Many poker strategists recommend continuation betting as an ideal way to build up a pot when you have a strong opening hand and hold top pair or better after the flop. They suggest that rather than scare your opposition with a major pre-flop raise (which initiates pre-flop folding), a modest raise followed by one of the same size after the flop, turn and river will be more effective.
However, there are also opportunities to indulge in this strategy when your hand is not the best, but the circumstances are right. Consider you have been dealt 4h 5h in late position with a couple of limpers in the pot and maybe one or two tight players in the blinds. If you were to raise 5x the big blind you could possibly steal the pot straight away but, when one of the other players chooses to go with you, you could face a dilemma should you not catch on the flop. As you have the advantage of being in late position, the likelihood is that your opponent is only going to bet if they have caught a top pair (or better) on the flop and is waiting to see what you do after they check through. Your dilemma is whether to show the weakness of your hand by also checking, or by implying that your pre-flop bet still holds credibility by repeating your 5x big blind bet. The majority of times, your opponent will fold if you action the continuation bet.
A different scenario may occur if you were to be in front of your opponent in the betting. Having already initiated the betting pre-flop, you then have to either bluff your way through the post-flop round of betting with another continuation bet or demonstrate your hands weakness with a check. Your decision here may well be influenced by the size of your relative chip stacks. If you were to continue betting in the knowledge that you may have to bluff all the way to the river, your strategy is going to cost you (or your opponent) twenty big blinds. Will a post-flop continuation bet drive a short-stacked opponent all-in or are they slow playing you to raise after the river? If you have been studying the way your opponent plays, this may be able to guide you, but there is one fairly effective manoeuvre you can use at least once in a game - the continuation trap.
The continuation trap consists of checking your hand after the flop - indicating that it is weak. The player behind you in the betting is more than likely to raise, at which point you shove all your chips into the centre. Based on the principal that you initiated the betting pre-flop, your opponent will have serious reservations about calling your bet unless he has caught a set on the flop - odds of which are heavily in your favour.
The continuation trap has more to do with bluffing than continuation betting, and is far more effective if you have been seen to use continuation betting strategy previously in the game. It is definitely a useful option to have in your arsenal when playing in multi table poker tournaments.
However, there are also opportunities to indulge in this strategy when your hand is not the best, but the circumstances are right. Consider you have been dealt 4h 5h in late position with a couple of limpers in the pot and maybe one or two tight players in the blinds. If you were to raise 5x the big blind you could possibly steal the pot straight away but, when one of the other players chooses to go with you, you could face a dilemma should you not catch on the flop. As you have the advantage of being in late position, the likelihood is that your opponent is only going to bet if they have caught a top pair (or better) on the flop and is waiting to see what you do after they check through. Your dilemma is whether to show the weakness of your hand by also checking, or by implying that your pre-flop bet still holds credibility by repeating your 5x big blind bet. The majority of times, your opponent will fold if you action the continuation bet.
A different scenario may occur if you were to be in front of your opponent in the betting. Having already initiated the betting pre-flop, you then have to either bluff your way through the post-flop round of betting with another continuation bet or demonstrate your hands weakness with a check. Your decision here may well be influenced by the size of your relative chip stacks. If you were to continue betting in the knowledge that you may have to bluff all the way to the river, your strategy is going to cost you (or your opponent) twenty big blinds. Will a post-flop continuation bet drive a short-stacked opponent all-in or are they slow playing you to raise after the river? If you have been studying the way your opponent plays, this may be able to guide you, but there is one fairly effective manoeuvre you can use at least once in a game - the continuation trap.
The continuation trap consists of checking your hand after the flop - indicating that it is weak. The player behind you in the betting is more than likely to raise, at which point you shove all your chips into the centre. Based on the principal that you initiated the betting pre-flop, your opponent will have serious reservations about calling your bet unless he has caught a set on the flop - odds of which are heavily in your favour.
The continuation trap has more to do with bluffing than continuation betting, and is far more effective if you have been seen to use continuation betting strategy previously in the game. It is definitely a useful option to have in your arsenal when playing in multi table poker tournaments.
