How to unlock poker 3-bet?

What is 3-Bet in Poker?

In poker, a 3-bet refers to the first reraise in the game, either after a preflop raise or after the second betting round. In Omaha and Texas hold’em, the first raise is the big blind bet.

The important thing to emphasize here is that a 3-bet in poker is a very specific type of reraise. Simply put, it is an aggressive bet that indicates the player has a strong calling range in hand. You will notice that this strategy is commonly used in tournament games, and cash games and online poker are no exception. With advanced hands, 3-betting only makes sense when the pot is full and your opponent is about to give up.

A third reraise will scare off weaker players but still help you build the pot with the remaining punters. Once it’s just you and a few other poker players, this is when you have the chance to land the biggest value hand.

Why should you choose 3-Bet in poker?

With that out of the way, let’s talk about the importance of 3-betting in poker. Knowing how to maximize your 3-bet is just as important as knowing your poker range. The best poker players in the world adopt an aggressive poker style. After all, you can’t win money unless you have chips in the first place. Aggressive strategies include a lot of reraising, especially 3-betting, as this is how to build a sizable stack.

When does poker 3-bet happen?

Since the big blind is considered the first betting round, any player who increases the bet size will be considered a “raise.” If a player raises again, this will be the third bet in the game sequence, hence the name “3-bet.”

If you are a 3-bettor, you may be called a “3-bettor.” Likewise, if the subsequent raise exceeds this raise, this is a “4-bet” and the player is known as a “4-bettor”.

Just like any raise, the purpose of making a 3-bet is to achieve one of two things. Either raising for value or trying to get other players to give up. When you have a strong hand, you want to build a pot, and if you are bluffing, you want to find a way to make your opponent fold. However, in reality, poker is not that simple.

Types of Poker 3-Bet Ranges

When incorporating a 3-bet strategy into your poker strategy, you should do it in a way that prevents your 3-bet from revealing the strength of your hand. Beginners are often afraid to 3-bet, fearing that other poker players will fold. However, when your opponent folds, it also gives you the potential to get a stronger hand and build a larger pot among the remaining players.

Without further ado, here are three common 3-bet ranges for your reference:

Powerful range

Most poker players 3-bet when they have a strong hand, such as two Aces or Kings. I don’t deny that this is a great opportunity to beat your opponent, but 3-betting too frequently in these situations will make your future 3-bets less predictable.

When I play and observe the same player 3-betting every time he has a really strong hand, I fold immediately. Don’t make the same mistake, otherwise you may end up winning a small pot.

Polarization range

A polarized range is a better strategy for players who raise preflop. To confuse your opponent, you should 3-bet when you have a strong hand, and you should also 3-bet when you have a weaker hand.

When it comes to weaker hands, I don’t recommend betting on any weaker hands. Instead, poker 3-bet when you have a suited connector to give you a chance of getting a flush or straight after the flop. With this method, you risk losing money, but you also leave a chance for Lady Luck to save you from complete failure.

Mixing range

Not many players are able to successfully use a mixed range strategy, so I recommend you gain some poker experience before trying this strategy.A mixed range is sometimes called a linear range, where you bet on high-quality hands and low-quality hands. This means you only 3-bet when your hand is in the top 5%.

How to use poker 3-bet?

A 3-bet is valid and successful when you are able to achieve one of the following outcomes:

• Force players with weak hands to call
• Force stronger cards to fold
• Forcing players who want to collect cards to call

If you estimate that the chances of achieving any of the above points are low, it’s better to adopt a different strategy.

How to choose the appropriate bet size for poker 3-bet?

When placing your poker 3-bet sizes, your position matters. Don’t fall into the trap of letting hand strength influence your bet size, as this will make you too predictable and smart opponents will pick up on your clues. Instead, focus on where you are now.

If you are in position against a single opponent, about 3x the size of the original raise is sufficient. This is enough to test your opponents without taking too much risk. However, when there are no locations, you need to bear slightly more costs. Send a clear message to your opponents by raising them up to 4x your original raise.

In a multi-player pot, to resist a raise and a call, you need to reraise more to counteract the additional players. Your 3-bet may need to be 5 times your original bet.

Examples of “having a place”

When you are in position, it means you can re-raise after your opponent, which gives you the opportunity to predict your or your opponent’s chances of winning the pot. It also makes it clear what your 3-bet size should be.

Basically, bet after your opponent and a medium-sized 3-bet is enough to make them fold.

Let’s take a positional example:

You are playing $1/$2 No-Limit Hold’em and have an Ace of Spades and a King of Spades. Your position is the button position. The player with the weaker hand folds to the player at the gate who raised to $8.

Your step now is to reraise, 3-bet to $24. If your opponent calls, the flop will be the Jack of Spades, the 8 of Hearts, and the 9 of Diamonds. The remaining opponents check you, which is a perfect opportunity to raise, say $30, to make them fold.

Example of “no location”

When you are out of position and have a strong hand, you have a good chance of dominating the pot if you play your cards right. Let’s say you hold two kings in the big blind. Most poker players have folded, leaving you and your last opponent on the button.

Your opponent bets $6. Your poker 3-bet should be slightly higher than it would be if you were in position. At this point you should bet $24, not $18, and let your opponent leave the game empty-handed.

More about poker 3-Bet range

What we described above is part of a linear range or mixed range, which means you want to play your top hands as well as your “second top” hands. However, it is important to remember that poker is not a “say it” game. Charts alone will not make you profitable.

Please think about why you do this. For example, if you know that a particular opponent has never folded to a 3-bet and will never do so, why have a 3-bet bluffing range? For new players, it often makes more sense to use a highly polarized 3-betting range, where you only 3-bet with super strong hands or outright bluffs.

Start testing your poker strategy at Philippine online casinos

3-betting is a strategy you can use when you predict that another player has a weaker hand and have the ability to force a stronger hand to fold. This strategy shouldn’t be used in every game because you don’t want to make yourself predictable.

However, when you use it occasionally, both strong and weak hands can help you win chips in the pot. Don’t let your opponents see you through and try to bluff where possible and make a killer pre-flop reraise to scare off other opponents.

So how do you use these strategies? Check out this list of legal online casinos recommended by many players and give it a try!