3-betting, a pro move?

I will usually call a raise when I have a small-med pair, and then fold if I don't hit a set. I've been thinking that prehaps I've been playing that wrong. Maybe 3-betting into a LAG player would be a better move. Following up with a bet on the flop, representing a bigger hand than I have. Is this a move the top (online) pros would make?

I think most of the top online pros would never "always" do something. So I'd assume yes, that is a move many of them would make sometimes against a LAG player.

Any "move" could be possible, depending on the situation.

Whether or not 3 betting is a good move at a given time depends on position, your read on the player (if he's spazzy then he may just shove over your 3 bet, which is fine if you think that you're ahead of his range) as well as the cards that you hold.

Reactions of the player will vary according to the level that you're playing too. Best advice is to give it a try, be ready and willing to c-bet appropriately or fold appropriately, see how it works for you. Some players will see 3 bets as an indication of you holding AA/KK and fold immediately, and others will see it as just an inconvenience and be happy to call.

Do it more with position than without as you will be opening yourself up to a squeeze play by 3-betting light.

Do it against people who open very wide but either have the ability to fold PF or play very fit or fold on the flop (thus a c-bet will take down most pots)

Do not go overboard with it. In micro games, 3-bets are relatively scarce. It will be noticed and players will start calling you more if they feel you are constantly trying to blow them off their hand.

^^^ What Stu said.

Against a LAG, a small pair is usually the best hand anyway.

Exactly what I was thinking. In fact, in a recent tourney I was 3-bet and I called. I had JJ, and his 3-bet did make me suspicious of AA or KK. He made a mistake and didn't follow up with a c-bet on the flop (he later admitted to playing it badly). I was ready to fold on the flop if he made a descent raise.
So I checked along thinking if I bet then he will check raise. He min bet on the turn and river and I called both. He showed 98s. I definitely feared he had a big pair, so thats what got me thinking about using the 3-bet to win more pots.
I understand that I couldn't over use this play, but I want to test it out to see how it works.
Thanks all for your comments.

As always, it depends. If you are at a NL table where all-ins are often called, a 3-bet may be kind of a joke. You could use it at a wild table to try to get the others to behave somewhat reasonably, keep the pots lower and the risk lower.

It is unlikely to have much impact at the micro level, where the betting patterns go quickly from 3xBB to all-in. That said, it might serve to rein in a LAG, make him consider not raising so often. It could also get him to shove and then you could be the one folding to pressure -- and, trust me, most people at the table will notice that. So use it sparingly, against someone who might fold -- and try it out the first few times with a big hand so you can call a shove if necessary.

On the other hand, it is a bit shocking at most limit tables.

With position I play my pp's like this with good results. If an A or K comes on the flop and they check, a decent c-bet will usually take a pot in my experience. If I'm out of position and the A or K comes, sometimes I'll put in a 1/4 pot or even less as a "value" bet. Someone can critique this move but the bet is so low and I've been folded to so often doing it that to me it is profitable.This only works online though when everyone at low stakes likes to slow play. Live in my experience very few people slow play so a small raise will get called frequently.

It depends on villain's preflop range. calling preflop and playing fit or fold postflop is only good when villain's range is extremely strong. Like a tight player opening UTG.

When villain has a wider range because he's looser or because he's opening from late position, you need to add some moves to play your pp profitably. that can mean 3betting pre, although there are better candidates for light 3bets. Mostly it means raising or floating villain's cbet some of the time and turning some of your hands into bluffs.

It depends on the villain and also that no other players are in the hand. It's a good occasional strategy though you might find you're re-raised and so you should consider what's your strategy is then.

There's also a by-product of this if hands go to showdown - say you show your 3-betted 44 whether you win or lose, the TAGs round the table are noting that you 3-bet with a smallpair and will factor this into their future calculations. Good if you're dealt a monster a few hands later.

The main problem with 3 betting small pockets is that you are drawing to 2 outs when your opponent is often drawing to 6, even with crappy hands. You can increase your expectation from small pocket pairs if you pick the right spots to bluff raise the flop with other hands that have more live outs, as this will balance your play when you flop a set and want to raise. i.e. you will get looked up more often.

The whole theory behind this play is to win pots without a showdown. So really, I wouldn't need to be drawing for anything. Even if you get one caller to the flop, he may have a med/high pair(JJ, 10-10, even QQ), hoping to hit a set. If he doesn't get it, then a c-bet would force him out.

I know that a 3-bet usually means AA or KK. Most other players know this too. So the villian will have this in the back of his mind if he decides to call (I did).

This is probally an advanced play, and probally shouldn't be attempted by a beginner. It will require some reading, and post flop skills.

I'll let you know if it works ( if I get the nerv to try it)

Then we might as well be talking about any two cards.

Saw someone do this with J-4 suited yesterday. It will work well against a LAG player because their range is so wide. The problem is if they call it is very difficult to tell what kind of flop misses them.

it often does in micro buyin Tourney play but in high buyin, depending on the situation there is often alot of spots they're looking to 3-bet light in.

I've watched a bunch of MTT Training Vids.with a good player critiquing the play in them (a winning high buyin MTT player on Fulltilt w an FTOPS win under his belt also). I was surprised to see the amount of times he was picking spots to 3-bet light.

This works very well against someone who you think is just doing a button raise. I actually did this move today in the doyles freeroll (not saying who I did it against ), but this player was on the button, with a mid stack. I felt like he was just trying to play the button and collect some much needed chips. I reraised him, he called. I followed with a c-bet and he folded very quickly.

I forgot to mention that everyone folded to the button. so it was just the two of us and not any other callers. I was the BB. I wouldn't have tried it if there were any limpers of course.

So if I understand you correctly, you're saying that you see the pros use 3-betting a lot in their game.
I think adding this to your game will up your level of play.....at least I hope so.

It took me a while before I got the hang of three betting light. IMO it all comes down to situations-you're looking for the right situatiuons to three bet and your own table image. If you've been lose I wont give you credit for a strong hand when you do it-and I will 4 bet or shove your azz. My favourite time to three bet is around the bubble on players with a medium size stack who still want to cash. I've been practicing this in the low MTT stakes and they do give you credit for a big pair-but you better know what range your opponent has before you try it. After I read something poker orifice gave me I put aside 20 dolalrs just to practice this move and now I feel it has become a profitable tool in my toolbox.