What Is a 3-Bet in Poker? Meaning, Sizing and Ranges
By the PokerClimb team · Reviewed by Agustin Policano · Updated · 8 min read
A 3-bet is the first re-raise before the flop. If a player opens to 2.5bb and you raise to 7.5bb, you made a 3-bet. It is called a “3-bet” because the big blind counts as the first bet and the open as the second. Players 3-bet for value with strong hands and as a bluff with hands that block strong ones.
Few words confuse newer players more than “3-bet”. You hear it on every stream and in every strategy video, and nobody stops to explain why a single re-raise is called a three. The idea is simple once you see the counting, and it is one of the most important tools in modern cash games.
Why it is called a 3-bet
Before the flop, the forced big blind counts as the first bet. From there each raise adds one:
| Action | Name | Example at 100bb |
|---|---|---|
| Big blind posts | 1st bet | 1bb |
| First raise | Open (2-bet) | Hijack opens to 2.1bb |
| Re-raise | 3-bet | Button raises to 7bb |
| Re-re-raise | 4-bet | Hijack raises to 19bb |
| Next raise | 5-bet | Button moves all in for 100bb |
So when a coach says “BTN 3-bets the HJ open”, they mean the button re-raised the hijack’s opening raise.
Why players 3-bet
There are three reasons to 3-bet instead of just calling, and good players use all three.
- Value. With hands like QQ+ and AK you want more money in the pot while you are ahead.
- Fold equity. Many opens fold to a 3-bet. Winning the pot right away is a fine result, and it is the reason some weaker hands are profitable 3-bets.
- Initiative and position. The 3-bettor becomes the aggressor, which makes continuation betting very effective. 3-betting also thins the field, which matters most when you will be out of position after the flop.
How big to 3-bet
Your size depends mostly on position. Out of position you want a much bigger raise, to make calling less attractive. These are the sizes used in our 6-max preflop charts:
| Situation | Typical size | Example |
|---|---|---|
| In position (HJ, CO, BTN) | about 3 to 3.4x the open | CO opens 2.2bb, BTN 3-bets to 7.5bb |
| Small blind | about 4.8 to 5.3x the open | BTN opens 2.4bb, SB 3-bets to 11.5bb |
| Big blind vs CO, HJ, UTG, BTN | about 5.4 to 6x the open | BTN opens 2.4bb, BB 3-bets to 13bb |
| Big blind vs small blind | about 3.5x the open | SB opens 2.6bb, BB 3-bets to 9bb |
| Squeeze (open plus one caller) | add about 1 open-size per caller |
Notice the last big blind row: against a small blind open, the big blind is the one with position after the flop, so it goes back to a smaller, in-position size. These are defaults, not laws. Against opponents who call too much, a slightly bigger value-heavy 3-bet earns more; against players who fold too much, a smaller size gets the same folds for less.
Linear vs polarized 3-bet ranges
Two shapes describe almost every 3-bet range you will see.
Linear (merged) ranges
A linear range 3-bets the top slice of hands: the strongest pairs, then the next-best pairs and broadways, and so on down. It is typical when you do not have a calling range. At 6-max that covers most seats: the small blind, and also players in position facing an open, who mostly play “3-bet or fold”. In our charts the cutoff facing a UTG open 3-bets about 9% of hands and calls less than 1%; the button facing a cutoff open 3-bets about 12% and calls about 4%. Calling invites a squeeze from the blinds behind you, so most hands that continue do it with a raise.
Polarized ranges
A polarized range 3-bets very strong hands and some bluffs, and calls with the middle. It appears when you have a real calling range, and at 6-max that is above all the big blind: it closes the action and gets a discount, so against a button open it calls about a third of all hands and 3-bets about 13%. Hands that play well in a smaller pot go into the calls.
How to play against a 3-bet
When your open gets 3-bet you have three options: fold, call or 4-bet. A few principles help:
- You will fold a lot, and that is fine. Opening ranges are wide and most of them cannot continue against a raise. Folding the bottom of your range is part of a correct strategy.
- Call more in position. Calling a 3-bet in position lets you realize your equity. Calling out of position, for example UTG facing a button 3-bet, needs a stronger hand.
- Use the price. A small 3-bet gives you a better price to continue. Check your pot odds before folding a hand that plays well.
- Who 3-bet matters. A 3-bet from the small blind against a button open is far wider than a 3-bet from the button against UTG. Defend accordingly; see how ranges change by position.
4-bets and 5-bets
A 4-bet re-raises a 3-bet. The size flips with position again. When the opener is in position against a 3-bet from the blinds, a 4-bet of about 1.8 to 2 times the 3-bet is enough (BTN opens 2.4bb, BB 3-bets to 13bb, BTN 4-bets to 23.5bb). Out of position against an in-position 3-bet, it is about 2.7 to 3.2 times (UTG opens 2bb, BTN 3-bets to 6.5bb, UTG 4-bets to 19.5bb). 4-bet ranges are strongly polarized: premium hands for value and a few blockers such as A5s as bluffs. With 100bb stacks, a 5-bet almost always means all in.
The deeper you go, the narrower everyone’s range becomes. By the time someone 5-bets, they are usually showing a hand like AA, KK or AK, and the decision becomes a pure math problem about equity and price.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 3-bet in poker?
A 3-bet is the first re-raise before the flop. The big blind counts as the first bet, the opening raise is the second, and raising that open is the third bet, hence the name.
What is the difference between a 3-bet and a 4-bet?
A 4-bet is a re-raise of a 3-bet. Preflop the sequence goes blind, open raise, 3-bet, 4-bet, 5-bet. At 100 big blinds a 5-bet is usually an all-in.
How much should I 3-bet?
In 6-max cash games, about 3 times the open in position, about 5 times from the small blind and 5.5 to 6 times from the big blind (about 3.5 times against a small blind open, where the big blind has position). Add roughly one more open-size for every player who already called.
What is a squeeze in poker?
A squeeze is a 3-bet made after someone has opened and at least one other player has called. The caller rarely has a premium hand, so the squeeze puts pressure on two players at once and is sized bigger than a normal 3-bet.
What is a good 3-bet percentage?
Solid 6-max players usually 3-bet somewhere around 6 to 10 percent of hands overall, much more from the button and blinds against late-position opens and much less against an early-position open.
Is a 3-bet always preflop?
Most players mean preflop when they say 3-bet. On later streets the same counting applies: bet, raise, then re-raise is a 3-bet on that street, but it is more often just called a re-raise.
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