At the micro stakes (2NLHE and 5 NLHE) 4-bet only for absolute value, meaning AA, KK and AK, nothing more. You can even remove QQ from your 4-bet range at the micros, or call more than 4-betting with QQ.
As you start to move on the chain of poker, at 10 NLHE you might try to use some 4-bet bluffs, since there are more 'thinking' players than limits below. However, the great secret is never to exaggerate your 4-bet
bluffing range.
What is a balanced 4-bet range?
You are going to use the same sizing, unless you are out of position for every situation and use the same, unless you have information that Villain is weak and will pay you a more expensive 4-bet preflop, even so, don't need to go over the temples!
Using a slightly larger size out of position is better, specially when we are facing players who doesn't fold a lot to 4-bet and can be overplayed postflop easily in 4-bet pots.
When players start to fold a lot to 4-bet (this is very hard stat at the micros, because we never have the proper sample of hands, which is huge, and recreational barely never play millions of hands, so..), we must start to put up some 4-bet for bluffs, balancing and protecting our value range (and vice-versa).
I believe this way of thinking the game is more valid if utilized from 25 NLHE and farther. At lower limits if you 4-bet heavy value you rarely will be wrong.
The chemistry of balancing:
We must mix between calling and 4-betting, yes: if we 4-bet AA a 100% of times our range becomes too obvious and regulars are going to fold more to our 4-bets and we don't like it.
Let's say that sometimes we are going to call 3-bet with AA, KK and AK, specially in position, to protect hands such as QQ, JJ and TT, AQ, AJ, hands that we don't feel comfortable to 4-bet in a high frequency.
So, lemme try to be very basic here: from 25 NLHE and higher, I say until 200 NLHE, regulars are very smart and you should try to balance your 4-bet range. Let's suppose that you are 4-betting FOR VALUE only:
AA, KK, QQ and AKs and sometimes AKo
We have 18 combos of pocket pairs and 16 combos of broadways, so, we do 4-bet for value, 34 combos, total.
Our 4-bet FOR BLUFF must contain the same ammount of combos that we use for value, or maybe a little less. If we 4-bet 34 combos for value we must have 34 combos for bluff, total 68 combos we are 4-betting, this way the opponent will never know when we have "the nuts" or a "bluff".
Personally, I don't love to 4-bet a lot with QQ at cash tables, because it is almost everytime dominated by some Kx or Ax, and this sucks. Besides including QQ on our 4-bet range increases the ammount of bluffing combos we must have it, thus unbalancing our range a little.
So, I will remove part of this "loose" 4-bet range so I can bluff more safely at micro-stakes, for example:
4-bet range for VALUE: AA, KK and AKs ONLY
4-bet range for BLUFF: (it depends) you may use AQs, AJs, ATs, AxYs, the baby suited aces are great IMO, such as A5s-A2s, you can use common sense and judgmente for example, if you are 300 hands without making a 4-bet and there is a player who folds too much to 4-bet you can be a little creative and increase and add some suited connector, pocket pair or suited broadway into your 4-betting range, specially those with removal (Ax, Kx, Qx, Jx).
Regards;
Carlos 'Aballinamion' Barbosa