Three Betting In Poker
As online poker seems to be becoming increasingly aggressive, the three bet is becoming a very useful tool to defend yourself against the raising maniacs. It is becoming a rarity to raise more then half the time without facing a three bet.
Most players don't fully understand the three bet and therefore don't use the play as effectively as they could. Other players just don't know what a three bet is. Simply, a three bet is a re-raise before the flop.
The main issue with three betting is the players range. Tight players often three bet a much too strict range and aggressive players three bet a much too wide range. There are two types of three bet, a value three bet and a light three bet. We will go through each type in detail.
The light three bet
A light three bet is when a player re-raises the pot, knowing he hasn't got the best hand, for value. This makes the bet almost like a semi-bluff, as your main goal is to win the pot straight away with no more action. However if you get a caller you still have value in the hand and a good chance to win the pot still.
The best opponent to try this move against is obviously a loose player who is throwing around raises. This is because it is more likely they will fold to your three bet and the chances are they are raising without a premium hand.
The value three bet
A value three bet is just the same as any other re-raise. It is the most used three bet and is simply the same as any other value bet, you feel you have the best hand and you want as many chips in the pot as you can possibly get.
The hands which are worthy of a value three bet is really dependant on your situation. You image, your opponents range, table aggressiveness etc. so there can be a wide range of hands or a small range of hands you should perform the three bet with.
Of course your opponent is the main factor when deciding whether or not to three bet. If you opponent is very loose and aggressive, your range will widen dramatically. Pocket pairs become much stronger and hands such as A-J, giving the right circumstances, can become a powerhouse.
Against a tight aggressive player your range should of course tighten. Pocket pairs become weaker, meaning only AA – QQ become worthy of consideration. Only AK should be three bet outside of pocket pairs, as anything else is surely behind.
You don't want your style and three bets to become stale however. Sometimes mixing up your betting will give you a huge advantage on the table, as players cannot make an accurate read on you and you become unpredictable. However if every player on your table knows your only going to three bet will aces or kings, they can make the correct decisions against you each time, leaving you with potentially less chips.
