Learning No-Limit From Scratch ­- Countering The C-Bet

The continuation bet is an effective, commonly-used tool. If you want to beat no-limit hold’em, you need to develop a counter strategy. Playing a “fit or fold” strategy against aggressive opponents is a surefire way to go broke.

It was Labor Day weekend, a Las Vegas poker specialty time. At the Venetian, the $2-$5 players were jamming. One passive tourist called from under the gun (UTG), an aggressive local made it $20, another tourist called, and I tossed in $15 more with 10 9 in the big blind. The upfront caller called, and we took the flop four-handed with $80 in the pot.

The flop came 8 6 3, I knuckled, the UTG tourist checked, and Mr. Aggressive-Local continuation bet $35, with the tourist folding right behind him. While I contemplated my decision, Mr. UTG-Tourist behind me went back to watching the TV, a strong indication he would fold. I pondered the situation.

Mr. Aggressive-Local had continuation bet every time he raised preflop and was checked to. His preflop raising range likely contained 88+, but also lots of high cards that would have whiffed this flop. I had a tight image at this point and felt he would respect a check-raise from me. Plus, I had outs. I had a gutshot and any queen, jack, or diamond on the turn would give me an improved draw. Additionally, unless Mr. Aggressive-Local had three eights, I didn’t think that he would three-bet.

I decided to check-raise bluff and sized my raise at $80, feeling that sizing would remove overcards from his calling range. With $115 in the pot, Mr. Aggressive-Local would have to fold only about 40 percent of the time for the bluff to show an immediate profit. Plus, there was additional value to the play—I could catch a gutshot seven or, if I picked up a draw, I might acquire an additional profitable semibluffing prospect. And I could make a runner-runner hand.

After sliding the check-raise bluff forward, Mr. UTG-Tourist insta-mucked, and Mr. Aggressive-Local followed suit. I stacked the chips.

Picking opportune spots to bluff can be an effective counter-strategy to an opponent that has a high continuation bet percentage. It can be done by raising, by flatting/floating your opponent’s wager and betting a future street, or by leading into the raiser. Of course, your opponent must be one that will fold enough of his range to make the bet(s) profitable. That speaks to the texture of the opponent, the board, the bet size, and any additional risks the play assumes.

An opponent who regularly continuation bets with air, won’t read through your play, is unlikely to play back at you, and folds frequently is the perfect candidate. You also need a board that misses a large enough segment of his range, or contains a scary enough texture, to cause him to fold a large enough portion of his range to make the bluff positive expected value (EV).

You need to bet an amount that will actualize the fold, but don’t bet more than needed. There is no point in assuming more risk than necessary. That requires a judgement on your part about which hands in his current range he will fold for which amounts. And you need to determine if the amount required to fold the high end of his folding range is worth the additional cost of folding that segment. As a rule, the cost of folding the air portion of his range is much cheaper than the cost of folding the marginal strength segment of his range.

You also needs to take into account any additional risks. Are there scenarios where the hand will produce additional –EV beyond your bluff bet if you’re called? Are there other players in the hand that present additional risks? Will they call behind you? Are they capable of reading your play and outplaying you? Don’t dismiss any additional threats; incorporate them into your decision.

Alternatively, I could have flatted the flop bet, thinking the opponent behind would fold and then bet the turn no matter what came. It has shorter odds of success, as it gives your opponent another card that can make a calling hand, but has value when an opponent may call with weaker hands on the flop than the turn. I could also have bet the flop, but that play is usually less effective in folding your opponent, tends to induce weaker and makes the hand harder to read.

All that said, check-raise bluffing can be useful in mixing up your play and adds value when you make the same play with a value hand. It can also reduce the chances of being bluffed on the flop, as the raise makes your range appear stronger and the cost of three-bet bluffing is higher. Of course, this is all read-dependent. Some players raise-bluff the turn less often when check-called and bet into than when they’re check-raised on the flop and think they might be being bluffed. Additionally, floating a weak draw cheaply on the flop can give you better information for making the turn bet decision. That can be the case when you either get a better read on your c-betting opponent or there are players to act behind you.

This scenario comes up all the time. Players raise you with position preflop and continuation bet a massive portion of their range that includes a lot of air and weak holdings. It’s a good play on their part. You should minimize their c-bet’s value by taking away some of their fold equity. Pick situations that suggest the flop missed much of their preflop raising range and get after them.

Don’t let them push you around…. Fight back, but be selective! ♠

Roy Cooke played poker professionally for 16 years prior to becoming a successful Las Vegas Real Estate Broker/Salesman. Should you wish any information about Real Estate matters-including purchase, sale or mortgage his office number is 702-376-1515 or Roy’s e-mail is [email protected]. His website is www.RoyCooke.com. Roy’s blogs and poker tips are at www.RoyCookePokerlv.com. You can also find him on Facebook or Twitter @RealRoyCooke