When is a 3-bet not a 3-bet?

Hopefully a friendly-neighborhood genius can assist

I am MP and open with a call and BTN then raises. The orbit comes round to me again and I then call, bringing my pot stake up to the level of the BTN raiser so I stay in the hand.

Is this second Call (to raise level) considered a 3-Bet(a reraise) or a call?

I ask because Leak Buster is warning me of a high 3-Bet rate which I was unaware of. In the above scenario I am selecting the Call button but I am reaching raise levels in the pot and so wondered if this was perhaps where my "mystery" 3-Bets were occurring?

No. It's a limp/call as described and in general it's a horrible thing to do.

^^ What he said.

If you were to limp (call preflop, as opposed to raising) and then reraise the BTN's raise it would then be a 3-bet.

Please stop limping, you will be a better player.

So in essence if you`ve got the proverbial goods, put up the cash otherwise leave well alone?

I had seen this as an opportunity to get to the flop cheaply with A/Brodway and lower suited or other. Of course in the scenario I outlined it didn't end up any cheaper than if I'd raised myself and taken the initiative. Oh well, lesson learned!

In the meantime I'll hit HEM again and try and figure out where these damn 3-Bets are coming from.

Thanks folks!

Limping can be profitable in very specific scenarios. Hell, it might even be profitable in many scenarios. However only rarely will it be more profitable than raising in any given situation.

General rule of thumb is: If it isn't good enough to raise, it isn't good enough to play

I try not to play pots that I am not the last person to make a raise/reraise.... I feel like limpers need to be raised from position with almost any 2 cards. So I would raise instead of calling in your position.

Yes. Don't limp, it is bad.

Opening is raising, not calling. The blinds (preflop) are 1-bet, a raise is 2-bet, a re-raise is a 3-bet, etc.

Limping is reserved for special circumstances. It should not be done often. Exceptions may be: A maniac who raises every hand, and is playing ridiculous BS (limp here with the intention of 3-betting with monster hands), multi way pots with small PPs to set mine, maybe other reasons I can't think of.

If it's good enough to call, it's good enough to raise.

All of this is just my humble opinion. Take it or leave it.

I would say it's a call. But I can see how someone would consider it a three bet. In my opinion I would have either RE raises or folded in most situations.

Any hand worth playing is worth raising imho. This is true for many reasons but the two biggest are 1 you get more information for a cheaper price raising early and 2 you get to play less people at once. The one big exception is when youre in the small blind with 1 or more callers then pot odds say call atc but again, a raise out of position is a good play too.

Limp, call, fold is the weakest play of all.