3-Betting Pre Flop

3-Betting Pre Flop is something that every player does, but to make correct three bets is something that not everyone does. Making correct three bets before the flop will influence later decisions in a pot, and building a pot correctly is something that will make decisions much easier. When making a re-raise before the flop there are some things to take in to account. First, you have to see how much your opponent is playing, or see what their stack is, and if it is even correct to raise them. Second, do you think you have the best hand or are you trying to re-steal and take the pot away from your opponent? Lastly, you want to look at your hand. Looking at your own hand is the easy part of the progression before a raise. If you have QQ or better and AQ/AK you should always three bet for 3.5 to 4 times what their opening raise was. For example in a .25/.50 cent blind game a player opens to $2, and you wake up with Aces. You should make a re-raise between $7and $8. Some of the time they will fold and other times they will call. Once in a while they just jam all-in and that is exactly what you want.

The reason that you make a three bet before the flop is to build a pot, but also to collect equity from a fold. When you are re-raising your opponent before the flop they are instantly putting you on a big pair or AK. If you can play the hand strong enough post flop you will collect a lot of poker bonus money for it. In one situation where AK misses a flop; when your three bet is called, the best play is to continue to lead after it. But, the main thing to look at is who is playing tight and cautious at your table, and who is playing wildly aggressive. A lot of tight players will open a pot before the flop, and you can easily three bet them off their hand almost every time. These are the players to sit with because even though you won’t be winning big pots you will be consistently winning. That is a main goal of the three bet; to win the pot before the flop.

Also, a reason to three bet is if there is a very aggressive player and you wake up with a big pair. More times than not a three bet before the flop will build a big pot up against an aggressive player. Aggressive players don’t fold too often if they already have money invested in the pot, so, it is best to let them hang themselves in pots. If you built the pot up and check to them a lot of the time they will check back because you showed the last aggression. If you made the last raise in a pot then you are better off continuing a bet on the flop because a lot of the time your opponent will float the bet or try and re-steal the flop.