# 3-Bet

> Source: [3-Bet in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet)

## Definition
A 3-Bet Is The First Re-Raise Before The Flop, Made Over An Open Raise. The Blinds Count As The First Bet And The Open As The Second, Which Is Why The Re-Raise Is The Third. A 3-Bet Can Be Made For Value With Strong Hands Or As A Bluff With Hands That Block The Opener's Best Holdings.

- **Category**: Preflop
- **Term Code**: `3-bet`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [4-Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet.md)): A 4-Bet Is A Re-Raise Over A 3-Bet Before The Flop. At Common Stack Depths A 4-Bet Commits A Large Share Of The Effective Stack, So Ranges Become Narrow And Polarized: Premium Pairs And Big Aces For Value, Plus A Few Suited Hands With Blockers As Bluffs. The Next Raise, A 5-Bet, Is Usually All In.
- [Squeeze](https://smarter.poker/glossary/squeeze) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/squeeze.md)): A Squeeze Is A 3-Bet Made After One Player Has Opened And At Least One Other Player Has Called. It Works Because The Opener Must Worry About The Caller Behind, And The Caller Has Already Shown A Capped Range That Rarely Contains The Strongest Hands. Squeezes Are Usually Sized Larger Than A Normal 3-Bet.
- [Cold Call](https://smarter.poker/glossary/cold-call) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/cold-call.md)): A Cold Call Is A Call Of A Raise By A Player Who Has Put No Voluntary Chips Into The Pot Yet, Such As Flatting An Open From The Button. Cold Calling Invites A Squeeze From The Players Behind And Usually Means Playing Out Of Position Against A Stronger Range, So Solver Strategies Cold Call Far Less Than Most Players Do.
- [Blocker](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker.md)): A Blocker Is A Card In Your Hand That Reduces The Number Of Combos Of A Particular Hand Your Opponent Can Hold. Holding The Ace Of Hearts On A Board With Three Hearts Means The Opponent Cannot Have The Nut Flush. Blockers Guide The Choice Of Which Hands To Bluff With And Which Marginal Hands Can Call.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [How To Defend The Big Blind](https://smarter.poker/learn/big-blind-defense) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/big-blind-defense.md)): Against A 2.5 Big Blind Button Open The Big Blind Needs Only 27.3% Equity To Call, And The Smarter.Poker Reference Defends By Three Betting 7.2% Of Hands And Calling 11.2%, With The Full Chart Below.
- [What To Do When You Face A 3-Bet](https://smarter.poker/learn/facing-a-3-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/facing-a-3-bet.md)): Facing A Three Bet After Opening, Most Of An Opening Range Folds: In The Smarter.Poker Reference A Button Opener Four Bets 4.1% Of All Starting Hands And Calls 3.2%, And An Under The Gun Opener Four Bets 2.9% And Calls 1.6%.
- [3-Bet Sizing In Position And Out](https://smarter.poker/learn/3-bet-sizing) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/3-bet-sizing.md)): A Common Guideline Is To Three Bet To About Three Times The Open When You Will Have Position After The Flop And About Four Times When You Will Not, Because The Player Out Of Position Needs A Bigger Pot To Make Up For Acting First.
- [Stack To Pot Ratio (SPR) Explained](https://smarter.poker/learn/stack-to-pot-ratio) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/stack-to-pot-ratio.md)): Stack To Pot Ratio Is The Effective Stack Behind Divided By The Pot On The Flop, And It Tells You How Committed A Hand Is: At 100 Big Blinds A Single Raised Pot Starts The Flop Near An SPR Of 17.7, A Three Bet Pot Near 5.6 And A Four Bet Pot Near 1.9.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [Preflop Charts](https://smarter.poker/hub/preflop-charts): Opening And Defending Ranges By Position.
- [Preflop Range Matrix Guide](https://smarter.poker/features/preflop-charts-matrix): 169-Hand Preflop Charts Across 15BB To 100BB Stack Depths.
- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.

## Compliance & Fair Play

There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.