3bet Poker
The preflop charts are an excellent starting place for new poker players to figure out what hands they should and should be playing while the 20 rules for crushing 3bet pots include some great tips and generalized guidelines for playing in this type of pot. Get the 3bet pot guide and more here. Other Poker Training Sites That Almost Made The List.
3bet Poker Explained
- Utilizing 3bets as part of a preflop strategy is an important part of creating an advanced poker style. A player that 3bets is more difficult to play for a few reasons: Players that raise preflop are unsure if a player is going to 3bet them, which makes it more difficult to raise with a weaker holding.
- The 3-bet (or more specifically, light 3-betting) is an advanced concept that adds an extra weapon to a game that has likely become repetitive and stagnant, even if that current game strategy is winning you money at the tables. 3-betting will shake up a mid-stakes player's game about as much as the continuation bet did when you first found out about that when you.
This article is for those players who are using a HUD software or are already using one. 3Bet HUD stats are one of the most important stats to look out for in a HUD. If you are a casual player, we suggest you read this article to understand the importance of using 3bet HUD stats.
What is a 3Bet in Poker?
A 3 bet can be described as the first re-raise on the preflop. The logic behind calling a preflop raise is that the blinds are the first mandatory bet, any raise becomes the second bet, and a re-raise becomes the third bet.
3bet Poker Clothing
Blinds = First Bet
First Raise = Second Bet
Re-raise = Third Bet or 3 Bet
If anyone re-raises after that, it becomes a 4 Bet.
Blinds = First Bet
First Raise = Second Bet
Re-raise = Third Bet or 3 Bet
Re-raise = Fourth Bet or 4 Bet
If the other players keep re-raising again, it can become 5-bet, 6-bet, and so on.
3bet Ranges
Preflop hand range analysis is the first step in strategizing your poker game. Preflop hand ranges can be very wide but if your opponent 3 bets, you can narrow down his range to get an accurate read on his hands.
Let’s look at a simple example: You raise from the middle position with 56 off-suit and a loose-passive player calls from the button. However, a tight-passive player 3-bets (re-raises) from the big blind. So, do you call or fold?
Let us review this example with the concepts of Capped and Uncapped Ranges.
Capped Range: A capped range has a few strong hands.
Uncapped Range: An uncapped range has very strong hands.
In the above example, when the loose-passive player flat-calls from the button, you can assume that he may not be holding a strong hand. He might be calling with a top 15% – 30% of the hands; thus, his range is capped or has a very few strong hands. However, when a tight-passive player 3bets from the blinds, you can accurately predict that he is holding a very strong hand or his range is uncapped. You can assume that he is holding top 5% to 10% of the hands – AA, KK, QQ or AK. So, his range is uncapped. Here, you can safely fold.
Why You Should 3bet in Poker?
3bet is a powerful preflop move that openly suggests that the player is holding a strong hand. Most of the players 3-bet with the top 3% to 10% of the total hands.
6-max games are fast-paced games where you play a lot of hands in less time. The pot usually goes multi-way as there are only 6 players at the table. If you have a strong hand and more players enter the pot, it can affect your poker hand equity. Your strong hand might no longer become the best hand post-flop. When you 3bet, you force your opponents to fold and go heads-up on the flop. Lesser competition means greater chances of winning the pot.
Two important concepts come into play when you 3bet – Polarized and Depolarized Ranges.
Polarized Range
A polarized range suggests that a player can have either Range A or Range B. He can be having two distinct sets of ranges – he can be holding the absolute hand, or he is bluffing.
For example, you raise 2.5X big blind (bb) with A♦8♦ from middle position and your opponent 3-bets 5X bb from late position. Both of you check till the turn. The board reads 3♣ 2♥ 9♣ Q♠ A♥ on the river. You raise half the pot, and your opponent goes all-in.
What do you think his range is? His 3 bet range includes an Ace with a better kicker like AK, AJ, AT and A9. He might be holding pocket aces, which seems unlikely as you also have an ace. Or is he bluffing? Although you have the best poker hand, this all-in shove has put you in a tough spot. Due to 3 betting, he was able to represent two different sets of range – The Nuts or Absolute Bluff.
Free Poker Sites
Depolarized Range
Also called as merged ranges, it is the exact opposite of polarized range where you 3-bet with a very strong hand and continue betting for value when you have the nuts post-flop. Depolarized range becomes very obvious based on the board texture. If your opponent has a depolarized range and continues raising, you should fold and dare not to bluff.
For example, if you 3-bet with KK and the flop reads K♦ 10♠ 5♠, you should continue betting to extract maximum value. Do not allow your opponent to improve his hand to form a flush on the later streets.
What are Good 3Bet HUD Stats?
Even after reading all the concepts, the basic question that you must be asking is what are good 3bet HUD stats? Most of the HUD software recommend anything between 5% to 9%. These numbers may vary slightly depending on the player’s playing style.
- Less than 5%: Such low stats indicate that the player is usually passive.
- 5% to 9%: You should aim for such stats.
- More than 9%: Such high stats indicate that the player is usually aggressive.
Fold to 3-bet HUD Stats
Your 3 bet strategy should be formulated by looking at your opponent’s Fold to 3-bet stats. This statistics shows at what percentage does your opponent fold to your 3bet preflop. You need to look at these two simple stats:
Less than 35%: If the Fold to 3-bet is less than 35%, your opponent is less likely to fold to your 3-bet. These are generally loose players, who don’t fold and tend to call your 3-bet often. Against such players, you should have a depolarized strategy where you should be 3 betting with only the strongest starting hands like AA, KK, QQ, JJ, broadways, etc. Your range has to be stronger than theirs. When you hit the nuts post-flop, you should be raising for maximum value.
More than 65%: If the Fold to 3-bet is more than 65%, your opponent is more likely to fold to your 3-bet. These are generally tight players who fold to your 3bet often. If they happen to call your 3-bet, you should have a polarized range as it is easier to bluff. If scare cards hit the board, they are more likely to fold to your raise.
3 Bet Poker Definition
Also Read: How to Cbet in Poker Perfectly?
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. We will be happy to answer!