5nl 6 Max - What is considered a light 3 bet ?

EchoEllis

EchoEllis

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Hi, so what would you consider a light 3bet from a tight player (17 VPIP 15 PFR) against a loose player (32 VPIP 25 PFR) from various positions??

Is 3 betting a smal-middle pair in the SB or BB profitable in these spots If you only barrell once? What about on the BTN open my range more?
 
W

Weisssound

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Total posts
272
Chips
0
Depends on if you are going against someone who is loose-passive or loose-aggressive. A tight player generally won't 3bet light against a loose aggressive player. By definition a light 3bet is a 3bet with holdings that are behind your opponents pf raising range. So doing this against a loose-aggressive player is asking for trouble. Doing this against a loose-passive player however is a good way to get a fold pre-flop and widen your 3betting rate.

3 betting light is definitely profitable but as the poker pros say: it's all about looking for the right spots. It's most profitable with strong drawing hands (KJsuited) or pocket pairs, and obviously more profitable in position. From OOP, I would consider it a "3-bet bluff" more than anything. Which is essentially the same except for the mentality going into the hand.

If I'm OOP and there's a few limps and a late position player raises and I look down at pocket fours in the blind I have to consider my options. I can fold (nothing wrong with that). I can call (bad idea as there will assuredly be callers behind and pocket fours is a losing hand multi-way). Or I can raise (insure I'm against less opponents and have fold equity). Generally speaking I want to mix it up and switch between folding and 3betting. But the ultimate goal is this: if I'm going to make light 3bets it's so that I can get my strong 3bets called. If I never 3bet without AA or KK I'm not going to get a lot of action on those holdings. So 3betting hands like 44 or KJs are ultimately to raise my 3bet rate so my AA/KK hands get called.


3betting your button... well.. people will disagree with me on this but I prefer to flat my speculative hands. I have position and people don't respect button raises quite as much. If I'm not getting respect on my raise I should be raising with stronger hands, not lighter ones.
 
EchoEllis

EchoEllis

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Total posts
132
Chips
0
Depends on if you are going against someone who is loose-passive or loose-aggressive. A tight player generally won't 3bet light against a loose aggressive player. By definition a light 3bet is a 3bet with holdings that are behind your opponents pf raising range. So doing this against a loose-aggressive player is asking for trouble. Doing this against a loose-passive player however is a good way to get a fold pre-flop and widen your 3betting rate.

3 betting light is definitely profitable but as the poker pros say: it's all about looking for the right spots. It's most profitable with strong drawing hands (KJsuited) or pocket pairs, and obviously more profitable in position. From OOP, I would consider it a "3-bet bluff" more than anything. Which is essentially the same except for the mentality going into the hand.

If I'm OOP and there's a few limps and a late position player raises and I look down at pocket fours in the blind I have to consider my options. I can fold (nothing wrong with that). I can call (bad idea as there will assuredly be callers behind and pocket fours is a losing hand multi-way). Or I can raise (insure I'm against less opponents and have fold equity). Generally speaking I want to mix it up and switch between folding and 3betting. But the ultimate goal is this: if I'm going to make light 3bets it's so that I can get my strong 3bets called. If I never 3bet without AA or KK I'm not going to get a lot of action on those holdings. So 3betting hands like 44 or KJs are ultimately to raise my 3bet rate so my AA/KK hands get called.


3betting your button... well.. people will disagree with me on this but I prefer to flat my speculative hands. I have position and people don't respect button raises quite as much. If I'm not getting respect on my raise I should be raising with stronger hands, not lighter ones.

Yeah i'm playing very TAG though so its pretty much 3bet or fold even in position, i'm 3betting as I think my 3betting range beats their raising range but this can be hands as weak as, KQs, KQo, AJs, AJo, I don't wanna flat these. And I'm raising knowing theres a good chance my opponent will call a 3bet, but if I'm playing a tight aggro game are these 'light 3bets' a leak waiting to happen?
 
C

Cymro

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Total posts
53
Chips
0
I'd try it. It never hurts to find out what your opponent will call a 3-bet with, and most of the time in 5NL you'll be up against players who open wide, but will fold to 3-bets because the vast majority of the time someone 3-bets in 5NL they have AK or JJ+.

It also puts you in a good position to win a big pot those times you do get called and you do flop a set.
 
Karozi615

Karozi615

Visionary
Silver Level
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Total posts
517
Chips
0
Hi, so what would you consider a light 3bet from a tight player (17 VPIP 15 PFR) against a loose player (32 VPIP 25 PFR) from various positions??

Is 3 betting a smal-middle pair in the SB or BB profitable in these spots If you only barrell once? What about on the BTN open my range more?


6max or FR?

Either way if your playing a 17 VPIP and a 15 PFR it can definitely be profitable to play hands like 77,88, ATo (etc.) aggressively. That's sort of how you become a really good poker player, ever heard of Phil Laak?

He's the nittiest nit but he knows how to find a good spot.

The thing if you should be prepared for multiple barrels on certain boards (which is discretionary but comes with experience)

For example, a really solid player would know that they need to lead a J 9 4 board with 88 because a LAG flatting a 3bet is probably still behind.
 
weldphaser

weldphaser

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Total posts
199
Chips
0
6max or FR?

Either way if your playing a 17 VPIP and a 15 PFR it can definitely be profitable to play hands like 77,88, ATo (etc.) aggressively. That's sort of how you become a really good poker player, ever heard of Phil Laak?

He's the nittiest nit but he knows how to find a good spot.

The thing if you should be prepared for multiple barrels on certain boards (which is discretionary but comes with experience)

For example, a really solid player would know that they need to lead a J 9 4 board with 88 because a LAG flatting a 3bet is probably still behind.

+1 , the only thing i can say if its a good LAG , he's going to put you in some tough spots wit a bloated pot after you 3b, so be cautious
 
Top