What is 3Betting?

3Betting literally means to make the 3rd bet in a round. In pre-flop, the blinds are technically considered the first bet so a 3bet is a re-raise. For example, if we’re sat in a $1/$2 NLH cash game and the UTG raises $6 then when we re-raise to $12 that would be the 3bet.

Although 3betting might not be that common in the micro-stakes games up to $0.25/$0.50, by the time you start entering the low stakes games of $0.5/$1 3betting and 4betting (the 4th bet) become extremely common and very importance concepts to master. It’s important to get your 3betting range right because you need to learn how to extract maximum value from your premium hands whilst balancing your range with some lesser hands.

3Betting Hands

Depending on your style (i.e. LAG or TAG) your 3betting range will and can vary.

Most TAGs (tight-aggressive players) stick to a 3bet range up to 5%, which mean they only 3bet their top 5% of starting hands which includes AJ+ and JJ+ (sometimes 1010 and A10 can be included if the game is short-handed). When a TAG 3bets his hand his is doing by playing them thick and fast so to extract maximum value from a hand like AA or KK. His aim would be to stack-off with opponents pre-flop since he doesn’t really want to get into any complicated situations post-flop where he has to start reading the board and second-guessing his opponent.

LAGs (loose-aggressive players) tend to 3bet a much broader range of hands and have a 3bet% of up to 10% (some times higher if the table is very weak and tight). LAG’s 3betting range includes premium hands along with marginal hands such as suited connectors such as 6s7s, low-mid pocket pairs, broadway cards and AJo. Importantly, LAGs tend to increase their 3betting bluff range from late position such as CO or LP.

What is 3Betting Light?

3Betting light involves 3betting with non-premium hands, sort of like a bluff, which represent your 3bett bluffing range rather than 3betting for value.

3betting light is about stealing the blinds and not wanting to get called although you might still have some equity and “outs” just in case. 3Betting light is a type of positional play and players will only 3bet with non-premium hands when they are in position either from LP or CO. 3Betting light is only profitable in position because it gives you a strategic advantage being able to act last on future streets and being able to see your opponent act first. For example, if you 3bet from CO and get called but then your opponent checks the flop, you can take down the pot by c-betting in position. If things were the other way round and you 3bet light out of position in EP (early position) than you would have to act blindly on the flop; if you miss the flop and make a c-bet and your opponent calls or re-raises you than you are quite literally screwed.

Final Tips

3Betting is a means of extracting maximum value from your hands. Because of this, you shouldn’t be 3betting any hands that won’t hold up if you get stacked off. AQ+ and JJ+ are solid 3betting hands that you should be happy to stack off with and call an all-in pre-flop, however as you range weakens to 1010 or 99 you should be less willing to get these in pre-flop.

Also take into account your opponent’s pre-flop raising range. If you’re opponent’s PFR is below 10% than he is obvious only raising with very premium hands which you are unlikely to beat, however if his PFR% is 20%+ than that is considerably higher and a lot of the time his hand range will be too weak to call a 3bet so he will be forced to fold.