pot 8%.
ICM Pressure – Applying extra ICM stress (monetary stress brought on by pay jumps) from a much bigger stack to a middling or shorter stack has an identical influence on a state of affairs as if they have been at a bigger Range Advantage. Thus, they are going to get to C-bet extra ceaselessly and sometimes be selecting smaller sizes. ♠
Ryan Laplante is the co-founder of LearnProPoker and the RangeTrainerPro GTO research device. The 14-year veteran of the sport has greater than $8 million in profession event earnings. The Minnesota native has wins on the Poker Masters and WSOP Circuit to go together with 14 World Series of Poker ultimate tables and a bracelet. You can discover him on Instagram RealProtential, Twitter/X @ProtentialMN, or ship an e-mail to pokerprotential
gmail.com.