3-Betting Strategy in Poker

What is a 3-Bet?

A 3-bet is the third betting action in a sequence of raises before the flop. In poker terminology, the blinds constitute the first "bet," the initial raise is the second "bet," and when someone re-raises that opening raise, they are making a 3-bet. This concept is fundamental to modern poker strategy and understanding it is essential for any serious player.

The terminology originates from fixed-limit poker where each betting increment counted as a separate "bet" regardless of size. In no-limit hold'em, the 3-bet is simply the first re-raise pre-flop. For example, if a player opens to 3bb and you re-raise to 9bb, you have 3-bet. If the original raiser then re-raises again, that's a 4-bet.

According to research from the Carnegie Mellon University's AI poker program Libratus, pre-flop aggression through proper 3-betting is a cornerstone of winning poker strategy. Players who 3-bet appropriately capture more pots pre-flop, build bigger pots with premium hands, and create profitable exploitation opportunities.

Why 3-Betting Matters

A well-constructed 3-betting strategy provides several strategic advantages that directly impact your win rate:

Building Value with Premium Hands

When you hold strong hands like AA, KK, or AK, 3-betting builds a larger pot where your equity advantage translates to bigger profits. Calling with premium hands leaves money on the table and allows opponents to see cheap flops with speculative holdings that can outflop you. As discussed in our poker equity guide, maximizing value from high-equity hands is fundamental to winning poker.

Isolating Weak Players

3-betting helps you isolate loose openers and play heads-up pots in position against weaker ranges. If a recreational player opens too wide from the cutoff, 3-betting from the button puts them in a difficult spot with their marginal holdings while you gain positional advantage.

Winning Pots Uncontested

A significant portion of 3-bet profitability comes from fold equity. When opponents fold to your 3-bet, you win the pot immediately without needing to see a flop. This is especially valuable with light 3-bets where your hand has limited showdown value.

Balancing Your Range

If you only 3-bet with premium hands, observant opponents will exploit you by folding everything except their strongest holdings. By including light 3-bets, you become unpredictable and ensure your value hands get action. This concept is central to game theory optimal (GTO) strategy.

Value 3-Betting

Value 3-bets are made with hands strong enough to play for stacks against your opponent's calling range. The goal is to build a pot where you have significant equity advantage and extract maximum value.

Premium Value 3-Bet Hands

These hands should almost always be 3-bet for value regardless of position:

Secondary Value Hands

These hands are value 3-bets in favorable conditions (position, weak opener, deep stacks):

• TT, 99: 3-bet vs wide openers; can call vs tight ranges
• AQs, AQo: Strong 3-bet in position; mix calls from blinds
• AJs: Positional 3-bet; blockers help against 4-bets
• KQs: 3-bet vs loose openers; has good post-flop playability

Light 3-Betting (Bluffs)

A light 3-bet is a re-raise made with a hand that isn't strong enough for pure value but has strategic merit as a bluff. Light 3-betting exploits opponents who fold too frequently to 3-bets and is essential for a balanced, profitable strategy.

Characteristics of Good Light 3-Bet Hands

The ideal light 3-bet hands share several key characteristics:

• Blockers: Hands containing an Ace or King block your opponent's value hands (AA, KK, AK), making it more likely they'll fold to your 3-bet. Suited aces like A5s and A4s are premier light 3-betting hands.
• Post-flop playability: When called, you want hands that can flop draws, make strong hands, or have backdoor potential. Suited connectors like 87s or 76s fit this profile.
• Equity when called: Good light 3-bet hands have reasonable equity even against a strong calling range. According to poker probability principles, suited hands have about 3% more equity than their offsuit counterparts.

Common Light 3-Bet Hands

When to Light 3-Bet

Light 3-betting is most profitable in these situations:

• Against wide openers: Players who open 25%+ of hands from late position fold to 3-bets more often
• With position: Being in position post-flop gives you control and information advantages
• Against tight 3-bet callers: Opponents who only call 3-bets with premiums give you high fold equity
• At deep stacks: More room to maneuver post-flop if called
• When table image is tight: Your 3-bets get more respect if you've been playing conservatively

Position-Based 3-Bet Ranges

Your position at the table dramatically affects your 3-betting strategy. Position provides information and control post-flop, allowing you to 3-bet wider when you'll act last after the flop.

3-Betting from the Blinds

From the blinds, you'll be out of position post-flop, so your 3-bet range should be tighter and more linear (value-heavy). Without positional advantage, hands that rely on post-flop playability become less profitable.

3-Betting in Position (Button vs CO, CO vs HJ)

When you'll have position post-flop, you can 3-bet wider with more light 3-bets. Your post-flop advantages compensate for lower equity pre-flop.

Use the Hand Range Visualizer to practice constructing position-based 3-bet ranges and see which hands fall into your value and bluff categories.

Adjusting to Opponent Tendencies

Your 3-bet range should expand or contract based on your opponent's tendencies:

• Against loose openers (25%+ range): Widen your 3-bet range significantly; their calling range is capped and weak
• Against tight openers (15% or less): Tighten 3-betting; focus on value; reduce light 3-bets
• Against frequent 4-bettors: Polarize your range; 3-bet with hands that can call or 5-bet all-in
• Against calling stations: Eliminate bluffs; 3-bet purely for value with premium hands

3-Bet Sizing Strategy

Proper 3-bet sizing balances fold equity (larger = more folds) against risk (smaller = less committed). Your sizing should also be consistent to avoid giving away information about your hand strength.

Standard Sizing Guidelines

Sizing Considerations

Several factors should influence your 3-bet sizing, as detailed in our comprehensive bet sizing guide:

• Stack Depth: With deeper stacks (150bb+), you can use smaller sizing to maintain flexibility. With shorter stacks (50-80bb), larger sizing commits you more quickly.
• Online vs Live: Online players tend to use smaller sizing (2.5-3x) due to more elastic calling frequencies. Live players often size larger (3.5-4.5x) as calling tendencies are stickier.
• Tournament vs Cash: Tournament play often requires larger 3-bet sizing due to ICM considerations and shorter effective stacks. See our tournament strategy guide for more details.
• SPR Planning: Consider the stack-to-pot ratio you'll create post-flop and whether that suits your hand strength.

Defending Against 3-Bets

When you open-raise and face a 3-bet, you have three options: 4-bet, call, or fold. Your decision depends on your hand strength, position, opponent tendencies, and stack depth.

4-Betting

4-betting is the most aggressive response to a 3-bet. Your 4-bet range should be polarized, containing premium value hands and some bluffs:

• Value 4-bets: AA, KK (always), QQ, AKs (usually), sometimes JJ vs wide 3-bettors
• Bluff 4-bets: A5s-A3s (ace blockers), some suited connectors at low frequency

Standard 4-bet sizing is 2.2-2.5x the 3-bet. For example, if someone 3-bets to 10bb, 4-bet to 22-25bb.

Calling 3-Bets

Call 3-bets with hands that play well post-flop but aren't strong enough to 4-bet for value:

• Medium pairs: 99-JJ (against aggressive 3-bettors), 77-88 (in position with implied odds)
• Suited broadways: AQs, AJs, KQs - strong post-flop potential
• Suited connectors: 87s-98s (in position only) - set up profitable post-flop situations
• Suited aces: ATs+ - blockers plus flush potential

Calculate whether calling is profitable using the pot odds calculator and consider implied odds from the implied odds calculator.

Folding to 3-Bets

Fold hands that don't have sufficient equity or playability to continue:

• Weak broadways: KJo, QJo, KTo - dominated by calling ranges
• Unsuited connectors: 87o, 76o - not enough equity or playability
• Small suited aces: A9s-A6s (offsuit versions always fold) - often dominated
• Weak suited kings: K7s-K2s - blockers but poor equity realization

Playing 3-Bet Pots Post-Flop

3-bet pots create unique post-flop dynamics due to the larger pot size and commitment level. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for extracting maximum value and minimizing losses.

3-Bet Pot Characteristics

• Lower SPR: With ~20-25bb pots pre-flop and 75-90bb remaining, SPR is typically 3-4 compared to 10-15 in single-raised pots
• Stronger ranges: Both players have condensed, stronger ranges than in single-raised pots
• More commitment: Lower SPR means easier stack-off decisions with top pair or better
• Premium hand values increase: Overpairs are much stronger in 3-bet pots

As the 3-Bettor

When you 3-bet and get called, you're often the pre-flop aggressor with the strongest perceived range:

Continuation betting: You should c-bet at a lower frequency than in single-raised pots (50-60% vs 65-75%) because caller ranges are stronger. Focus c-bets on boards that favor your range and when you have equity or blockers. Review our c-bet strategy guide for detailed board-specific advice.

Board texture matters: On A-high or K-high boards, your range has significant advantage. On low connected boards (8-7-6), caller ranges with suited connectors may have caught up. Use the Board Texture Analyzer to evaluate different flop textures.

As the 3-Bet Caller

When you call a 3-bet, you're typically in position with a capped range (you would have 4-bet AA/KK):

• Check more often: Your range is capped, so aggressively taking control can be exploited
• Float selectively: Use float plays on boards where the 3-bettor might have missed
• Value hands play straightforwardly: Sets and top pair should usually aim to get stacks in
• Respect aggression: When a 3-bettor fires multiple barrels, they're often value-heavy

Stack-Off Thresholds

In 3-bet pots with an SPR of 3-4, you should generally be willing to stack off with:

• Always: Sets, two pair, top pair top kicker (TPTK)
• Usually: Overpairs, top pair good kicker
• Conditionally: Top pair weak kicker (depends on opponent), strong draws
• Rarely: Second pair, weak draws

Common 3-Betting Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors that diminish 3-bet profitability:

Advanced 3-Betting Concepts

Polarized vs Linear 3-Bet Ranges

A polarized range contains the strongest hands (value) and some weak hands (bluffs), with medium-strength hands missing. Example: AA, KK, AKs (value) + A5s, 76s (bluffs), but NOT AQo, KJs (medium). Polarized ranges work best in position against opponents who fold or 4-bet but rarely call.

A linear range contains strong hands descending in strength without bluffs. Example: AA down through AJo, KQs. Linear ranges work best out of position and against calling stations who won't fold pre-flop.

Blocker Effects in 3-Betting

As explained in our blocker theory guide, holding certain cards reduces the combinations of hands your opponent can have. This is particularly relevant for light 3-betting:

• Ace blockers: A5s blocks AA (6→3 combos) and AK (16→12 combos)
• King blockers: K9s blocks KK and AK, good for bluff 3-bets
• Double blockers: AK blocks both AA and KK, excellent for 4-bet bluffs

3-Betting in Tournaments vs Cash Games

Tournament 3-betting requires consideration of ICM and survival equity:

• Near the bubble: Tighten 3-bet range; survival matters more than accumulating chips
• As chip leader: 3-bet wider to pressure short stacks who can't afford to call
• With short stack: Move to push/fold; 3-betting commits too much of your stack
• Final table: Pay jump considerations may override standard 3-bet strategy

The Nash equilibrium calculator provides push/fold ranges for tournament situations where 3-betting no longer makes sense.

Tools for Improving Your 3-Bet Strategy

Use these calculators and trainers to develop and refine your 3-betting skills:

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Strategy Guides