Join Nathan Williams, also known as BlackRain79, as he reveals a crucial mistake many amateur poker players make on the flop—and how to correct it to boost your winnings.
Nathan Williams: Nathan Williams, also known as BlackRain79, is a professional poker player and one of the most successful players in online poker history, particularly in the small to mid-stakes. He is recognized for creating some of the highest winnings online at these stakes. Nathan began his poker career with a modest sum and rose through the ranks to become a full-time pro by 2007. He is also a three-time best-selling author of poker strategy books, including 'Crushing the Microstakes,' which has helped many players develop their skills. Through his YouTube channel, BlackRain79Poker, Nathan shares his expertise with a broader audience, providing educational content and strategies to help poker enthusiasts improve their game. His approach to teaching poker involves breaking down complex concepts into understandable strategies, as demonstrated in the video where he discusses the importance of selective continuation betting based on flop textures.
Understanding Continuation Betting: A continuation bet is when you raise preflop and then continue your aggression by betting again on the flop. This strategy aims to get opponents to fold.
Identifying Bad Flops for C-Betting: Avoid continuation betting on coordinated, wet flops like 9-8-6 or 7-5-4 with multiple suits, as these hit your opponents' calling range hard and they are less likely to fold.
Flop Board Textures to C-Bet On: Prefer to continuation bet on uncoordinated, dry boards like Ace-high, King-high, or paired flops, as these are less likely to connect with your opponent's range and more likely to hit yours.
Positional Awareness: Be extra cautious with continuation bets when you are out of position, especially against opponents known as calling stations or sticky regulars who are less likely to fold.
Utilizing Poker Statistics: Use tools like PokerTracker to view statistics such as an opponent's fold to flop c-bet percentage to make informed decisions about whether to continuation bet.
Creating a C-Betting Strategy: Memorize flop textures that are unfavorable for c-betting and avoid these in your strategy, focusing instead on the majority of flops that are conducive to successful c-betting.
Common Flop Betting Mistake: Addresses the frequent error made by amateur players involving continuation betting on unfavorable flops, which can lead to financial losses at the poker table.
Continuation Bet (C-bet) Definition: Explains a continuation bet as a play where the preflop aggressor maintains their aggressive stance by betting again on the flop.
Inappropriate Flop Textures for C-betting: Identifies specific types of flops, such as highly coordinated and wet boards (e.g., 9-8-6 with two clubs, 7-5-4 with two diamonds), that players should avoid c-betting on because these flops often align with opponents' preflop calling ranges.
Appropriate Flop Textures for C-betting: Describes the types of flops that are generally good candidates for continuation bets, such as Ace-high, paired, and King-high flops that are not heavily coordinated or wet.
Perceived Range: Discusses the concept of the perceived range, which is the range of hands opponents believe a player has based on their preflop actions. Certain flops are more favorable for the perceived range of the preflop raiser.
Strategic Considerations: Offers a strategy guide for c-betting, including memorizing flop textures to avoid, considering flush draw possibilities, taking player position into account, and analyzing opponent types and their tendencies to fold to flop bets.
Additional Resources: Mentions Nathan's book 'Crushing the Microstakes' and offers a free poker cheat sheet available for download, providing further guidance on poker strategies.
This article is a summary of the video Stop Betting On This Flop! (I'm Begging You) by BlackRain79Poker published on March 08, 2022 at 14:01:08.
Q: What is a common flop betting mistake made by amateur poker players? A: A common mistake is continuation betting on bad flops, such as highly coordinated and wet flops, which can decrease profitability as these often hit the opponent's pre-flop calling range.
Q: What is a continuation bet in poker? A: A continuation bet is when you raise pre-flop and then continue your aggression by betting again on the flop. The goal is to get your opponents to fold when you may have not connected with the board.
Q: Which flop textures should I avoid continuation betting on, and why? A: Avoid continuation betting on highly coordinated and wet flops like 9-8-6 with two clubs or 7-5-4 with two diamonds. These flops typically hit your opponent's calling range hard, making it less likely for them to fold.
Q: Can you give me examples of flop textures that are good for continuation betting? A: Good flop textures for c-betting are often dry with high cards or paired boards, such as Ace-6-Deuce Rainbow, 7-7-4 with two spades, or King-4-9 with two spades. These do not connect well with opponent's typical calling ranges and fit better with your perceived pre-flop raising range.
Q: What does it mean when a flop is described as 'rainbow'? A: A 'rainbow' flop is one that contains three different suits, reducing the chances of flush combinations and often making it a safer texture to continuation bet on.
Q: Why is it important to understand my perceived range when betting? A: Understanding your perceived range helps you know which flops fit your pre-flop raising range and are likely to give you more equity, making it easier to decide when to continuation bet effectively.
Q: How can I use statistical tools like PokerTracker to improve my betting strategy? A: PokerTracker can provide statistics like an opponent's 'fold to flop c-bet', which helps you understand their tendencies and adjust your strategy accordingly, such as when to avoid c-betting against calling stations.
Q: What should I do when faced with a flop that hits my opponent's range while out of position? A: On flops that strongly connect with your opponent's range, particularly when you're out of position and against players likely to call, it is often better to check instead of c-betting to avoid wasting money.