C-bet
Continuation bet — betting the flop after opening preflop
Definition
The c-bet (continuation bet) is a flop bet made by the player who opened preflop — the one who had the initiative. It's the act of "continuing" your aggression on the flop, whether you connected with it or not. The c-bet can be made with a strong hand (top pair, set, draw) to extract value, or without having hit the flop (c-bet bluff) to take down the pot. The decision to c-bet depends on several factors: the board texture (dry or coordinated), who is favored by the board based on ranges, position, and the opponent's tendency to fold. In GTO, c-bet frequency and size are calibrated to the board. On a dry favorable board (A72 rainbow), the c-bet is frequent and small (25–33%). On a coordinated board unfavorable to the opener, the c-bet is less frequent. Knowing your c-bet strategy by board type is essential for solid play.
You open BTN, BB calls. The flop is A72 rainbow. You c-bet 33% of the pot. The dry board favors your range (you have more aces than BB in your opening range). A frequent, small c-bet is correct in GTO on this kind of texture.
Frequently asked questions
When should you c-bet?
C-betting is frequent when the board favours your opening range (dry, high textures like A-x-x or K-x-x) and more selective on coordinated boards that favour the defender. Texture, position and range advantage matter more than whether you connected.
What c-bet size should you use?
On a dry, favourable board a small c-bet (25-33% pot) is enough to fold out air and charge marginal hands. On a dynamic board or with a polarised range, a larger size (66-100%) puts more pressure on draws.