WE EXPLAIN HOW TO 3-BET IN POKER

Poker is an aggressive game and weak players are often caught out at the table if they struggle to fend off a premium hand or place weaker hands themselves.

This guide will wade through the importance of range advantage at the board, and the 3 betting element is crucial to understanding the mindset adopted in terms of approaches to today’s games.

After all, who doesn’t want to extract more money from the pot when placing bets in limit hold’em games?

WHAT MEANS 3-BET IN POKER

For those who are unfamiliar with the term 3 bet, it is more simply known as re raising for the first time before the flop, therefore, it can also be viewed as the pre flop raiser.

Subsequent raises in poker after the three bet are the four bet, five bet, and so forth, however this article focuses exclusively on the third bet.

And as you will see, if you have a carefully thought out poker strategy when three betting, then you can capitalise when your opponent folds.

Ultimately, those with a strong range and can place pocket pairs or suited connectors, for example, will take more money from the pot.

3-BET – A BET KNOWN AS A RE-RAISE

The 3 bet is quite versatile, and it is essentially known as re raising for those poker players who aren’t so experienced.

Indeed, the three bet has a couple of ranges and they can be constructed in the following two ways:

Merged ranges – This will normally consist of two strong hands and a hand range that affords more bluffing opportunities against an opponent’s range.

Polarized ranges – The polarized range will also have premium hands, including pocket aces and pocket kings.

There will naturally be times when it is better to use a polarized range or a merged range at the table against other players to gain value with your bets.

This may be more pertinent in the small blind or big blind, which we will examine in more detail in the following sections.

3-BET AS AN ELEMENT OF POKER STRATEGY

If you can three bet effectively in poker, and more so with strong as opposed to marginal hands or speculative hands, then you can hit the flop more often and profit from any mistakes made by your opponents with their bets.

We will now show you how to make a 3 bet in poker, using a few examples along the way.

HOW TO 3-BET IN POKER?

To get as much value as possible from the board, you need to be able to make the most of three betting before the re raise.

A good example of this would be if your opponent in the middle position on the table opens to 2.5 times the size of the big blind and you find yourself in the cut off.

You may decide at this point to counter your opponents range by using a merged three betting strategy, whereby if you hit more with strong hands, there will be good odds of you making the flop more often and squeezing your opponent.

It may therefore make sense when 3 betting out of position on the opening ranges to use a size equating to 3.5-4.5 times the initial raise.

The best way to think of this is to assume that the big blind post is worth 100 stacks.

USE THE 3-BET AT THE RIGHT TIME

Timing is a necessity when making the first raise or re raise in poker, and when it comes to three betting, you can’t overstate or underestimate this concept.

For example, if you were playing in a game where players have to contribute $200 to the pot, the big blind could see a player put down a 6 of Hearts and 4 of Hearts in the first raise.

The following player in the cut off would be one of those weaker players with little game experience or tactical nous.

Some stats may indicate that when he makes an open raise, he will open raise at a standard rate, but when he folds to a three bet, then he will do so at the 55% mark which may be a red flag.

The suited connectors we illustrated above — 6 of Hearts and 4 of Hearts — could fall nicely into the polarized range if you are making a three bet worth say $20.

It’s not a huge problem if the cutoff is called as there will be a chance to win money from the pot with a bet made, providing you have a very strong hand.

WHAT HANDS SHOULD YOU 3-BET WITH?

As mentioned, when you make a re raise with a 3 bet, you are best using a strong hand in the middle position against other players to extract money from the pot.

For example, if you play with suited connectors or pocket pairs, then this will help you by the time you reach the second raise or you are worried about a marginal hand. Within this, you should think about Under the Gun folds (UTG folds) and get into a good habit early on when making three bets against other players.

Or if you are in a late position following the flop, you should go hard with three bets against opponents who can’t make as strong a play as you.

Within certain ranges, you will be able to make a three bet that affords more bluff when an opponent calls.

WHEN IS A 3-BET NOT THE SECOND BET IN THE SEQUENCE?

The first open raise pre flop in Hold’Em and Omaha is known as the second bet as the compulsory blind payments are considered a fundamental part of the first bet sequence.

However, this isn’t the case for other versions of poker, but experienced poker players will recognise where the 3 bet slots in.

TYPES OF THIRD BET IN POKER

Your position will dictate the type of three bet you can make especially if you are worried about weak hands.

The two main types, which we outlined earlier is the polarized range and merged range. If you can push your opponent out with strong hands, then you will be able to gain a better position and take more from the pot.

Position is an overriding factor for all bets that are made when you play from the first re raise to the post flop stages, such as the streets and the river.

We will now show you how to get value from the first bet to a 3 bet, and this can often form the basis for a continuation bet.

3-BET FOR VALUE

To make three bets for value, you need to have a clear idea of what constitutes a good bet here.

There will be players that will make a 3 bet with all types of hands, and that won’t just be strong ones. In games with a lower pot size, for example, a good three bet will be instigated by those players who bet against a player who only sacrifices a small percentage (2-3%) of their hands compared to a player who puts up a significant chunk of money.

However, the high rollers will be more aggressive with their bets from the original raise right through to the post flop stages. They may choose to make an aggressive three bet that is as high as 10%.

But if you are new to poker, you should make a 3 bet with smaller percentages especially as you will need to play tightly.

LIGHT 3-BET

Usually, you will want to make a slightly larger 3 bet against those opponents who fold too often with one bet.

You can attack the dead money in the pot, for example, by exploiting the hands of your opponents outside of the calling range.

That said, you should always size up a particular 3 bet before the flop before deciding to make your play, so that you can hold up your position.

WHEN TO USE A 3-BET?

A good tactic for 3 betting, is to make a bet as a beginner if you are in the small blind.

Traditionally, it is very difficult to defend bets when you play in the small blind, because if you make a flat call before the flop, many players who are in big blinds will be able to pick off weaker players when they raise.

But if you are playing against a passive player in bigger blinds, then you can find a good position and get more value with your bets.

In some cases, there will be a capped range, so make sure you are aware of this before you place a bet in the second raise.

WHEN TO AVOID 3-BET

If you are not confident about making a play where you can keep to a tight range, you should bide your time when you place bets, otherwise, you will lose position quickly, especially when you come to fold.

You need to keep your wits about you from the raise through to the flop, especially against any opponent who likes to call regularly.

WHAT MEANS BIG BLIND IN UNLIMITED GAMES?

For those who like to raise the stakes in poker games, there will be games where there won’t be a capped range.

As such, players can place a bet as frequently as they like, where an opponent checks as much as they want.

For many players who like to adopt an aggressive stance, they could play in a game stacked with 100 big blinds, and that affords them to be a little looser with their ranges, especially if they aren’t too concerned about losing money after the flop.

Nevertheless, players shouldn’t be reckless when 3 betting as things can spiral out of control quite quickly.

3-BET IN PRACTICE – BEST EXAMPLES

Here are a few examples of when you should make the most of 3 betting, and we have used some card rankings to help simplify things.

• You can pick up the pot during the preflop more easily. As opposed to an open raise, 3 betting is more versatile.
• Merging your 3 betting ranges. Pushing out the ranges against an opponent during the post flop will help you gain better position on the board. In the big blinds, this could be 3.5-4.5 times the size of the open raise.
• Polarize 3 betting ranges at the top and bottom part of the continuing range. This will balance out the value of a 3 bet made against your opponent.

BEST 3-BET TIPS FROM ENERGYCASINO

Below, we have outlined a few 3 betting tips that will bode well for you in the long term if adhered to properly.

• Try and spot patterns – Keep an eye out for how your opponent is playing and adjust your tactics accordingly before making your move. More specifically, look at the players behind you come the fold.
• Isolate weak players – You may notice that one opponent is a poker fish, so keep an eye out on what they do after the fold, and exploit any mistakes they make.
• Play within range – Don’t be daunted by the size of the pot. Always make sure you play within yourself when 3 betting, and don’t be distracted when you reach the fold. If you can play tightly, then you are more likely to scoop money from the pot.

CONCLUSION

And there we have it. We have given you the full lowdown on the nature of 3 betting which provides a fascinating dimension to all poker games.

3 betting is inherently quite tactical, and for those players who can apply logic, will reap the benefits. Fundamentally, position is critical, and if you have been inspired by what you have read, then head over to Energy Casino today and put your newly acquired knowledge to the test.