The Flop

The flop is poker's moment of truth—the simultaneous reveal of three community cards that transforms speculation into calculation. Before the flop, you have only two cards and infinite possibilities. After the flop, you know 71% of your final hand and can make informed decisions about continuing. The flop is where preflop ranges collide with reality: strong starting hands can miss completely, while speculative hands can hit monsters. Understanding flop dynamics—texture, position, and range interaction—separates winning players from those who simply play their cards.

Table of Contents

• How the Flop Works
• Flop Texture
• Flop Statistics
• Playing the Flop
• Continuation Betting
• Flop Strategy by Position
• Reading the Flop
• Common Mistakes

How the Flop Works {#how-it-works}

The Dealing Process

Preflop betting completes
    ↓
Dealer burns one card (face-down)
    ↓
Dealer reveals three cards simultaneously
    ↓
Flop betting round begins (SB acts first)

Flop Betting Structure

Streets in Texas Hold'em

Key insight: The flop reveals more information than any other street.

Flop Texture {#texture}

What is Texture?

Flop texture describes how the three cards relate to each other—their connectivity, suits, and pairing.

Texture Categories

Texture Impact on Strategy

Dry Flop Characteristics

Example: K♠ 7♦ 2♣

Characteristics:
- No flush draws (rainbow)
- No straight draws (disconnected)
- One high card, two low cards
- Few hands connect strongly

Strategy:
- C-bet frequently with small sizing
- Many hands fold to any bet
- Tight ranges narrow quickly

Wet Flop Characteristics

Example: J♠ T♠ 9♥

Characteristics:
- Flush draw possible
- Many straight draws (KQ, Q8, 87, etc.)
- Connected cards = many combinations hit
- Multiple hands want to continue

Strategy:
- C-bet selectively with larger sizing
- Protect strong hands
- Check weaker hands frequently
- Consider checking entire range on some boards

Board Pairing

Flop Statistics {#statistics}

Hitting the Flop

Missing the Flop

Reality: Even premium hands miss the flop two-thirds of the time.

Flop Probabilities

Board Texture Frequency

Playing the Flop {#playing}

Fundamental Questions

Before acting on the flop, ask:

Hand Categories

Stack-to-Pot Ratio (SPR)

Playing for Stack

When SPR is low, plan for all-in:

Pot: $30
Effective stacks: $60
SPR = 60/30 = 2

Top pair = likely committing
Draws = all-in or fold situations

Continuation Betting {#c-betting}

What is a C-Bet?

A continuation bet (c-bet) is betting the flop after being the preflop aggressor, regardless of whether you hit.

Traditional C-Betting

Modern C-Bet Strategy

Key principle: C-bet frequency depends on board texture and range advantage.

C-Bet Sizing Logic

Range vs. Range C-Betting

Flop Strategy by Position {#position}

In Position (IP)

Out of Position (OOP)

Heads-Up Flop Strategy

Multi-Way Flops

Rule of thumb: The more players, the stronger your hand needs to be.

Reading the Flop {#reading}

What the Flop Tells You

Range Narrowing

Before flop: Opponent has full range After flop: Range narrows based on board

Board: K♠ 7♦ 2♣

Opponent checks:
- Less likely to have K
- More likely weak or giving up

Opponent bets:
- More likely Kx, 77, or bluff
- Can narrow to top pair+, draws

Flop Tells (Live Poker)

Common Mistakes {#mistakes}

Mistake 1: C-Betting Every Flop

Problem: Being too aggressive on all boards Solution: Check more on boards that favor caller

Mistake 2: Ignoring Texture

Problem: Playing the same way on all flops Solution: Adjust strategy based on wet/dry texture

Mistake 3: Overplaying Top Pair

Problem: Going broke with one pair Solution: Consider SPR and opponent's range

Mistake 4: Missing Draws

Problem: Not recognizing drawing opportunities Solution: Count outs and calculate equity

Mistake 5: Forgetting Position

Problem: Playing the same way IP and OOP Solution: Play more cautiously out of position

Mistake 6: Not Planning Ahead

Problem: Only thinking about current street Solution: Plan turn and river before acting on flop

Flop Checklist {#checklist}

Before every flop decision:

Related Calculators

• Equity Calculator - Calculate flop equity
• Pot Odds Calculator - Flop drawing decisions