Crushing the 3-bet bluff game like a boss
Mastering the Art of Deceptive 3-Bet Bluffing
There are plenty of benefits to delivering a well-timed 3-bet bluff.
First off, going too hard on 3-betting for value makes you a sitting duck for opponents. They'll catch on and start folding all but the best hands to your 3-bets, taking advantage of your vulnerabilities.
Secondly, bluffing gives your hand library a leg up, enabling you to make some green with hands that wouldn’t be profitable calls, but aren’t outright folds.
Last week, we walked you through sizing your 3-bets and bluffing for value. Here, we’ll show you how to work the 3-bet bluff wonders.
Unraveling the math behind a 3-bet bluff
Let's work with our example: Your opponent fires two big blinds on the button, and you reply with an 8-big blind 3-bet on the small blind.
You’re forking out 7 more BB to win 1 BB (your BB) + 0.5 BB (the small blind) + 2 BB (the big blind open) = 3.5 BB in total. The pot, including your bluff, now sits at 10.5 BB.
To turn a profit with a pure air bluff, your opponent needs to cave in more than 67% of the time to your 3-bet (since you're risking 7BB / 10.5 BB).
However, most bluffs are more beneficial than plain air bluffs. Your bluff 3-bet range will include hands that make straights, flushes, two pairs, trips, or top pairs that win the pot some of the time. If the bluff fizzles, you can still scoop with good cards, showdown value, or by bluffing on subsequent streets.
Picking the right hands for 3-bet bluffs
With this in mind, we’re after bluffing hands that give us the best chance of finding a winning combo on later streets. Specifically, hands that:**
- Show nutty hands: Strategic choices like suited connectors (e.g., 7♠8♠) or suited aces (A5s-A2s) balance equity realization with bluffing frequency. They have value on low boards and can upgrade to strong draws or pairs.
- Dump weak offsuit hands: Ditch offsuit disconnected hands (e.g., K7o) because they lack postflop playability and fold equity.
- Add blocking magic: Hands that block opponent value ranges (e.g., Ax hands lessen the AA/AK combos) or unblock their folding range (e.g., low suited connectors don't block their AK/AQ folds) are your buddies.
Mashing up your 3-bet range
At the microstakes level, we generally prefer our bluff range to be around 1.25-1.5 times our value range.
Let’s revisit our example, where we're 3-betting AQ+, TT+ for value (which accounts for 4-5% of hands).
We want to bluff around 6-7% of hands for a total 10-12% 3-bet range. So, choose the top 6-7% of hands that aren’t profitable as calls to slot into your 3-bet bluff range in this spot.
Don't go overboard with the bluff binge
Even the most rigid opponents will adapt if they feel you’re 3-betting them too recklessly. So, exploit their leaks, but don't go too far.
Remember that every spot is unique. For example, a 3-bet range against the button is much wider than against UTG.
Enrichment Data:To construct a powerful 3-bet bluff range, focus on selecting hands that expand board coverage and safeguard your flatting range while maintaining fold equity. Some helpful tips and actionable strategies include:
1. Hand Selection Parameters
- High Card Power: Hands like suited connectors (e.g., 7♠8♠) or suited aces (A5s-A2s) balance equity growth with bluffing frequency. They retain value on low boards and can upgrade to strong draws or pairs.
- Ditch Weak Offsuit Hands: Forget bluffing with disconnected offsuit hands (e.g., K7o), as they lack postflop playability and fold equity.
- Blockers: Use hands that block opponent value ranges (e.g., Ax hands lessen the AA/AK combos) or unblock their folding range (e.g., low suited connectors don’t block their AK/AQ folds).
2. Range Structure Fundamentals
- Mixing Frequencies: Avoid extreme "pure" 3-bet ranges (e.g., only AA/KK or pure bluffs). Mix value hands (AA, KK, AKs) with semi-bluffs (e.g., A5s, KQs) and bluffs (e.g., suited connectors) to create unlimited ranges that outwit all board textures.
- Protect Flatting Ranges: If your 3-bet range is too narrow, opponents exploit your flatting range as weak/capped (e.g., overfolding to squeezes). Include enough bluffs to avert this.
3. React to Opponent Tendencies
- Capitalize on Loose Openers: Against players with loose or weak opening ranges, widen your 3-bet bluff range (e.g., add QJo, T9s) to pressure their propensity to fold.
- Avoid Predictability: Rotate bluff candidates based on position and opponent type. For instance, 3-bet bluff more vs. late-position opens with hands like 65s.
4. Postflop Implications
- Board Coverage: Ensure your 3-bet range includes hands that connect with low, medium, and high boards (e.g., low suited aces for flops like A♠5♦2♥, JTs for Q♥9♣8♦).
- Fold Equity Conservation: Bluffs should maintain credible threats on multiple streets. For example, A5s can barrel on ace-high or flush-draw boards.
- In the realm of 3-bet bluffing, it's possible to exploit an opponent's vulnerabilities by bluffing just enough, not too frequently to be predictable and risk overexposure.
- Picking the right hands for a 3-bet bluff is crucial, aiming for those that show nutty hands, like suited connectors, or suited aces, enhancing the likelihood of finding a winning combination on later streets.
- To construct a powerful 3-bet bluff range, focus on selecting hands that expand board coverage and safeguard your flatting range while maintaining fold equity. High card power hands, such as suited connectors, and hands that block opponent value ranges are essential elements.
- Bluffing in casino-games like poker should be tactically managed and unpredictable, even when it comes to 3-bet bluffs. By varying bluff candidates based on position and opponent type, you can capitalize on loose openers and avoid predictability.
