In last week's edition, we looked at some very simple basics for 3-bet bluffing before the flop. We focused primarily on how new players could start to open up their 3-betting without feeling like they were getting in over their heads. We're going to continue this theme this week with more on 3-betting. This week, we're going to look at how to decide which hands to 3-bet before the flop for value and why.
The Idea of Low-Hanging Fruit
The Pareto Principle tells us that 80 percent of our results come from 20 percent of our effort. My goal with this discussion of 3-betting in this week's article and last week's is to focus on that 20 percent that really gives you a solid foundation to start with. The main point is that I want to start with really simple ideas that are easy to execute so that you can start putting them into practice right away. Along these lines, we're really going after some low-hanging fruit for the players who aren't sure about opening up their pre-flop 3-betting.
First off, lets level set what a pre-flop 3-bet is. A 3-bet occurs when someone open-raises and another person re-raises pre-flop. The re-raise is a 3-bet. This might be a bit confusing to some people because the 3-bet is the second raise, why is this?
How to 3-Bet for Value
- Dec 06, 2019 A 3 Bet is the term used in poker to describe a specific re raise. A 3 bet is typically made before the flop but can also be performed post flop. It is the third bet on a specific round. Check out examples below.
- The recommended strategies to follow are for use in the same model situation. Assume that we have made an open raise from the relevant position and that it has folded round to the big blind, who has elected to 3-bet. This 3-bet is of a healthy size – around three times a 3BB open or a little larger if our open happened to be smaller than this.
Poker 3 Bet Meaning
For the time being, we're not really going to worry too much about 3-betting for value and then folding to a 4-bet in 100bb games. Instead, we're going to start with a base assumption that you 3-betting for value means that you're going to be 5-betting and getting the money in if you face a 4-bet from the person who put in the pre-flop raise.
As a general principle (that you'll eventually learn when to violate), you'll only want to 3-bet for value with hands that are ahead of your opponent's continuing range (the range that he doesn't fold). So suppose that, for the sake of example, that you're against a tight opponent who is going to fold everything but JJ+ against your 3-bet. In this case, you cannot 3-bet QQ for value because it only has about 40 percent equity against your opponent's non-folding range which consists squarely of AA, KK, QQ and JJ. Along these lines, you would also avoid 3-betting with AKs since it only has about 38 percent equity against our opponent's continuing range.
With all of that having been said, most players don't play that tight against 3-bets. For example, suppose you have a looser opponent who will continue with {AK-AQ, KQ, 88+} against your 3-bet. In this case, AKs has about 55 percent equity, so that could be a good 3-bet for value. Along those lines, JJ has about 53 percent equity, so that could also be a good 3-bet. On the other hand, AQs and TT are both a little too weak since they have equities in the 45-49 percent range against our opponent's non-folding range of {AK-AQ, KQ, 88+}.
Accounting for Position
One of the inherent advantages that you can have in poker is that of position, and that's something you have to account for when it comes to 3-betting for value. An easy way to deal with this that won't get you into much trouble is to avoid 3-betting with hands that are just marginally better than your opponent's continuing range when you will be out of position if they call. This will have the overall effect of you 3-betting a little less when you're out of position, and that's not a bad strategy to have.
How All of This Works
Now I'm going to try to explain why this approach to value betting works, and I'm going to start with an example. Suppose that you are 3-betting AA-TT for value and that your opponent folds everything but AA-TT. In this example, when you 3-bet for value and your opponent doesn't fold, you're going to be evenly matched in terms of ranges. If you want to gain the advantage in that particular scenario, then you could drop both JJ and TT from your 3-betting range and put them into your calling range instead.
Some players might refuse to just call with JJ and TT here with the logic that the opponent is folding often enough to make 3-bets with those hand profitable. Let's suppose that it's true: Then you should still call with them instead. If your opponent is folding a lot of the time, then you're essentially turning JJ and TT into a bluff here when you have much better hands that you could bluff with. If you move those hands to your calling range and add bluffs to your 3-betting range, then you gain a ton of value overall compared to if you just 3-bet JJ and TT.
More on Hand Selection
Last week, we mentioned that your bluffing hands should be picked from the hands that are just slightly worse than your calling range. When you fit that information in with what we've talked about here, you get the following four ranges pre-flop when you are facing a raise:
- First are the strongest hands that will perform well against your opponent if you 3-bet and he does not fold. These are your value 3-bet hands.
- Second are strong hands that aren't quite strong enough to 3-bet for value. This is your calling range.
- Third are the hands that aren't strong enough to call, but they do have some nominal amount of playability, and you 3-bet with them as a bluff.
- Fourth are all of the rest of the hands, and this is your folding range.
The basic process here is as follows. First, you choose your value 3-betting range by deciding which hands have sufficient equity against your opponent's non-folding range. Second, you look directly under that for your calling range until you get to hands that aren't quite good enough to call. From there, you add however many 3-bet bluffing hands as you think will be appropriate. That's really all there is to it.
Three betting light is a skill that will help any player effectively balance their range and steal pots. On the other hand, light three bets could also end up costing you a fortune. The key to success with light three bets is the ability to properly identify which situations will be profitable and which will not.
There are a number of players who make light three bets for the sake of making light three bets. Needless to say, this is not the optimal strategy. You need to know who you are trying to push out of the hand, what you are trying to represent, your image at the table, and how you will react to a call or shove.
These are the basic dynamics that need to be understood if you want to make your three bets profitable. Three betting light is a challenge because it requires that players have a fair amount of experience and a natural feel for the game. This is one of the tools that is not so much taught as it is learned. Once you are able to work light three bets into your NL Hold'em game, though, you will be that much more dynamic.
Who You Want to Fold
The players who you want to fold when making a light three bet will often determine whether or not the play is worth attempting. If the two loosest players in the world have made an open raise and call, the odds of you getting them both to fold with a light three bet are far from good. If two moderately tight players did the same exact thing, however, you would be in much better shape.
Don't get confused, though, as two super tight players would also be indicative of a generally weak spot for a light three bet. You should be three betting light against players who are capable of opening with decent hands, but will also be playing something that is not good enough to call a three bet.
There is no exact science to determining what hands you are up against, so it comes down to being right more often than you are wrong, as is often the case with any play in NL Hold'em.
The Hand You're Representing
You need to know exactly what you are trying to tell your opponents when you make a light three bet. Do you want them to think you have an absolute monster, a random suited hand, or something completely different? The hand that you are representing will often determine just how much you should be raising.
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For example, a monster hand might make a smaller, yet sizable, three bet in order to squeeze some value out of the other players. A suited hand, however, would be more apt to make a big bet so that it has a reasonable shot at forcing folds from stronger pre flop hands.
Now, since a light three bet implies that your hand neither has strong potential or is already made, you should be picking what you want your opponents to think you have. Make a moderate three bet and play it hard on the flop when representing a big pocket pair, or make a big bet and continue on the flop if you think your opponents are a bit scared. Carefully determine what story you are trying to tell and be sure to stick to it.
Your Table Image
If you want your light three bets to work with any bit of regularity, you need to be able to effectively convince your opponents to fold. The other players might perceive you as super tight and they will think that a light three bet is always going to be with a major hand. On the other hand, your opponents could feel that you are a bit too loose and might be making a play more often than not when you three bet.
Poker When To 3 Bet Poker
The table image that you have is much more important than how you actually play. Consider how your opponents think you play and do your best to exploit that image. Don't try to be something that you are not - instead try to be something that the other players think you are not.
Poker When To 3 Bet Poker
Reacting to Calls or Shoves
If you three bet light with any measure of consistency, you will run into spots where the other players either call or re raise. In these situations it is important that you know what you are supposed to do. If you have a weak hand, but have little money left behind, it might make sense to call a shove anyway.
By contrast, a weak hand with a lot of money behind should denote an easy fold. The truly tricky hands will be when you make a light three bet and get called. You shouldn't give up on the hand just because you were called. Instead, look for ways to win the pot post flop.
Poker When To 3 Bet Racing
If the board is fit for a continuation bet and you feel that your opponent might be capable of folding, go ahead and try to push them out. You might even get lucky and flop a big hand, even if you had nothing pre flop. Planning ahead is crucial in almost any aspect of poker, and light three bets are no exception. Texas holdem termit.
