In poker, a “3 bet” is a raise made after the initial raiser pre-flop. This is often done in order to thin the field or isolate a weaker opponent in a hand.
There are two main types of 3-bets in poker: pre-flop and post-flop. The former is the most common and is used when a player makes a raise that goes over the top of the original raiser, while the latter is when a player makes an aggressive re-raise after someone has raised before them.
What Should My 3-Bet Calling Range Be?
When you play a flop 3-bet, it’s a very good idea to size your bet just slightly wider than your opponents’ opening bet. This will make it harder for your opponent to catch a flop and give you the best chance of getting a caller on the turn or river.
The amount of money you should 3-bet to be called depends on many factors, including the strength of your opponent’s hand and the position you are in. However, a good rule of thumb is that you should size your flop 3-bets somewhere between 2 and 2.5 times the size of your opponents’ flop 2-bet.
If you’re in the cutoff, a flop 3-bet that’s 10x the original BB bet may seem a bit too wide. This is because a lot of players play a more tighter range out of position than they do when they’re in position.
Against a tighter range, you’ll need to be much more aggressive with your 3-bets to be successful. You can also bluff more with your 3-bets if you’re in a position where you have a lot of opponents in the pot.
A player who folds 65% or more of the time should be defended primarily as a bluff, while players who are folding less than this should be raised mainly for value. This will include using a variety of different techniques to bluff off your opponents’ hands.
What is the optimal percentage of 3-bets you should be making over the long term?
Most players peg the ideal overall 3-bet percentage at about 7%. This is a very reasonable range, but it can vary depending on the particular players you’re playing against and what strategy they prefer to use.
In general, a player who has a capped range should be 3-bet primarily for value while a player who has an uncapped range should be 3-bet primarily as a bluff. It’s very important to understand this difference, as it can have a dramatic impact on your success in the game.
What Is a Bad 3-Bet?
A lot of beginners make the mistake of only 3-betting their strongest hands. This is a mistake that can quickly lead to large losses. This is why it’s so important to move up in your level of play and expand your range.
One of the best strategies for defending against 3-bets is to bluff off your opponent’s hand and try to get them to call with your weaker hands. By doing so, you can often get a caller on the turn or river to put your opponent under pressure.
