A continuation bet (also known as a “c-bet”) in poker is a follow-up bet made by the preflop aggressor after the flop has been dealt. It is a way for the player to maintain their momentum and control of the pot by betting again after their initial raise preflop. The purpose of a continuation bet is to take advantage of the fact of having a stronger range of hands preflop (by being the preflop raiser) to put pressure on your opponents.

Continuation bets are a powerful tool to win many pots uncontested. Keep in mind that it is more frequent than not that either player has connected well with the flop (the majority of the times the players don’t connect to the flop or connect poorly creating marginal hands). In these cases, by showing aggression on the flop after being the pre-flop raiser, will make your opponent give up the pot often, because the preflop aggressor is perceived as having a strong hand.

However, it is important to use c-bets correctly and understand the tendencies of the other players at the table. If a player overuses continuation bets, their opponents will begin to pick up on the pattern and may call or raise the bet in order to win the pot themselves. Effective continuation betting requires a good understanding of the dynamics of the game and the players at the table.

In later sections, we will review examples of c-bets, as well as, favorable flop boards to do it. You will see that c-bets is one of the most, if not the most, profitable plays in poker.