06 Jul 2024 barreling continuation bet flop pot control Poker is a game played with two hole cards and five community cards. While the starting hand is important, how you play after the community cards are dealt is even more crucial. The types of community cards are also known as board textures. Understanding board textures can significantly improve your post-flop play and help you win more pots. What is a Board Texture? Board texture refers to the characteristics of the community cards dealt postflop. There are various board textures, such as dry boards and wet boards. Understanding the differences in board textures will help you devise a strategy after the flop. Dry Boards A dry board is one where the cards are not connected, making it difficult to form flushes or straights. For example, K♣︎8♦︎2♠︎ is a classic dry board. It's tough to create a straight or flush with these cards, and even drawing to these hands is unlikely. Another example is A♦︎7♠︎2♣︎, where no flush or straight is possible. Wet Boards A wet board is the opposite of a dry board; it consists of connected cards, making it easy to form flushes and straights. For example, 6♦︎7♠︎8♠︎ and 3♠︎4♠︎6♠︎ are typical wet boards. They can make straights and flushes, as well as straight draws and flush draws with X♠︎X♠︎ hands. Other Board Types The most common board textures are dry board and wet board, but there are many other board textures as well. Paired Boards A paired board contains a pair among the community cards, such as K♣︎K♦︎7♠︎. Paired boards can lead to situations where even a flush or straight may lose to a full house. Connected Boards Connected boards make straights more likely, such as 6♦︎7♠︎8♠︎. These are a subtype of wet boards. Rainbow Boards A rainbow board consists of all different suits, like A♦︎7♠︎2♣︎. Such boards make flushes impossible and are usually considered dry boards. Double Suited Boards A double suited board has two cards of the same suit, like A♣︎6♦︎5♦︎. These boards suggest potential flush draws. Monotone Boards A monotone board contains three cards of the same suit, such as Q♣︎7♣︎2♣︎. On a monotone board, flushes are more likely to be completed. Low Boards A low board consists of low-ranked cards, such as 8♣︎6♦︎5♦︎. These boards can be wet or dry, but there is a high chance of overcards appearing on the turn or river, which means your top pair can often become a middle pair. High Boards High boards include high-ranked cards, such as A♣︎J♦︎5♦︎. High card textures usually favor the preflop raiser more. Playing Based on Board Texture Board texture is a crucial factor in poker strategy. Here are some guidelines for playing on different board textures. Dry Boards On dry boards, strong hands like top pairs retain their value since it's difficult to complete stronger hands. These boards are suitable for frequent continuation bets (CB) as your range's strength remains largely stable. Wet Boards Wet boards, on the other hand, are rich in drawing possibilities. Even top pairs may not be very strong, and you'll often see large bets and raises due to the potential for strong hands and draws. Сommon Misconceptions about Board Texture While board texture significantly affects your strategy, it’s also essential to consider ranges, stack sizes, and bet sizes. Therefore, it is very difficult to generalize that a certain strategy is correct because of the board texture. Even strategies that seem correct at first glance are often wrong when actually analyzed using GTO tools. Here are two common misconceptions: CBetting 100% on Paired Boards The chances of your opponent getting a pair are low on paired boards! But it's a mistake to think that you should try CBetting 100% of the time. Whether or not to CBet on a paired board depends greatly on the rank of paired card. For instance, on a K♣︎K♦︎7♠︎ board, a CBet is effective, but on J♣︎8♣︎8♦︎, it's less so. K♣K♦7♠ ︎GTO result: Nearly 100% Cbetting frequency with 33% of the pot sizing. J♣8♣8♦ ︎GTO result: 69% Cbetting frequency with 33% of the pot sizing. Always CBetting on High Card Boards Assuming you should always CBet on boards with high cards is another mistake. Whether to CBet depends on various factors, including whether the board is wet or dry. If you spot an opponent who always CBs on high card boards, consider exploiting them with wide raises. Conclusion Understanding board texture can greatly enhance your post-flop play. By accurately assessing how a given board affects your and your opponent's ranges, you can make more informed decisions about betting, bluffing, and folding. Mastering board textures will take your poker skills to the next level!
