3-betting: The one part of my game I feel uncomfortable with

I generally feel like my hand selection to raise with and what to limp with in the blinds etc; is fairly good, however I have been trying to incoperate 3-betting into my game as I feel like I have been a bit too passive postflop, and of course this means you need the best hand to win when playing passively.

Of course 3-betting removes this aspect, and puts you in the lead of the hand, but I often get confused as to when to 3-bet. Various sources have said to 3-bet with hands when in the blinds or on the button when someone is raising in late position as most of the time they're opening up light? Is this the best spot in general?

I do tend to find that in other positions on the table I'll have QKs in MP and i'll be facing a raise from UTG or UTG+1 and I;ll freeze and not know what to do. Like in the past i'd just call, but I always question whether I should be three-betting or not.

depend on effective stacks both you, and UTG and UTG+1
and the ranges - if UTG and UTG+1 have a fair strong range, QK fold is the best
but if both of them have a lot of weak range, QK is more profitable to 3bet, for the possible edge you could get.

the most tricky part for 3bet is need to know exactly where are you stand with some type of marginal hands like KQ, simply to say, with AA is much easy to play preflop 3bet than KQ, because when 3bet you know exactly AA is the best hand now.

XXPXXP said:

depend on effective stacks both you, and UTG and UTG+1
and the ranges - if UTG and UTG+1 have a fair strong range, QK fold is the best
but if both of them have a lot of weak range, QK is more profitable to 3bet, for the possible edge you could get.

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So that's basically why people say to 3-bet raises from the CO and Button more often because they open with a wider range?

GreatLeslie said:

So that's basically why people say to 3-bet raises from the CO and Button more often because they open with a wider range?

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add words afterward:

the most tricky part for 3bet is need to know exactly where are you stand with some type of marginal hands like KQ, simply to say, with AA is much easy to play preflop 3bet than KQ, because when 3bet you know exactly AA is the best hand now

I think the only one right answer about your 3-betting range is that it depends of your opponents.
You can't have a fixed 3betting range, and say that you'll never or maybe always 3bet hands like TT or KQ for the button. (for example)
3-beeting range depends of your opponents playing style and his tendencies.
I reccomend you start using HUD, so these decisions will be a lot easier for you

3 betting is a little trickier as it adds a new dimension to your pre-flop play.

First things first, you need to have your opponent(s) on a range of cards. You want to assign your 3-betting range to be ahead of most of your opponents betting range.

So let's say everyone at the table is playing ABC poker. You have KJ suited in the big blind. KJ suited is not a *bad* hand at all, but it's not a premium either.

Scenario 1:

UTG +1 raises 3.5xBB. Unless we think our opponent is likely to fold to a 3-bet with AJ, AQ, KQs, or pocket pairs less than 88, a 3-bet here is not going to be profitable. Most of our ABC villain's hand range is not folding to a 3-bet, so in this scenario you're going to the flop out of position with a questionable holding.

Scenario 2:

The Cutoff raises 2.5xBB. Unless we think our opponent is super tight, there's a whole lot of the opponent's range that we are ahead of here. Suited connectors, weak-ish Aces, weak broadway cards. How "loose" we think our opponent is dictates how often we should 3-bet with a marginal holding.


3-betting with a marginal holding is scary, but it's a necessary evil. You maximize your value by not playing out of position and getting pre-flop folds. You generally have a disguised hand when you do hit. So if you time that kind of stuff right, you are getting money in the long run.

But why 3-bet marginal holdings at all? Well, aside from the fact that doing it right is profitable, it also widens our 3-betting range. Now let's think about holding AA, KK, AK, or QQ. If our range is wider, then we start getting called off by worse holdings more often. And this is what we really want. We want to be holding AA and get 4-bet by AK, AQ, AJ, JJ, QQ. We want to get called by 88, JTs, Ax, etc. Because now we're inflating the pot when we are a favorite to win.


Being in position is a whole 'nother story. Here, when you're saying you're not comfortable 3-betting it's because you're not comfortable playing post flop. That just comes with playing more. Once you feel solid on your post flop play, 3-betting in position is almost too tempting.

I think you should just try 3 betting with hands whether its good or bad. Practice it to feel comfortable early on. When you do 3bet note opponents that call and act on first after calling, or when they check. Also keep mental note on how often your 3 betting. I would say how you bet helps develop on how your opponents think, so if they think your trapping with check raises or re raising out preflops and leading with strong holdings, they can only assume until they try to test you. You can't know if your making right plays until you put yourself to a test. Fearing to 3bet is going to hold back a ton of equity in tourneys and chances to steal pots.