The Three Bet
When you are 3-betting for value, the most important factor is your opponent's 3-bet calling range and 4-betting range. When you are 3-betting for value, you goal is to maximize your long-term expectation in the hand by having your opponents call your 3-bet with worse hands. Mostly, of course, people are three-betting with the most premium hands: A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K. Since these hands are dealt so rarely—and you have to face a raise in front of you to three-bet.
One of the common definitions you will hear as you play poker is '3-bet', or 'three-bet'. A 3-bet as most players use the term means the act of putting in the third bet, technically the second 'raise', the '3-bet' during any given round of action. It's only in recent years that the term has become popular, indicative of its use during online play.
For flop games, such as hold'em and Omaha, the pre-flop 3-bet is technically different than the post-flop 3-bet. In these poker games blinds are used, and the act of posting the small and big blinds is considered the first 'bet'. Subsequent players, beginning with the 'under the gun' (UTG) player to the big blind's immediate left, have the option of calling that first bet (the amount of the big blind), or folding or raising. In a typical game, the first pre-flop raise is technically a 'two-bet', but you'll never hear it called that. Instead, it's when another play makes a second raise, going over the top of the first raiser, that the 'three-bet' term is used. Below is a visual of what a pre-flop 3-bet looks like.
3 Bet Poker Meaning
In post-flop play, the 3-bet consists of an initial bet, a raise, and then a re-raise Powerpoint roulette. (perhaps by the initial bettor). Since the initial bet itself can be sizable, the post-flop 3-bet is proportionately larger in most instances than its pre-flop counterpart. In cash games and in the late stages of tourneys, 3-bets often involve all-in moves by one or more players, though you're just as likely to hear the words 'pushing' or 'jamming' (moving one's entire stack into the middle) in those instances.
What Does a 3-Bet Mean?
A 3-bet, which is always a form of a re-raise is designed to be an indicator of a true premium hand. The 3-bet is a shot over the bow of the initial raiser, designed to capture that pot right there. The intent of the 3-bet is to say to the initial bettor, 'Yeah, you may have a good hand, but I've got a better one.' One common variation involves the initial raise coming from a late position, the button player or the cut-off (to the button's immediate right), and the 3-bet is made by the small or big blind, who may assume the button or cutoff is attempting to steal the blinds. Overall, the 3-bet is traditionally one of the strongest moves a player can make, trailing perhaps only the all-in push and the check-raise in its ability to change a hand. It's supposed to mean that the player making the move has a very strong hand, though this being poker, that is not always the case.
Making Your Own 3-Bets
For flop games, such as hold'em and Omaha, the pre-flop 3-bet is technically different than the post-flop 3-bet. In these poker games blinds are used, and the act of posting the small and big blinds is considered the first 'bet'. Subsequent players, beginning with the 'under the gun' (UTG) player to the big blind's immediate left, have the option of calling that first bet (the amount of the big blind), or folding or raising. In a typical game, the first pre-flop raise is technically a 'two-bet', but you'll never hear it called that. Instead, it's when another play makes a second raise, going over the top of the first raiser, that the 'three-bet' term is used. Below is a visual of what a pre-flop 3-bet looks like.
3 Bet Poker Meaning
In post-flop play, the 3-bet consists of an initial bet, a raise, and then a re-raise Powerpoint roulette. (perhaps by the initial bettor). Since the initial bet itself can be sizable, the post-flop 3-bet is proportionately larger in most instances than its pre-flop counterpart. In cash games and in the late stages of tourneys, 3-bets often involve all-in moves by one or more players, though you're just as likely to hear the words 'pushing' or 'jamming' (moving one's entire stack into the middle) in those instances.
What Does a 3-Bet Mean?
A 3-bet, which is always a form of a re-raise is designed to be an indicator of a true premium hand. The 3-bet is a shot over the bow of the initial raiser, designed to capture that pot right there. The intent of the 3-bet is to say to the initial bettor, 'Yeah, you may have a good hand, but I've got a better one.' One common variation involves the initial raise coming from a late position, the button player or the cut-off (to the button's immediate right), and the 3-bet is made by the small or big blind, who may assume the button or cutoff is attempting to steal the blinds. Overall, the 3-bet is traditionally one of the strongest moves a player can make, trailing perhaps only the all-in push and the check-raise in its ability to change a hand. It's supposed to mean that the player making the move has a very strong hand, though this being poker, that is not always the case.
Making Your Own 3-Bets
The use of 3-bets is best done selectively, at opportune moments. Many hyper-aggressive players 3-bet with a wide range of hands, including many garbage hands, in the nature of bluffs. Most 3-bets, however, are done with big hands.
When to 3-bet a hand and when to just call (called a 'smooth call' or 'smoothing') is one of the trickiest lessons players must learn. Knowing your opponents' tendencies is vital to success, because the best poker players play their opponents as much as their own hands. A 3-bet works best against fairly loose players, some of whom are described as 'calling stations', who simply cannot fold marginal holdings when prompted. Another successful type of 3-bet can be done against a player who might over-value the long-term prospects of the game or tourney in deference to what might happen in that specific hand. He might be surrendering a bit too much of his chance to win in hopes of getting a better opportunity in a later hand.
Then there are bluffs. The bluff type of 3-bet is called a 're-steal', and properly executed, it can be one of the most profitable moves in a player's arsenal. However, like any good play, using it too much is one of the quickest ways to go broke. Other players will eventually react to a player that is putting in too many 3-bets, and sooner or later, the player putting in those over-the-top bets will be 'looked up' (called) by his opponent. However, if you're a steady, conservative player, 3-betting an aggressive foe will work more often than you might believe. Those players are trying to steadily make small gains against your perceived, relative passivity, and when you fight back they'll often go try another door.
Defending Against the 3-Bet
Genesis roulette. Defending against the 3-bet boils down to understanding both your opponents and the circumstances of the game. Against a tight opponent who plays few hands, a 3-bet invariably means a monster and you can ditch all but the largest hands against this opponent. Even if he's on a rare bluff, his natural tendencies against bluffing should serve as a warning.
Aggressive, late-position players will often three-bet with holdings such as middle pairs, AK or AQ, and depending on your own hand, it's often correct to play or even to put the 4-bet in and take your chances. Be aware that with position and with correct 'pot odds' – referring to the relationship between the amount of money already in the pot and the total amount a player stands to win – a late-position player may be 'priced in' to making his own call with more inferior hands than you might hope.
Author:Joseph Falchetti (twitter)
(C) Copyright PokerWebsites.com, 2018
Nearly all Las Vegas casinos of any significance spread three Card Poker. The minimum bets range from $2 at Joker's Wild to $15 at Aria. Players will need double the Ante bet to play, meaning that the true minimum bet is double the posted amount. This does not include the Pair Plus side bet, which may be bet by itself without an accompanying Ante wager.
The game's appeal is its simplicity. While it has a small element of skill, it is easy to learn. The house edge is reasonable to most players. It is typically a friendly crowd at the tables.
How to Play Three Card Poker
Three Card Poker is one of the simplest table games in Las Vegas to learn. There is only one rule related to skill to understand.
#2: Raise or Fold – Players and the dealer are dealt three cards face down. Players look at their three cards and decide whether to raise. If the player has queen-six-four or higher, the player should raise. The Raise bet is equal to the amount of the Ante. If the player does not raise, he folds. The dealer then looks at the house hand and compares it to each player.
Live Three Card Poker Online
- If the dealer beats the player, the Raise loses.
- The Ante loses if the player has less than a straight, keeping in mind that a straight ranks higher than a flush in Three Card Poker.
- Antes push if the dealer does not make at least queen-high.
Flush or Higher Payouts
If the player makes a flush or higher, the Ante is paid based on the following chart, regardless of whether the player wins or loses:
- Straight Flush: 5-1
- Three of a Kind: 4-1
- Straight: 1-1
Pair Plus Payouts
The Pair Plus is paid whether the player wins or loses. It pays based on the following:
- Straight Flush: 40-1
- Three of a Kind: 30-1
- Straight: 6-1
- Flush: Either 4-1 or 3-1
- Any Pair: 1-1
If you are not in Las Vegas, you can still play Three Card Poker against a live dealer and get a Vegas experience.
How To Three Bet Poker
Playing Three Card Poker at Las Vegas Casinos in 2018
3 Bet Poker
Casino | Game | Min Bet | Max Bet | # of Tables | Video |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 Queens | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
Aliante Casino | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Aria | Three Card Poker | 10 | 1000 | 3 | No |
Aria | Three Card Poker | 25 | 1000 | 1 | No |
Bally's | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 7 | No |
Bally's | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 1 | No |
Bellagio | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 3 | No |
Binion's | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
Boulder Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 50 | 1 | No |
Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 7 | No |
Caesars Palace | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 2 | No |
California | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Casino Royale | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 1 | No |
Circus Circus | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
Club Fortune | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Cosmopolitan | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 3 | No |
Cromwell | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 2 | No |
Cromwell | Three Card Poker | 15 | 300 | 1 | No |
Downtown Grand | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
El Cortez | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
Encore | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
Excalibur | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
Fiesta Henderson | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Flamingo | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 7 | No |
Flamingo | Three Card Poker | 15 | 300 | 1 | No |
Fremont | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Gold Coast | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
Golden Gate | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 2 | No |
Golden Nugget | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 2 | No |
Green Valley Ranch | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
Hard Rock | Three Card Poker | 10 | 200 | 1 | No |
Harrah's | Three Card Poker | 5 | 300 | 2 | No |
Harrah's | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 5 | No |
OYO | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
Joker's Wild | Three Card Poker | 2 | 25 | 1 | No |
Linq | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 3 | No |
Luxor | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 2 | No |
M Resort | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 2 | No |
Main Street Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 50 | 1 | No |
Mandalay Bay | Three Card Poker | 10 | 1000 | 2 | No |
Mandalay Bay | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 1 | No |
MGM Grand | Three Card Poker | 25 | 1000 | 3 | No |
Mirage | Three Card Poker | 15 | 1000 | 3 | No |
Monte Carlo | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 1 | No |
NYNY | Three Card Poker | 10 | 200 | 2 | No |
Orleans | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 3 | No |
O'Sheas | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 1 | No |
Palace Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 1000 | 1 | No |
Palazzo | Three Card Poker | 15 | 2000 | 3 | No |
Palms | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
Paris | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
Paris | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
Planet Hollywood | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
Planet Hollywood | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
Plaza | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Railroad Pass | Three Card Poker | 3 | 100 | 1 | No |
Red Rock | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 2 | No |
Rio | Three Card Poker | 5 | 500 | 4 | No |
Rio | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 2 | No |
Sam's Town | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Santa Fe Station | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Silver 7's | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Silverton | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
Sahara Las Vegas | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 1 | No |
South Point | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 3 | No |
Stratosphere | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 2 | No |
Suncoast | Three Card Poker | 5 | 100 | 1 | No |
The D | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 2 | No |
Treasure Island | Three Card Poker | 10 | 300 | 2 | No |
Tropicana | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
Venetian | Three Card Poker | 10 | 500 | 3 | No |
Westgate | Three Card Poker | 5 | 200 | 1 | No |
Wynn | Three Card Poker | 15 | 500 | 4 | No |