Protection against the C-Bet?

odds state that 33% of the time our Villian will hit the flop. I've read that good players C-Bet from 70-80% of the time.

Now floating the flop will work some of the time. But what are our other tools to fight the C-Bet when we know that our opponents range most likely didn't hit the flop?

Depending on position are we,

1. Check-Raising

2. Floating the Flop

3. Smooth Calling, then betting the turn/river for value?

4. ?????


Also, when we are C-Betting. The reason is to take down the pot right there, correct?

A lot of it depends on situations.. a lot of time I will test the C-better if I am heads up or close to heads up just to see what he does on a check-raise, floating and etc. Also I will watch to see what he does when he is involved with other people. Some people defend their C-bets and some people will just fold always when challenge... Like anything else you are looking for weakness in your opponents and sometimes this is one of them

SwoleRake said:

Odds state that 33% of the time our Villian will hit the flop. I've read that good players C-Bet from 70-80% of the time.

Now floating the flop will work some of the time. But what are our other tools to fight the C-Bet when we know that our opponents range most likely didn't hit the flop?

Depending on position are we,

Click to expand...

It's not just position dependent, whether to fold/call/raise against a cbet is highly villain and situation dependent as well. For example, floating with air with the intent of taking down the pot on later streets can work if villain has high flop cbet but often gives up on the turn. It doesn't work very well if villain is usually firing two or more barrels, or does not know where the fold button is.

Also, when we are C-Betting. The reason is to take down the pot right there, correct?

Click to expand...

We also want to cbet for value when villain is going to call us with a worse hand. For example, the fish that is going to pay off your TPTK with TPBK down three streets of betting. Also, cbetting can help build the pot when you have or are drawing to nutty hands which otherwise wouldn't get paid nearly as much without starting the action from the flop.

I would rather tighten up my calling range in the first place and avoid calling out of position except with top hands.

Against players who seems to know what they are doing, I will sometimes set them up for later hands by establishing clear patterns early on in smaller pots. Against the players who don't pay attention and never fold I just play straight forward TAG.

The only real ways to combat active c-bettors is to float IP more or check raising occasionally when the board textures are likely to miss/scare villians in to snap calling or raising us.

The approaches you've listed should all be part of your arsenal because how effective each one is can depends on multiple factors and combinations thereof. Even if one is best overall, that doesn't make it best all the time under all circumstances.