Float

Also known as: floating, float call

Calling a bet with a weak or marginal hand, planning to take the pot away on a later street.

To float is to call a flop (or turn) c-bet without a strong made hand, intending to bluff or stab later when the aggressor checks or a good card arrives. The float is justified by fold equity on later streets plus whatever raw equity and backdoor outs your holding has — pure equity realization, not just a bluff.

Floating works best in position: you get to see the turn action, you take down checked pots cheaply, and your equity realization is higher because position lets you control the pot. Good float hands have at least a little going for them — overcards, a backdoor flush draw, or a gutshot — so you can barrel turns that improve you or scare the opponent's range.

The out-of-position version exists but is weaker: you call the flop and then either lead (probe / donk) or check-raise the turn, both higher-variance than the IP float.

Key discipline: a float needs a plan. "I'll call and see" with no turn or river action profile is just paying off the aggressor. Decide preflop-of-the-turn which cards you continue betting and which you give up.