Betting the flop as the 3-bettor

In this lesson

• Bet small and often in position on most flops.
• Check medium pairs more on monotone and ace-high flops.
• Keep betting most flops out of position, too.
• Explain why big pairs act like very strong hands at a low SPR.
• Bet bigger with strong hands that are vulnerable.

Read first: Stack-to-pot ratio and commitment · Advice, not a lock: every lesson opens.

Concepts used: Continuation betting, Range advantage, SPR and commitment

A stronger range, a smaller pot to stack

The 3-bettor's range is narrow and strong: big pairs, strong aces and kings, a few suited bluffs. The caller's range is capped: it would have 4-bet many of its best hands. On most flops that gives the 3-bettor both the range advantage and a good share of the strongest hands, at an SPR around four to six.

So the 3-bettor bets often. In Rail's solves this holds in position and out of position alike, which is different from single-raised pots, where the out-of-position raiser checks much more.

In position: small and frequent

When the caller checks to the in-position 3-bettor, Rail's solves bet small with most of the range, on almost every board. Big bets are rare. The checks are mostly medium hands, second pairs and weaker top pairs, and they grow on monotone and ace-high boards, where the caller's range holds more of the hands that can fight back.

Out of position: still betting, sometimes big

Out of position the 3-bettor bets most flops too, most of all on king- and queen-high and paired boards, and least on jack-high and ace-low ones. What changes is the size: overpairs and top pair with a top kicker often bet big, because at a low SPR a big flop bet sets up the stacks for two more streets.

Practising it

The drills deal 3-bet pots from the library, in and out of position, then rivers in 3-bet pots solved on demand.

Flop spots come from Rail's flop library, which covers five 3-bet-pot lines at 6-max 100bb; your own 3-bet pots on other lines, flops or depths are read from the nearest solved flop or by the heuristic.

Rules of thumb

• As the 3-bettor, bet often: your range is stronger and the caller's is capped.
• In position, bet small with most of the range; check medium pairs, more on monotone and ace-high boards.
• Out of position, still bet most flops; let overpairs and top pair with a top kicker bet big.
• At a low SPR, plan the stacks from the flop.

When they break

• Against callers who flat their strongest hands, take more care on low and connected boards.
• Against callers who fold too much to small bets, bet small even more often.

Example hands

Practice

The lesson is mastered when every exercise below that Rail can grade is passed. Missed items come back later as review cards.