Most players know what a continuation bet is—but far fewer understand the power of the delayed c-bet. When used correctly, it’s one of the most profitable and underutilized tactics in poker. A delayed c-bet happens when you skip betting the flop as the preflop raiser and instead bet on the turn. This simple adjustment can help you win more pots, control the size of the pot, and keep your opponents guessing.
Even if you’re just practicing on online platforms, improving your game onFree Poker Games website, or grinding real-money tournaments, mastering the delayed c-bet can give you an immediate strategic edge.
Delayed c-bets work best on flops where your opponent either completely misses or has a hard time continuing without a strong hand. If the board is dry—like K-7-2 rainbow—checking back the flop is fine because your opponent rarely has anything strong.
When the turn brings another blank (like a 4 or an 8), your delayed c-bet often gets tons of folds because:
Your opponent expects you to have a lot of strong hands.
They often call the flop with weak backdoor draws they now abandon.
You represent strength even though you checked the flop.
This works especially well against tight or passive players who don’t float the flop with air.
2. Check Back Marginal Made Hands and Delay the C-Bet
Hands like second pair, ace-high, or underpairs aren’t strong enough to bet for value on the flop—but they’re often too good to turn into bluffs right away. Checking back keeps the pot small and disguises your hand strength.
When you delayed c-bet the turn:
Your opponent may call with worse hands.
You avoid building a huge pot with a marginal holding.
You get value from players who auto-check the flop expecting a c-bet.
It’s a safer, more controlled way to extract value while keeping your range balanced.
3. Use Delayed C-Bets to Balance Your Checking Range
If you c-bet every flop when Pokernow App you raise, you become predictable. And predictable players are easy to exploit.
Mixing in delayed c-bets helps you stay balanced because your flop checks can represent:
Weak hands
Medium-strength showdown hands
Monster hands
Bluffs you intend to fire on later streets
When your opponents can’t tell what your check means, they’re forced into tough decisions—giving you more opportunities to pick up pots uncontested.
Wrapping It Up
Delayed c-bets are a powerful tool for winning more pots and staying balanced in tough games. By checking back the flop on the right textures, betting turns that favor your perceived range, and controlling pot size with marginal hands, you create a strategy that’s both deceptive and profitable. Start mixing delayed c-bets into your game and watch your win rate rise as more opponents fold in spots they never expected.
