The preflop 3-bet is an aggressive preflop move which used to only be found in high stakes games. The move has trickled down to the lower stakes over the past few years, mostly due to the abundance of poker strategy articles. With so many players subscribing to an aggressive poker playing style, it is no surprise that 3-betting preflop is becoming increasingly common.
What is a preflop 3-bet?
3-betting is an old poker term that originated in Limit forms of poker. It refers to a series of actions either preflop or postflop. When acting postflop, 3-betting occurs in this sequence: a player bets, another player raises, and then either a third player or the original bettor raises again, adding a 3rd bet.
When this occurs preflop, the blinds already account for a blind bet, so preflop 3-betting refers to making the second raise. For example, a player in early position opens with a raise and the action folds to the player on the button. The button raises the original raise, or 3-bets.
When should I 3-bet preflop?
There are a number of different reasons to 3-bet, however the two most common are 3-betting for value and 3-betting light as a bluff. There are distinct differences between these two kinds of 3-bets and knowing the differences are extremely important. Another common preflop 3-bet is the preflop squeeze play, which is outlined in another Common Poker Moves article.
The Value 3-bet
In NL Hold’em, you will normally 3-bet preflop for value with a strong hand because you believe you have the best hand and want to build the pot while you have an advantage over your opponent’s holdings. In the old days, most players would only 3-bet preflop a narrow range like AA, KK, QQ, JJ, or AK. For the most part, these are still the most common hands to 3-bet for value because statistically, they are almost always ahead of an opponent’s open raising range.
Determining which other hands can also be 3-bet preflop for value is dependent on a number of different factors, such as your position, your opponents, or your table image. It is more profitable to 3-bet preflop with a wider range of hands when you’ll be in position after the flop, because of the added advantage of position in poker.
Another factor that is important is the playing style of your opponents. If you are playing against weaker, loose opponent with an extremely wide range, you can 3-bet for value with a wider range of hands than you can when playing against a tight, nitty player. This is because your loose opponent will often call your raise and you’ll get to play more flops in bigger pots when a statistical advantage based on your hand strength.
Your table image will also help to determine how wide your can 3-bet preflop. The range of hands you should be 3-betting is often depends on whether your table image is tight or loose. When you table image is tight, it will be harder to get action from a 3-bet, so there will be times when it’s better to just call in position with a strong hand. If you have a loose table image, you should always play your strongest hands aggressively preflop. This is because your opponents will not believe you have a strong hand and will probably give you action with inferior holdings.
3-betting Light
One of the biggest traps you can fall into is only 3-betting for value and never 3-betting preflop as a bluff. If you keep the range of hands that you 3-bet too tight, you run the risk of becoming too predictable at the table and if there is one thing that spells death at the poker table, it is being too predictable.
Fortunately, if your start your session with a 3-betting range that is too tight, you can use your table image to your advantage later in the game. By only 3-betting premium hands early in your session, you should develop an extremely tight image. You can now start 3-betting a wider range of hands as a bluff, also referred to as 3-betting light.
Just how wide you can open your range is dependent on the rest of the players at the table, but initially you can probably get away with 3-betting almost any two cards. This is because now you are 3-betting with the expectation that your opponents will fold a better hand, so it doesn’t really matter what cards you have.
That said, it is usually best to 3-bet light with hands that aren’t easily dominated and that have the potential to crack a strong hand. A good example is a hand with a couple of low, semi-connected suited cards, like 74s, that have the potential to make a flush, straight, or a well hidden two pair, because sometimes you’re opponent will have a hand they can’t fold.
If you end up at a showdown after a 3-bet with a less than premium hand, your image at the table will be loosened considerably which can actually be very good for you. This is because you will get more action when you are 3-betting for value later with your premium hands.
Keeping it Balanced
It is extremely important to remember not to go crazy with your 3-betting frequency. While loosening your preflop 3-betting range will help to keep your opponents guessing, too much bluffing is never profitable in the long run. It’s important that you remain aware of your table image and change gears from time to time. Getting the most out of the preflop 3-bet relies on your ability to skillfully manipulate your table image. If you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, let it go and start working on tightening your image back up to keep your opponents on their toes.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are preflop 3-betting for value or as a bluff, utilizing the 3-bet is an important aspect of becoming a profitable poker player. It is important to remember to keep a balanced mixture of 3-bets for value and light 3-bets to keep your opponents guessing. Just remember not to 3-bet light too often, especially when you have a loose table image, as this can get you into sticky situations and just end up costing you money in the long run.
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