Depolarized 3-Bet Range

A depolarized 3 bet range involves balancing thin-value hands with gappers and board coverage. This type of strategy is particularly useful against opponents who defend too frequently against 3-bets.

For example, if you’re up against an opponent who calls light reraises from late position, your 3-bet size should be much larger. This will help negate his positional disadvantage.

Betting intervals

When 3-betting, you want to balance your range to include bluffs and strong hands. A good place to do this is after a weak player opens. This will force them to fold and it also puts them at a disadvantage if they call your re-raise with a premium hand.

However, you should avoid 3-betting light if your opponent is very tight and you can’t expect to get much value from it. These types of hands rely on folds more than value and usually have some postflop value if called.

The raise size should vary based on the position you are in and the depth of the effective stack sizes in the hand. In addition, you should consider your opponent’s image at the table and the history of his or her calling behavior. Trying to wildly 4-bet without considering these variables can be dangerous. This is especially true if you are in tournament play. This is where players are most likely to catch on to your strategy.

Sizing

There are many factors to consider when sizing your 3-bets. One important factor is the number of players who call your raise. You want to make sure that your opponents have pot odds to call your raise, but not too high that you are risking too much money. This will help you keep your winning rate up and avoid bad variance.

Another factor to consider is whether your opponent has a loose image at the table. A loose player is more likely to call your 3-bet and will often 4-bet you on the flop, which can lead to a huge pot. Therefore, it is a good idea to 3-bet them regularly to reduce their post-flop skill advantage and isolate them into a heads-up pot.

When 3-beting for value against an early position open, you should generally re-raise 2x the original bet size. This will put enough pressure on your opponent to stop them from calling you with weak hands.

Bluffing

There are some situations in which 3-betting can be used to bluff. This is especially true when you’re up against opponents who are weak tight. This type of play is most effective when you can isolate a weak player and take their stack-to-pot ratio down to zero. For example, if you have a high hand preflop and the opponent is in UTG with AK, you can bluff against them by including non-premium hands in your range.

However, you must be able to distinguish when you are 3-betting for value and when you’re bluffing. This requires a thorough understanding of game dynamics, opponents’ tendencies, positions, and stack sizes. If you fail to recognize the difference, your bluffs will be costly. You should bluff only when the situation is favorable. A consistent table image can make your bluffs more believable and increase your chances of success. It also makes it harder for opponents to call your bluffs.

Limits

A common mistake is to play 3-bet poker too tight. This can lead to your opponents knowing exactly what you have in your hand and what hands you are bluffing with. A good way to counter this problem is to bluff with weak holdings like suited connectors and one gap suited. This will confuse your opponent and make them bluff less against you.

The right size of your raise is another key factor in 3-betting. You want to raise enough to pressure your opponent, but not so much that they will fold to you if they have a strong hand. You should also be careful about raising too often vs early position opens, as you may end up isolating yourself against a range that you don’t do well against.

There are some situations where it is a good idea to 3-bet a weak hand, such as queen-jack off-suit, against an opponent who has a loose image at the table. However, you should only do this when you are certain that your opponent will not re-raise you with a wide range of hands.

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