When making a 3-bet, it’s critical that players carefully consider their opponents. A skilled poker player will utilize his or her range in such a way as to make it harder for opponents to call; perhaps including hands like K8s that cannot be flatted profitably yet still contain value in such pots.
Size of bet
An expert poker player knows when and how much to raise in different situations. For instance, when someone raises from the SB in a three-player Spin & Go and you are on the button, your response should be to raise to three Big Blinds; this will increase button pressure while decreasing post-flop confrontation costs. Be cautious not to over-raise and risk exposing yourself to significant loss.
Another key aspect of raising is your hand size. You should avoid three-betting with weak hands such as 98s; these don’t offer enough value to justify their three-betting against more perceptive opponents who call back later streets. On the other hand, premium hands like AA or QQ as well as lower suited connectors like 56 – 9T should always be three-betted against.
Mistakenly betting too heavily in 3-bet pots is a common misstep of many players. For example, many try to 3-bet small pairs against opponents that won’t make mistakes against your 3-bet (such as against tight nits who won’t respond with mistakes against it), which often backfires and leads to large losses at flop time. Furthermore, they frequently miss great value 3-bet spots against fish with hands like JJ and AQ which often continue wider postflop than expected.
Positional advantage
Positional advantage in poker is of vital importance when making strategic moves like three bets. They’re frequently employed as an effective means of increasing pre-flop pressure and keeping opponents off balance; but for maximum effectiveness it must be performed correctly – starting by understanding your opponent’s tendencies and preferences before selecting a size suitable for being called comfortably and selecting hands suitable for three betting – typically this would include medium strength hands as well as certain bluffs.
A three-bet can be an extremely effective strategy when used correctly, forcing opponents to fold weaker hands, shrinking the pot, and increasing chances of creating premium hands on the flop. But remember, overusing three-betting is risky against aggressive opponents who will quickly exploit this tactic and exploit you in turn.
Typically, when bluffing, your bet should be small while when defending against a 3-bet you should wager larger. An early position open is likely to merit small bets while SB/CO/BB opens could warrant large ones. You should also take into consideration your opponent’s weight before determining the size of bets to place against them.
Pre-flop betting phase
Pre-flop betting in 3 bet is an integral component of poker, enabling you to control pot size and extract maximum value from opponents. But using it incorrectly can lead to disaster; for instance, try not using it with weaker broadway hands such as KQo or suited connectors (i.e. 78s), or playing for stacks with weak pairs that do not provide high EV when making top pair; these hands won’t win pots anyway!
Strong poker players employ strategies designed to maximize their odds of success by three betting with an initial range that exceeds that of their opponent’s range, often flopping and calling to take down pots; but this strategy cannot always guarantee victory as opponents may adapt and adjust accordingly.
Sizing of a 3 bet is critical in order to force their opponent out. Standard 3x and 4x 3 bet sizes depend on both player position and table setting; we advise using this sizing more often in-position than out-of-position to increase chances of heads-up against an opponent with premium hands such as UTG opening with JJ from HJ and this will reduce their stack-to-pot ratio and bring them into heads up play more frequently.
Post-flop betting phase
Figuring out when and how to three bet poker can be key to becoming a profitable player. There are two primary reasons for three-betting; either for value or to bluff. But knowing when is difficult and requires in-depth knowledge of the game.
Post-flop betting phase should include frequent bluffs to force opponents to call more weak hands in future rounds and give you an advantage. Although this strategy can be very profitable, misusing it will result in money lost instead.
Ideal 3-bet play involves creating a polarized range. This will enable you to effectively force opponents out by forcing premium hands such as AK and JJ out while still having some bluff hands in there, increasing the odds that you win an instant, substantial pot.
Many players make the error of trying too often and too small of 3-betting for value, and thus sizing their bets too often for value. They try 3-betting hands like QQ when it may not really add any tangible benefit (i.e. against tight opponents who never make mistakes against a 3-bet), or they flat-call early position open raises when they should instead be 3-betting instead.