Is it a bad idea to make a continuation bet into two opponents?

A player in early position limped in. I was in middle position with Ace King suited in clubs, and I made a big raise of 5x the big blind. The player right after me called, everyone else folded to the original limper, who also called. The flop came queen 8 2 rainbow. The first player checked, and I decided to take a shot at the pot, I had about 2000 in chips and the pot was about 1000, so I bet 600. And sure enough both players folded . Dan Harrington advised never to make a continuation bet against two or more opponents, do you guys agree?

Specific Harrington reference please...

He said something along the lines of, it's best to use the continuation bet against only one player. I might occassionally make a continuation bet against two opponents but never against anymore. He said that in Harrington on holdem.

huh? you don't make any distinction here?

If I make a pre-flot bet with something like AK or AQ and get more than one caller I tend not to make a continuation bet if I don't hit the flop. I have to consider the possibility that one of the callers either a) hit the flop ir b) had a pair pre-flop. It's frustrating, but I've found that, at least for me personally, not continuation betting in that situation saves me chips in the end.

i think harrington claims that a continuation bet is better against 1 than 2, and better against 2 than 3. I personally continuation bet vs 1 and play the strength of my hand vs the flop against 2 or more.

Keep in mind that Harrington is talking about tough games with good players. If you raised preflop and get called twice it's safe to say that at least one of them probably has a decent hand (pair).

The games I'm in however are a bit different. People will often call raises with Q2 and whatnot.
Therefore I tend to C-bet a lot when there's up to two players in the pot and the flop doesn't look like it's hit anyone. I rarely C-bet into three or more players though.

A continuation bet would be advisable to see where you are at as far as the flop is concerned. I would not advise betting such a high bet as you did, even though it may have worked in this particualr hand, but you run the risk of a good portion of your chip stack if you get called or even worse get re-raised all in.

of course its ok, it more or less depends the table.

if you KNOW they're going to call, why bet?

Sure use it to see where you are at in the hand. You never know it might just take the pot

I agree. It depends on the circumstances. Position and texture of the flop matter. So does my knowledge of the players.

My worst habit is an inability to occasionally take off a free card when I flop a draw like QJ5 to my AK.

goldog