What is a C-bet?
A C-bet (continuation bet) is when the player who raised pre-flop bets again on the flop, continuing the story that they have a good hand whether or not the flop helped them.
C-bets work for two reasons:
- Your opponent usually missed: two unpaired hole cards make at least a pair on the flop only about 32% of the time, so roughly two-thirds of the time they have nothing.
- The raiser's range is stronger: the pre-flop raiser holds big hands such as AA, KK and AK more often than the caller, which makes the bet more convincing on high-card boards.
Which flops are good to C-bet?
The key question is: who does this board favour?
Dry high-card board
C-bet often, and small. There are no flush or straight draws, the king favours the raiser, and it is hard for your opponent to continue.
Paired board
C-bet small. Your opponent rarely has a queen, so most of their hands can only fold or call to see what happens.
Low connected board
Check most of the time. The big blind's calling range has lots of 9-8, 7-6 and 6-5, so this board favours them.
Suited connected board
Bet selectively, and big. There are lots of draws. If you bet, use a bigger size to protect your good hands and make draws pay.
How much should you bet?
The general rule: bet small on dry boards and big on wet boards with lots of draws. The bigger you bet, the more often a bluff needs your opponent to fold:
| Bet size | How often a bluff needs a fold | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| 1/3 pot | 25% | High-frequency C-bets on dry high-card and paired boards |
| 1/2 pot | 33% | An all-purpose size on medium-texture boards |
| 2/3 pot | 40% | Draw-heavy boards, to protect made hands |
| Pot | 50% | Very strong hands or highly polarised bets |
Example: you raise to 2.5 big blinds from the CO with A♠︎Q♦︎ and the big blind calls. The flop is K♠︎7♦︎2♣︎ and the pot is about 5.5 big blinds.
You missed, but this dry king-high board favours you, and you have two overcards (the ace and queen) plus a backdoor flush draw. Bet 2 big blinds (about 1/3 pot) and you profit if your opponent folds more than about 27% of the time (2 ÷ 7.5).
When not to C-bet
- Multi-way pots: with three or more players seeing the flop, the chance that at least one of them hit goes way up, and bluffs succeed much less often.
- Boards that favour your opponent: on low connected boards, for example, your opponent's calling range hits a lot.
- You have a medium-strength hand: with middle pair or weak top pair, hands that can win but hate getting raised, checking to control the pot is often better.
- Your opponent hardly ever folds: against players who call everything, bluff less and value bet your good hands more.
Example: you raise from the BTN with A♥︎K♣︎ and the big blind calls. The flop is 8♥︎7♥︎6♠︎.
This board hits the big blind's range far harder than yours, and you have only two overcards. Most of the time it is better to check and decide on the turn than to fire a bet anyway.
What to do when you face a C-bet
Don't fold automatically just because you missed. First use pot odds to work out how much equity you need:
| Opponent's bet size | Equity needed to call |
|---|---|
| 1/3 pot | 20% |
| 1/2 pot | 25% |
| 2/3 pot | 29% |
| Pot | 33% |
- Defend more against small bets: when your opponent bets only 1/3 pot, you need just 20% equity, so many hands with draws or overcards are worth a call.
- Float in position: in late position, call with backdoor draws or overcards and see whether your opponent gives up on the turn.
- Check-raise strong hands and good draws: against players who C-bet a lot, a check-raise is an effective counter.
Common C-bet mistakes
- C-betting every hand, so opponents see through it and fight back easily.
- Using the same bet size on every board.
- Bluffing into multi-way pots anyway.
- Betting the flop with no plan, then not knowing what to do when called on the turn.
- Bluffing again and again against opponents who never fold.
The C-bet is the first step in post-flop play, and it works best combined with the starting hand and position ideas in our beginner strategy guide. To practise for real, start at the low-stakes tables on ClubGG or WPT Global.
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FAQ
FAQ
What does C-bet mean?
C-bet is short for continuation bet: the player who raised pre-flop bets again on the flop.
How much should I C-bet?
A common approach is about 1/3 pot on dry boards and about 2/3 pot on boards with lots of draws. The bigger the bet, the more often a bluff needs your opponent to fold.
Should I C-bet every flop?
No. In multi-way pots, on boards that favour your opponent, or with a medium-strength hand, checking is often the better choice.
Can I C-bet in a multi-way pot?
Yes, but bluff less. The more players there are, the more likely at least one of them hit, so C-bet mainly with made hands or strong draws.
What should I do when my opponent C-bets?
First use pot odds to work out the equity you need. Against a 1/3 pot bet you need only 20%, so many hands are worth a call, and you can check-raise with strong hands or good draws.