10 More Essential Hold’em Moves: Floating the Flop

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Arved Klöhn Pokerlistings Author
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: January 21, 2025

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There’s no simple fix for becoming a winning poker player.

But there are a handful of simple, easy-to-execute poker moves that can make a world of difference to your bottom line.

By fine-tuning these tactics you’ll have more tools to put to work at the poker table. You’ll be able to better understand your opponents and how to manipulate them, and that will translate directly to money in your pocket.

We already wrote the book on the 10 Essential Texas Hold’em Moves and now we’re back to bring you 10 more.

Today we’re talking about Floating the Flop, a move that can turn your opponent’s continuation bets against him. By just calling your opponent’s bet on the flop, you’ll be in a perfect spot to take the pot away when he shows weakness on the turn.

The float is an intermediate poker move that requires a strong understanding of the players you’re up against but if you can master it you’ll be able to win more pots post-flop, regardless of the cards you’re holding.

When to Float the Flop in Poker

The What: At its most basic, floating the flop refers to calling a bet on the flop with the intention of betting and taking down the pot when your opponent checks to you on the turn.

The Why: Floating the flop is a move used to defend against the continuation bet. Because players routinely continuation bet with a wide range of hands, you shouldn’t be surrendering every time someone does it.

But instead of simply raising the flop, floating allows you to pick up more information on the turn before making your move.

The Who: You should only be floating the flop against tight-aggressive players who do a lot of preflop raising and continuation betting.

The When: You should only be floating the flop when you are in position.

The Where: Floating the flop is a powerful poker move that can be used in all forms of Texas Hold’em but because it requires two streets of action it lends itself more to deep-stacked games.

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How to Float the Flop the Right Way

Floating the flop is a bluffing technique so it’s important to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it to avoid burning money. To make it crystal clear:

  • You are only technically floating when you believe your cards are worse than your opponent’s

If you believe you have the best hand then you would be calling the flop and betting the turn for value. And, because you’re bluffing, the conditions have to be just right to give yourself the biggest chance of success.

Here are the three most important factors to consider when you’re thinking about floating the flop and betting the turn.

  • Only float when you’re in position.
  • Only float when you’re in a heads-up pot.
  • Only float against tight-aggressive players who continuation bet frequently and are able to make laydowns when shown strength.

It’s important to be in position when you float the flop because you need that extra piece of information your opponent will give you on the turn. 

Because your opponent will be continuation betting with good hands as well as bad hands, when he checks to you on the turn you’ll have one more clue that he’s got air. If he does bet the turn instead of checking, you need to reevaluate your plan.

It’s also only advisable to float the flop and bet the turn when you’re in a heads-up pot. More players mean more variables and a worse chance of succeeding with a bluff.

Floating is about telling your opponent a story, one that involves you calling the flop because you have a legitimate hand. In a multi-way pot your call on the flop doesn’t mean as much and your story will be less believable when you bet the turn.

Example: You open-raise to 2.5 big blinds in late position with K Q . The player in the big blind, a known tight-aggressive regular, calls. The flop comes 9 4 2 . Your opponent leads out with a c-bet, and you call with the intention of betting the turn if he checks. This line tells a convincing story that you have a pair, especially once you call on such a dry flop.

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Advanced Floating Tip

If your opponent throws a wrench into your plans by betting the turn, all may not be lost. Many aggressive players won’t give up and check/fold fourth street. They’ll fire a second barrel as a bluff to try to blow you off your hand.

If you think you’re up against a tough, very aggressive player, you should consider raising the turn. Calling the flop and raising the turn is an extremely strong line and will usually force a good player to quickly lay down marginal hands.

This is an advanced move and should only be made with a very strong understanding of your opponent and his or her behavior.

Only Float Against Tight-Aggressive Players

Making sure you have position and only one opponent are important factors but you must also consider the type of player against whom you are going to float.

Floating does not work against a player that only raises preflop and continuation bets with premium hands, for obvious reasons. 

Floating also does not work against a loose/passive calling station who will frequently call your turn bet with marginal hands.

Look for tight-aggressive players who raise a lot in position preflop and follow it up with a continuation bet a high percentage of the time. These players will be showing up with air a lot, and check-folding to you when you bet the turn.

It’s much more difficult to float successfully against tough, hyper-aggressive players, however. Try to find players who fire one continuation bet but tend to shut down on the turn when they don’t have a hand.

Example: You call a raise from a tight-aggressive player while holding 9 8 on the button. The flop comes Q 6 2 . He fires a continuation bet. You suspect he has many unpaired hands in his range, so you call. When the turn comes 3 and he checks, you bet. The line is consistent with a made hand, and you often pick up the pot uncontested.

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Watch for Loose C-Bettors

Most players these days know they have to be aggressive but for a lot of people that just means opening a lot of pots and continuation betting at every flop.

A lot of these players don’t know what to do when you play back at them — especially when they’re out of position. If you spot players playing too loose and continuation betting too often you can catch them doing it when they have really weak hands.

By calling in position pre-flop and calling their continuation bet on the flop, you can force opponents to check to you on the turn. That sets up a great bluffing opportunity where you can win the pot, no matter what cards you’re holding.

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3 Keys to Floating the Flop Successfully

  • Floating the flop works better when you’re in position because you can pick up on your opponent’s weakness if they check to you on the turn
  • This move is designed for heads-up pots so don’t bother trying it if you’re up against more than one opponent
  • You’ll win more pots with this move if you use it against weaker players because they’re less likely to bet again on the turn and the river

Floating Strategies for Experienced Players

Floating the flop has become a staple move for skilled players, but advanced theory continues to evolve around the best ways to maximize its profitability. Many professionals now incorporate more nuanced range analysis when they float, utilizing concepts borrowed from GTO (Game Theory Optimal) approaches. They focus on balancing bluffs with value calls and anticipate how board textures will affect their opponents’ turn and river decisions.

These strategies depend heavily on opponent profiling and stack sizes. When you float out of position in rare spots, you must be prepared to apply serious pressure on later streets. Conversely, in position, you have an enhanced ability to read your opponent’s line and represent different parts of your range. Modern floating also includes evaluating potential blockers you hold, determining which turn cards are likely to help you credibly represent a made hand, and recognizing the frequency of your opponent’s second barrels.

Adapting Floating Tactics to Board Textures

The texture of the board is crucial in deciding whether to float. On dry flops with few draws, your call can seem more credible, and it’s easier to represent a set or top pair by betting the turn. On coordinated boards with straight or flush draws, experienced opponents may not believe a single float call unless you can credibly represent completing one of those draws on the turn or river. Advanced players also use float lines on wet boards as semi-bluffs when they hold additional equity, such as backdoor draws, turning their calls into powerful multi-street pressure when the right cards fall.

When employing these tactics, it’s important to pick up on subtle timing tells and bet-sizing patterns. Weak continuation bets followed by a quick check often signal air. Meanwhile, players who vary their bet sizes significantly on dynamic boards may have stronger holdings. Observing these trends and adapting your floating approach accordingly can lead to significantly higher success rates.

FAQ

What is floating the flop?

Floating the flop is when you call a bet on the flop with the intention of betting and taking down the pot on the turn once your opponent checks. It’s essentially a bluffing line that targets opponents who continuation bet but fail to fire another shell on later streets.

Why is position so important when floating?

Being in position lets you see your opponent’s action on the turn before you make a move. If they check, it often indicates weakness, and you can capitalize on that by betting. If they bet again, you can reevaluate or apply a different strategy based on your read.

Can you float the flop in multi-way pots?

Floating the flop is much less reliable in multi-way pots. The presence of additional players introduces more variables and makes your story less believable, reducing the effectiveness of a pure bluff line.

How do you handle an opponent who bets again on the turn?

If you’re facing a second barrel, you need to have a strong read to continue bluffing. Sometimes raising the turn can still be effective against aggressive opponents, but this requires a deep understanding of your opponent’s tendencies and the board texture.

What role does board texture play in floating strategies?

Board texture is vital because it affects the credibility of your line. On dry boards, a call on the flop and a bet on the turn can convincingly represent top pair or a set. On wet boards, your float may need additional equity, like a straight or flush draw, to succeed against observant opponents.

How do modern GTO concepts influence floating?

Modern GTO concepts encourage balancing your range and making sure you mix in value bets with bluffs. By analyzing possible turn and river scenarios, you’ll avoid being too predictable when you float. This balance forces your opponents to make costly mistakes if they can’t accurately gauge whether you’re holding a made hand or a bluff.

Are there specific player types you should target when floating?

Tight-aggressive opponents who c-bet frequently but tend to give up when they miss are prime targets. Loose/passive players who chase draws or call down light are poor targets because they don’t fold often enough to make the float profitable.

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