Reading board texture

The same hand can be a monster on one flop and a liability on another. Board texture describes how the community cards fit together: how many straights, flushes and sets they make possible. Reading it is the first thing to do on every flop.

Dry boards

Cards that do not connect and are of different suits: K♠7♦2♣.

Few draws are possible. Whoever is ahead now usually stays ahead.
Top pair is strong.
Bets can be small: the opponent who missed folds anyway, and there are few draws to charge.
Bluffs work well, because there are few hands that can call.

Wet boards

Cards close in rank and/or sharing a suit: J♥10♥8♣.

Many straight and flush draws. The best hand on the flop is often not the best hand by the river.
One pair, even top pair, is vulnerable.
Bet bigger with strong hands to make draws pay, and expect more calls and raises.
Many cards on the turn and river will change who is ahead.

Paired boards

A pair on the board: 8♠8♦3♣.

Trips and full houses become possible, but they are rare: the remaining eights are only two cards.
Most of the time, nobody has the eight. A small bet often wins the pot.
Be careful when a passive opponent suddenly raises: trips are now a real possibility.

Monotone boards

Three cards of one suit: Q♦9♦4♦.

Anyone holding two of that suit already has a flush.
Holding the ace of that suit is valuable even without a pair: it blocks the best flush and makes the nut flush draw.
Bet small or check more with medium hands; big pots should come from flushes or big flush draws.

Low boards and high boards

High boards (A♣K♦6♠) hit the hands people raise with. They favour the preflop raiser.
Low, connected boards (7♣6♦5♠) hit the hands people call with: small pairs, suited connectors. They favour the caller, especially the big blind.

A quick checklist for every flop

Is there a flush draw or a flush? Two or three of a suit.
Are there straight draws? Cards within four ranks of each other.
Is it paired?
Whose range does it favour? High cards help the raiser; low connected cards help the caller.
Now decide: small bet on dry boards, bigger bets or checks on wet ones.

Turn this into bets with the continuation bet and value betting.