C-Bet Frequency Guide: Flop, Turn & River GTO Rates
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Continuation bet (c-bet) frequency is one of the most studied parameters in GTO poker. In position, GTO solvers bet the flop 60-70% on most textures; out of position, that drops to 45-55%. Board texture drives the rest: dry boards push frequencies above 80%, while connected wet boards drop them to 40-50%. This guide covers flop, turn, and river frequencies with a full board texture table.
C-Bet Frequency by Board Texture
Board texture is the primary driver of c-bet frequency. The table below shows GTO c-bet rates for IP and OOP aggressors, recommended sizing, and the reasoning behind each adjustment.
Why C-Bet Frequency Varies by Position
In position, you have an information advantage — seeing your opponent's flop action before deciding on turn or river. This allows higher c-bet frequencies (60-70%) because even when called, you maintain positional control through the rest of the hand.
Out of position, you must bet the flop without knowing if your opponent plans to check-raise. OOP aggressors c-bet at 45-55% to protect against check-raise exploitation — too wide a c-betting range gets exploited by aggressive opponents who check-raise frequently, forcing you to either fold equity or call off with a weak range in a bloated pot.
The Multi-Street C-Betting Plan
Think in terms of triple-barrel equity before committing to the flop c-bet. Starting a c-bet without a plan for turn and river often leads to expensive mistakes on later streets.
- 1
Flop c-bet (~60% IP, ~50% OOP)
Lead with range advantage. Bet value hands, strong draws, and a balanced set of bluffs. Check medium-strength hands that prefer pot control.
- 2
Turn barrel (~50-60% of flop c-bets)
Continue only with hands that improved (pair to two pair), have drawing equity (flush draws), or are premium value. Give up on air without draws.
- 3
River 3rd barrel (~35-50% of turn bets)
Bet only with the best value hands and the best bluffs. Half-pot flop → two-thirds pot turn → pot river is a common escalating sizing pattern.
C-Bet Sizing by Board Type
Sizing should be driven by your range composition on each board texture, not by the strength of your individual hand.
Small (25-33% pot)
Low boards, dry boards, boards where opponent's range is weak. Extract thin value without bloating the pot unnecessarily.
Medium (50-66% pot)
Most standard boards with some draws present. The default sizing that balances value extraction vs. bluff protection.
Large (75-100% pot)
High-card boards, draw-heavy boards where you want to price out draws or have high equity. Builds larger pots with strong value hands.
Overbet (125%+ pot)
River only, on specific boards where you have nut advantage. Forces opponents into difficult fold-or-call decisions with medium-strength hands.
Definitions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a c-bet (continuation bet)?
A continuation bet is a bet made by the preflop aggressor on the flop (and sometimes turn/river) regardless of whether the board improved their hand. It continues the aggression from preflop. Example: you raise preflop with AK, flop comes Q-7-2, you bet the flop — that is a c-bet even though you missed.
What is the ideal c-bet frequency?
GTO models suggest 60-70% from in position on neutral boards, and 45-55% from out of position. High-equity boards (where the preflop raiser's range interacts strongly with the board) push these higher; boards that miss the raiser's range or heavily favour the caller's range push them lower.
When should you NOT c-bet?
When: (1) the board heavily favours the caller's range (low boards after a BTN raise — 2-3-5 is great for BB's calling range), (2) your hand has showdown value better preserved by checking (middle pair check-back), (3) you are OOP on wet boards and expect frequent check-raises, (4) you are playing a polarized flop strategy and your hand is in the check category.
What is a board texture and how does it affect c-bets?
Board texture describes how a flop interacts with likely hand ranges. Dry boards (A-7-2 rainbow): no draws, raiser's range usually hits hard — c-bet frequently. Wet boards (J-T-9 two-tone): many draws, both players can have draws — c-bet more selectively. Texture analysis is the core skill in c-bet decision-making.
What sizing should I use for a c-bet?
Low boards, dry: 25-33% pot. Connected boards, medium texture: 50% pot. Draw-heavy or high-card: 60-75% pot. River 3rd barrels: match sizing to your range (50-75% for value/balanced; pot or overbet for polarized river). Beginners: start with 50% pot on most boards as a default.
How do turn c-bets differ from flop c-bets?
Turn barrels require more selectivity: only 50-60% of flop c-bets should be followed up on the turn (down from 60-70%). The hands to barrel turn: hands that improved (pair to two pair), hands with drawing equity (flush draws), premium value hands (sets, overpairs). Giving up on the turn with air is usually correct.
What is going for 3 barrels in poker?
Triple-barreling means c-betting the flop, continuing on the turn, and betting again on the river. It is the aggressive line and requires either strong value or strong bluffs. Average frequency: 35-50% of all river spots after flop and turn bets. Over-barreling (bluffing too often in 3-barrel spots) is one of the most common leaks in poker.
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