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Breaking Down the Three-Bet

• 30.06.2025 8:04 pm
• Helen
• 0 Comments

Today's online games are ultra aggressive, and it seems impossible to sit at a given table above one orbit without getting faced with at least a single reraise prior the flop.

A good number of players, however, do not understand all reasons as to their actions well. They simply three bet just because it is the most popular thing to go by.

Another group three-bet a range that is way too wide, while others one that is too tight.

The two extremes can in fact be very exploitable, and the understanding of all the underlying reasons regarding three betting helps you do this more effectively.

Three-bets are essentially in two types, we have one for value, and then the "light" three bet.

What's value Three-Bet

It is the "traditional" one, and it's simply a value bet like any other. You simply believe you possess the best hand of all, and you would like to get some more money into this pot now you have an advantage. The specific hands worth value three-betting is a topic for discussion.

It all depends on a couple of factors and they include, the image of your opponent/playing tendencies, your image, table dynamics among other things.

The key ingredient in regard to this is that you possess a hand that has the potential to be the best against the range of your rival. You become predictable if you three-bet too tight.

Against any tight aggressive player of standard level, the three-bet for value may end up being fairly tight- for instance AA-JJ and A-K.

If you happen to be against the loose-aggressive rival, or one you understand likes to call the reraises light, there is need to have a much wider range, for example, AA-99, AK-AQ.

The main problem with very tight range three-betting is that becoming predictable is possible. Incase you continue playing with the same rivals; they are simply going to read you. The moment you three-bet, you literally have the monster hand.

If your rivals can precisely put you on either four-five hands each moment you reraise, they will be capable of making accurate decisions against you.

"Light" Three-Bet

This is simply when you happen to reraise any pre-flop raiser, using a hand that doesn't rate the best at that moment, but its valuable still, due to a number of reasons.

A light three-bet happens to simply be a semi-bluff. In short, your first aim is to immediately win your pot. You would like the rival to end up folding to your reraise.

Therefore, your ideal rival regarding three-bet light happens to be the one who is loose as far as opening raises is concerned. You know they raise light; therefore you may reraise them light, simply because you already know they are going to fold most of the time.

This is sure to win you this pot even without seeing any flop.

Image

Incase the image you have is that of the supertight player, it will be one difficult experience to get paid off on the big hands. This is because they already know you are tight and if you come out shooting, it's obvious, you have a hand.

Image is simply everything.

The moment you commence three-betting light, the image you possess as a nit will simply be forgotten.

For instance, if you happen to three-bet any player with then finally show down a two pair. Your rivals will begin viewing you from a brand new perspective.

They will literally be thinking, "This guy is not a nit as we thought, he has three-bet eight-high. I definitely have to call him down frequently. He is FOS, clearly"

Three betting in short counters any tight image that you may have established already, and it gives you the liberty to adopt more rounded a game.

Incase your rivals believe you are full of it; the value bets you are going to make all day will simply be thin till they readjust.

Balancing Your Range

Three-betting light becomes handy in ensuring the balance of your reraises. Incase you three-bet only at a Tight range- for instance AA-QQ and KK- and your opponents already know it prior to your three-betting, you can only get a single of four hands.

Of course, not a range that is balanced

The moment the reraising range is that narrow, your rivals are mostly able to decide well. As already mentioned, though, the moment you add to your armory light three-bet, your rival can not be sure regarding what you hold.

You could possess double aces, or simply have . This will leave them guessing. And when they are left thus, you simply leave the door wide open for your rivals to make mistakes. They are sure to end up calling and when you are in possession of the goods, and simply folding the moment you do not have anything.

Who is a quality candidate regarding Light Three-Bet?

Literally, no one is a "good hand" with regard to three-betting, but some types of hands can be termed better than others. The moment you know that light three-bet is singularly a semi-bluff, you easily get to distinguish which is which.

Your aim is to end up winning the hand, and without showdown, but clearly, this is not always guaranteed to work. So, the moment you are called, you simply want to be in possession of that hand that can simply play poker and on the flop.

Suited connectors make outstanding light three-bet hands, simply because the moments you get called, you simply have the capability of flopping one strong draw, and then potentially stack a player.

Control yourself

This is not possible if what you are three-betting is .

Control yourself

Remember, a bigger percentage of light three-bet value is hinged to the fact that it is semi-bluff. You are primarily relying on your rival to end up folding most of the time.

Incase you begin three-betting too regularly, your rivals are going to stop respecting your three-bets, then begin looking you up regularly.

When this happens, your fold equity  disappears and there is much less value as far as three-betting light is concerned. Now would be one ample time for switching gears to benefit from the confused rivals off light paying you.

It's Not Rocket Science

Value is the major reason to three-bet. Everything else is simply a result of that. You simply need to achieve value out of the good hands you have.

However, incase the three-betting range you have is way too tight, then the rival is certain to adapt and simply fold each time you happen to three-bet.

Three-betting light in short balances your range of three-bet, and then leaves your rival guessing. And as we saw before, when they are in this state, they are certain to make mistakes.  As we know, these mistakes are numbers that get added to your bankroll in the end.