3-bet
The re-raise over an open: the third bet in the preflop sequence (blind, open, re-raise). A weapon for value and pressure at the same time.
A 3-bet is re-raising someone who has already raised before the flop. The name comes from counting bets: the big blind is the first, the open-raise the second, and your re-raise the third. The next one would be a 4-bet, and so on.
Why you 3-bet
Two reasons, and you should know which one is yours in every hand:
- For value: you hold a premium hand (QQ+, AK) and want to build the pot against the opener’s range, which is behind you.
- As a bluff (or semi-bluff): hands that don’t want to call the open but do want to apply pressure — suited hands with blockers like A5s are the classic candidates, because holding an ace cuts down the AA/AK combos your opponent can continue with (the blockers work for you) and the hand keeps equity when you get called.
A 3-bet range made only of premiums is easy to read: you get paid little when the aces finally show up. Mixing value and pressure is what makes it profitable — the ratio depends on your position and on who you’re re-raising.
Defending against the 3-bet
The same logic applies on the other side: if you open and get 3-bet, always folding gives your open away, and always calling burns chips out of position. The trainer’s charts have the answers seat by seat, and the blind defense drill drops you right into the spots where deciding hurts most.