Delayed continuation bet
Also: delayed c-bet
Checking the flop as the preflop raiser and then betting the turn instead. It protects a checking range on boards where betting everything is a losing proposition, and it picks up pots against opponents who read a flop check as weakness.
The spot arises most often on boards that favour the caller — middling connected cards where the raiser's big hands are scarce. Betting the whole range there is bad; checking the whole range and giving up is worse. The delayed bet lets hands with backdoor equity and showdown value take a free card and then attack when the turn improves them or scares the opponent.
It also balances the flop check, so an observant opponent cannot simply bet every time you check.
Related terms
Full glossaryFrequently asked questions
When should you delay a continuation bet?
Most often on boards that connect better with the caller's range than with yours, where betting every hand loses money.