# What To Do When You Face A 3-Bet

> Source: [What To Do When You Face A 3-Bet on Smarter.Poker](https://smarter.poker/learn/facing-a-3-bet)

## Executive Summary
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%.

- **Category**: Preflop
- **Curriculum**: [Smarter.Poker Strategy Lessons](https://smarter.poker/learn)

## The Button Chart Facing A Three Bet

The Chart Is Generated From The Smarter.Poker Preflop Reference, The Same Ranges The Preflop Range Lab Drills. They Are An Authored Teaching Reference For Six Handed Cash At One Hundred Big Blinds, Not A Solver Export, And No Solve Tree Or Checksum Is Attached To Them. Two Sizes Describe A Mixed Range And They Are Not The Same Number. The First Counts Every Hand At The Rate It Is Actually Played, So A Hand Opened Half The Time Counts Half. The Second Counts Any Hand The Range Plays At Least Some Of The Time, In Full.

Each Cell Shows How Often The Button Four Bets And How Often It Calls After Opening And Facing A Three Bet. Every Hand The Button Opened That Does Not Appear Here Is Folded.

### Button Facing A Three Bet After Opening, 6 Max, 100 Big Blinds: Four Bet And Call Frequency Per Hand

- **Range Frequency**: Continues With 7.3% Of All Starting Hands By Frequency.

## Why Most Opens Fold

An Opening Range Is Built To Win The Blinds Or Play A Single Raised Pot. A Three Bet Changes The Question: The Pot Is Bigger, The Stacks Behind Are Smaller Relative To It, And The Three Bettor's Range Is Much Stronger Than A Calling Range. The Button Opens 25.2% Of Hands In The Reference But Continues Against A Three Bet With Only About 7.3% Of All Hands, Which Means The Large Majority Of Its Opens Are Released.

The Hands That Continue Are The Ones That Can Stand The Pressure. Premium Pairs And AK Four Bet For Value. A Few Suited Aces Four Bet As Bluffs, Because The Ace Blocks The Three Bettor's Strongest Hands. Strong But Not Premium Hands Such As Medium Pairs And Suited Broadways Call, Especially In Position, Where They Can Realise Their Equity.

## Four Bets And Calls By Seat

The Earlier You Opened, The Stronger Your Range Already Is, And Yet The Continuing Range Is Still Small, Because An Early Three Bet From A Player Who Knows Your Range Is Strong Is Itself Very Strong. The Table Shows The Reference For Each Opening Seat It Covers.

The Most Common Mistake Is Calling Too Much Out Of Position. A Hand That Is Fine To Call On The Button Can Be A Losing Call From Under The Gun, Where You Will Face Another Bet On A Board You Cannot See Coming. When In Doubt Out Of Position, Prefer A Four Bet With Your Best Hands And A Fold With The Rest.

### Opener Facing A Three Bet, 6 Max Cash, 100 Big Blinds, Frequency Weighted

| Opener | Four Bets | Calls | Continues In Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under The Gun | 2.9% | 1.6% | 4.5% |
| Cutoff | 3.4% | 2.2% | 5.6% |
| Button | 4.1% | 3.2% | 7.3% |

## Key Poker Terms In This Lesson

- [3-bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet.md))
- [4-bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet.md))
- [blocker](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker.md))
- [polarized-range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/polarized-range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/polarized-range.md))

## Practice & Interactive Tools On Smarter.Poker

- **Training Drill**: [Play 4-Bet Wars](https://smarter.poker/hub/training/play/cash-008)
- **Interactive Calculator**: [Open Preflop Range Lab](https://smarter.poker/hub/preflop-charts)
- **AI Coach**: [Jarvis Training Insights](https://smarter.poker/hub/training/jarvis)