{"id":2472220,"date":"2023-05-07T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-07T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/?p=2472220"},"modified":"2026-01-13T14:30:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T14:30:38","slug":"5-reasons-why-3-bets-crush-in-cash-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/5-reasons-why-3-bets-crush-in-cash-games\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons Why 3-Bets Crush In Cash Games"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here\u2019s an experiment to try: the next time you\u2019re sitting in your regular no-limit hold\u2019em game, count the number of 3-bets that you see in a one-hour period. If you\u2019re in a $1\/2, $2\/3, or $2\/5 game, I predict that number will be less than five. It might even be two<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the second half of the experiment, go watch a bigger game \u2013 $5\/10 or higher. In one orbit<\/em> you\u2019ll see the number of 3-bets you saw during an hour of your regular game. It\u2019s as if the higher stakes players are in on a secret that nobody told the $2\/3 community. In fact, they are<\/em> in on such a secret: 3-bets crush preflop poker<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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  1. Reason #1: 3-bets can win the poker hand immediately<\/a>
  2. Reason #2: 3-bets get you the button and position at the poker table<\/a>
  3. Reason #3: 3-bets limit the number of poker players in the hand<\/a>
  4. Reason #4: 3-bets prevent squeezes from opposing poker players<\/a>
  5. Reason #5: 3-bets make other cash game players miserable<\/a>
  6. Conclusion: 3-betting is the high stakes secret that low-stakes players don\u2019t know<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n

    Reason #1: 3-bets can win the poker hand immediately<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Nobody folds when you call<\/em> \u2013 it\u2019s one of the rules of poker. By 3-betting, you give yourself a chance to win the pot immediately, which is almost always a great outcome. Sure, you\u2019d like to get action when you have pocket aces, but you rarely get that hand. Far more often, you\u2019d be delighted to win the original raise and the blinds uncontested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Furthermore, ending the pot preflop means you completely or mostly evade the pot tax known as \u201crake\u201d<\/a>. If you play in a time-raked game, this isn\u2019t a factor, but a huge majority of lower stakes games have a rake taken from every pot. Some poker rooms have a \u201cno flop, no drop\u201d policy, which means that if the pot ends before the flop, no rake is removed. Others take a dollar or two for promotions, but the serious money leaves the pot when the flop comes down. If there\u2019s no flop, that money doesn\u2019t leave the pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you play in California, the pot tax is extremely high. That\u2019s because California law prohibits a percentage rake being taken. Thus, the full rake amount<\/em> (also known as a \u201cdrop\u201d) is taken the moment the flop comes down. At my nearby casino, it\u2019s $1 if there\u2019s no flop, but $6 as soon as there\u2019s a flop. Since casinos can\u2019t use a percentage formula, that $6 applies to the $2\/3 game as well as the $3\/5 game. There is a compelling argument that, in California, you should never<\/em> call a raise preflop<\/a>, but either 3-bet or fold everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Master<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Make the best preflop decisions with Jonathan Little’s Push\/Fold Charts!<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #2: 3-bets get you the button and position at the poker table<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Consider this situation in a $1\/2 game: UTG+1 opens for $8, and you call in the hijack seat. Now the button calls as well. Regardless of what happens after that, you\u2019re in an awkward situation \u2013 you are stuck between the preflop raiser and the button. Unless\/until the button exits the pot, you don\u2019t get to act last.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Few poker players understand the overwhelming value of last action \u2013 the difference between having the effective button and not having it is night and day. My fellow PokerCoaching contributor and legendary poker author, Tommy Angelo<\/strong>, puts it this way:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    “Acting last is like taking a drink of water. We don\u2019t have to understand why it\u2019s good for us to know that it is. And the benefits are unaffected by our understanding of them.<\/em>“<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So let\u2019s take a big swig from the water bottle and rewrite the script\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    UTG+1 opens to $8, and you 3-bet to $25. Now the button folds almost everything. UTG+1 calls and we\u2019re off to see a flop. But for the rest of the hand, we get to act last<\/em>. Man, that water tasted good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #3: 3-bets limit the number of poker players in the hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Consider this hand in a $2\/3 no-limit hold\u2019em game: the UTG+1 player limps for $3. The lojack raises to $12. You are next to act in the hijack with A\u2663\ufe0fJ\u2663\ufe0f. That\u2019s a pretty hand, so you call. Now the cutoff calls, the small blind calls, the big blind calls, the cocktail server puts his $12 in, and the limper, to nobody\u2019s astonishment, calls as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What a mess. You are seeing a 6-way flop (the dealer refunded the cocktail server\u2019s $12), and even if you get an ace- or jack-high flop, you will have no idea of where you are in the hand. You will likely have to make two-pair or better to have even a lukewarm feeling about your chances of winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s roll back the tape. UTG+1 limps for $3, lojack raises to $12. Now you make it $50. Suddenly cards are flying toward the muck. The limper, weirdly enough, decides that if their hand was good for $3, it\u2019s good for $50, and calls. And the original raiser calls as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is a dynamite outcome. Sure, it would have been great if everybody had folded to your 3-bet<\/a>, but poker is rarely that easy. However, instead of a $72 pot with six players in it, you have a $150 pot with three players, you have the effective button (there\u2019s that \u201clast to act\u201d thing again), and they will almost certainly check to you on the flop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You have 60% fewer opponents, over twice as much money in the pot, and you\u2019re acting last with an eminently playable hand. That 3-bet was wildly effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #4: 3-bets prevent squeezes from opposing poker players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s a hand in a $2\/5 game. The UTG+2 player opens for $20, and gets called by the lojack. You are in the hijack and find 8\u2666\ufe0f7\u2666\ufe0f. You can make all kinds of straights and flushes with that hand, so you call. Now the button calls too, but as they do, the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s because the woman in the small blind \u2013 she\u2019s waiting for her seat in the $5-10 game, and is not of a mind to see a flop 47 ways. She slides out $170. One by one, everybody folds back to you. Calling and 4-betting are both out of the question. You sadly toss your pretty suited connector into the muck, as does the button. The small blind has squeezed $85 out of the field, winning the pot without a flop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s try this again: UTG+2 opens for $20, and the lojack calls. Now you make it $80. The small blind insta-folds when it\u2019s her turn, and goes back to her phone. The original opener calls, but the hijack folds. Now you have $185 in a heads-up pot, last action, and an uncapped range for the UTG+2 player to worry about \u2013 let\u2019s play some cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s a much better result than your $20 sitting in the small blind\u2019s stack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"It<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Read one of the highest regarded articles on the PokerCoaching.com blog: The Bankroll Bible<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reason #5: 3-bets make other cash game players miserable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    I saved the best one for last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s suppose you\u2019re playing $2\/5 no-limit hold\u2019em. You are in the cutoff, and open A-10 offsuit to $20. Now the button makes it $65, and it folds back around to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How do you feel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    See?! <\/strong>You feel miserable, right? You don\u2019t know if you should fold, call, or 4-bet bluff. What you really wanted was for the button to fold, or maybe call, but instead, you\u2019re in an awkward predicament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Well, if that\u2019s how you<\/em> feel when somebody 3-bets you, doesn\u2019t it sound great to make your opponents<\/em> feel that way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Because low-stakes players rarely see 3-bets, they\u2019re unnerved by them. They tend to go passive, and start playing very honest poker. They 4-bet only their absolute premium hands<\/a>. Otherwise, they fold, or maybe call and try to \u201chit a flop.\u201d But when they don\u2019t hit the flop, they check and fold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In fact, one of the few downsides of 3-betting is that it opens you up to getting 4-bet. But if your opponents don\u2019t 4-bet enough (they don\u2019t \u2013 I promise), then you can easily fold almost all of your hands when they do<\/em> 4-bet. But more importantly, by not 4-betting you, they allow you to realize your equity<\/a> by seeing the flop. Knowing that you\u2019ll rarely face a 4-bet makes 3-betting that much more attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Look, I hate getting 3-bet as much as anybody, particularly when the 3-bettor acts after me post-flop. It\u2019s simply a tough situation all around, which means that by doing more 3-betting, you make your opponents miserable and put them in more tough situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s how you win at poker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion: 3-betting is the high stakes secret that low-stakes players don\u2019t know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s review the benefits of 3-bets…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. 3-bets can win the poker hand immediately<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. They can get you the button and position<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. They limit the number of poker players in the hand.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. They prevent you from being squeezed.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. They make your cash game opponents miserable.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      3-bets are literally the secret weapon that can put you well ahead of the field in almost any low-medium stakes game. Such re-raises will probably be uncomfortable at first \u2013 putting in a bunch of extra money with anything but an absolute premium hand will feel weird if you\u2019re not accustomed to doing it. However, you\u2019ll immediately see the benefits, and before you know it your 3-betting muscle will be fully limbered up and ready to use frequently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Here\u2019s an experiment to try: the next time you\u2019re sitting in your regular no-limit hold\u2019em game, count the number of 3-bets that you see in a one-hour period. If you\u2019re in a $1\/2, $2\/3, or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":205,"featured_media":2519528,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,877,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2472220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cash-games","category-poker-basics","category-poker-strategy"],"acf":{"peak_live_date":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2.png",1280,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2-373x210.png",373,210,true],"medium":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2-746x420.png",746,420,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2-768x432.png",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2-1024x576.png",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2.png",1280,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2.png",1280,720,false],"author_image":["https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/PC-Blog_Lee-Jones_Why-3-Bets-Crush_2.png",100,56,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Lee Jones","author_link":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/author\/jonesleehgmail-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":163,"uagb_excerpt":"Here\u2019s an experiment to try: the next time you\u2019re sitting in your regular no-limit hold\u2019em game, count the number of 3-bets that you see in a one-hour period. If you\u2019re in a $1\/2, $2\/3, or […]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/205"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2472220"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2545553,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2472220\/revisions\/2545553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2519528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2472220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2472220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pokercoaching.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2472220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}