When and why to use Three betting

In the past few years poker, especially no limit holdem, has changed due to the large amount of young online players being able to play a massive amount of hands online at sites like Fulltilt and Everest. These online texas holdem players are much more aggressive pre-flop. A few years ago if a player re-raised pre-flop it nearly always meant Aces, Kings, Queens, A-K or occasionally A-Q. This was because the the old school players like Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese were told hands like Tens and Jacks wouldn’t stand to a pre-flop re-raise and they believed aggressive moves should be used after the flop. But this is not the fact any more. If you watch the top players now, re-raising pre-flop is very common, and to be able to survive in the new form of Texas holdem you’ll need to know how to be more aggressive pre-flop.

You have probably seen three betting happen 100 times at a poker table or watching it on TV.  This will hopefully teach how and when to use it in your game and take you to the next level so you can compete with the new blood in the poker scene, the loose and aggressive players, who will re-raise your raise with average hands.

Introducing the Three Bet

Three betting is re-raising your opponents raise pre-flop, where the big blind (first bet) has been raised (second bet) and you have re-raised your opponent (third bet).

So how much should you bet? There is a few circumstances when you can use three betting, one of these times is when you and your opponent are both deep stacked, for example, early in a tournament or in a cash game where you have plenty of big blinds. In this situation you should start by beating three times the big blind. Your opponent should raise your bet by three times. So for example, If your playing at a cash table where the blinds are $1/$2. Your opponent would make the first raise to about $6, you will be looking to make it between $15 to $18.

So when you are short stacked, usually later in a tournament, the three bet size may vary. This is because the three better might be pot committing himself if he three bets. So he would probably just move all-in on the third bet.

Why three bet?

The main reason to three bet before the flop, instead of calling, is because one of the golden rules of no limit holdem is to keep the pressure on your opponent and forcing them to make a decision. Plus, if it goes to the flop it also gives you the advantage, this is due to the fact that in texas holdem often both players will miss the flop, so usually this would give you the advantage to win the pot.

Thoughts before three betting

There is certain things you should take into consideration before three betting and reason’s to think about why you are three betting.

1. You are betting for value because you believe your hand is better than the range your opponent is raising with. For example, your opponent has raised in a late position and you have K-K on the small blind. In this example you are ahead of the range of hands your opponent would raise with. So you would re-raise for value.

2. Player type and betting frequency is also important. For example, a tight player raises in early position  and you have 7-7 in middle position, you’re probably behind his range of hands. So re-raising wouldn’t be for value. But if a loose aggressive player raises from middle position and you have 7-7 in late position, you know he could do this with a wide rage of hands so you can three bet, putting him under pressure.
3. You have a average hand, so you use three betting as a semi bluff or bluff. Under the right circumstances you can re-raise with a hand that might be behind initially but can improve on the flop. For example, you have a hand like in late position J-10 suited and a semi aggressive player raises in middle position. So now you have three choices, fold, call or raise leaving your opponent with a difficult choice. In this situation option three is probably best. It can force your opponent fold better hands like A-10 or K-Q, plus it also gives you the chance to represent a big hand on the flop if your opponent calls. And you could also hit a little lucky and flop a monster with a hand like suited connectors.

So in conclusion there is many reasons to three bet. If you are doing for value. Because you think your opponent is weak or that you think you can represent a big hand on the flop. But there is still alot to consider before choosing to three bet. The type of player that made the original raise, chip stacks and position.

Poker used to be about aggressive raises, but the game has changed, and especially texas holdem, so now its about aggressive re-raises. You will notice that three betting has increased at the poker tables. There is also ways to combat 3 betting which you can read at GrinderX or you can go and discuss it further in the strategy forum.