Three-betting is generally seen as an aggressive strategy to put pressure on opponents; however, it’s essential that players know when it is appropriate and when not.
An ideal situation in which to three bet is when you can isolate a weak player. For instance, if an opponent opens with HJ and you hold CO with AJ as your opening hand then three betting with wide ranges may help increase EV and protect yourself.
Betting intervals
There are various betting intervals you can employ when 3-betting poker. A good starting point would be placing bets worth 2/3 of the pot size; this will give you the best chance at claiming victory and avoid calling off hands when called.
Keep an eye out for any tendencies of your opponent; for instance, if they tend to 4 bet often and you want to limit your 3 bet range to the strongest hands out of position so as not to get beat by an opponent with a big pair.
Your 3-bet range should also reflect your opponents’ preflop tendencies. For instance, if they tend to call initial raises with weak hand combinations that make the cutoff for calls with small pairs or lower cards then restrict your 3-bet range only to top hands to easily exploit post-flop situations.
A balanced 3-bet range should include both pure value hands and some weaker broadway ones to help avoid the common error of overvaluing an opponent’s range when calling a 3-bet. Furthermore, you should avoid making 3-bets that exceed 2.5 times their flop bet size as this may make your opponent suspicious that you are trying to steal their hand from them.
Variations
3-betting can be one of the strongest moves in poker, yet it comes with its own risks. To be effective at 3-betting it’s essential that you understand your opponent’s tendencies and when and how best to implement this play – otherwise you risk losing money! For beginners learning this play at lower stakes games it may help practice with smaller bets until it can be applied at higher ones – just make sure not to abuse this move, which has great +EV potential when applied appropriately!
One of the primary uses for three bets in poker is to thin down and isolate weaker opponents. This strategy works especially well when opponents are calling too widely or raising frequently (called calling stations). You want to target an opponent who opens only part of his range preflop and 3 bet them to force heads-up play and increase your win rate.
Use of a three bet can also be leveraged as an effective preflop value-betting strategy against recreational players who do not pay close attention to position or game dynamics. For instance, if your opponent from UTG opens with an aggressive range, raising both CO and BTN, three betting can isolate him by raising both.
Limits
When 3-betting, it is important to understand the limits that apply. The primary limitation when 3-betting is your opponent’s opening raise; its size being determined by his stack and tendencies against bluffing. Aiming for an increase of between three and four times his preflop bet size gives enough wiggle room if your opponent holds an exceptional hand while providing sufficient room to call strong hands when 3-betting against them.
Another key limit on your bluff frequency is facing tight opponents, while calling stations will require you to bluff more often. But be wary not to overadjust this frequency – too much deviation will make you exploitable by opponents.
Thirdly, your opponent’s ability to defend against your bluff should also be taken into consideration. If they tend to fold to 3-bet bets frequently, widening your range against them may help extract more value from premium hands.
One common misstep made by players is trying to 3 bet for value in inappropriate places. For instance, when facing off against an aggressive opponent who opens from early position and opens from late position himself or herself, be cautious of raising big hands like QQ or AKo when 3 betting for value in such circumstances as this will give your opponents reason to suspect you of trying to steal and consequently fold their premium hands more frequently.
Bluffing
The 3-bet is one of the strongest moves a player can make, but it’s essential that it be utilized appropriately. A good poker player will only use 3-betting when their hand has value enough to warrant calling or folding with equal EV either way. Furthermore, it is wiser to reduce frequency of bluffing against specific opponents who you know well; for instance if one opponent tends to call with medium-strong hands often then widening your 3-bet range may make sure they can’t call you down easily.
Correctly executed 3-bets can exert considerable pressure on an opponent and expose their weaker hands, while extracting value from the pot itself – something especially helpful if you hold premium cards that allow for multiple hands being played on both the flop and turn.
There are various methods for 3-betting, but selecting the appropriate size is paramount to its effectiveness. A standard three-bet size should be 3x-4x the initial raise; this works against most players. At times when larger bets may be necessary (against fish or odd-stacked opponents for instance), but this type of 3-bet known as squeeze betting targets players who called your initial raise to force them into playing within their limited range and exploit any weaknesses within them.