Countering "Light" 3-Betting

Everyone knows that playing against light 3-betters is a pain.

Against a very tight 3-better, we can profitably (but still only marginally +EV, right?) call with PPs (but not SCs??) and hope to outflop his range of AK, QQ+.

What happens when we play against a light 3-better with a much wider range that include hands like JQs, KQs and suited connectors? (I assume these are the best hands to 3bet light with as Myth stated its not good 3-bet with low PPs)

Against this wider range, we can no longer set mine, but must adapt by calling with more hands, especially if they 3-bet from the blinds, as it is profitable to play a reraised pot in position (esp. if we can outplay them).

What range then, should we call a 3-bet? Against a tight reraiser, we can pitch AQo, do we start calling with this hand now? If pocket pairs aren't good, then what hands are? Do SCs become better than pocket pairs vs a loose reraiser (because if we hit a draw on the flop, we can shove with FE?)

I'm wary of calling with trap hands like KQ, AJ, as if they actually do have the goods (AK or QQ+) I'm going to lose a lot to domination.

4-betting light is a possible option - but since we are turning our hand into a bluff, does it mean that our hand doesn't matter? If he calls (but most of the time he will shove/fold), we would shut down (unless we flop hard) - 90% of the time he's either going to shove (fold) or fold himself. Does this mean that we should 4bet with SCs?

Thoughts on this are appreciated.

This is probably pretty obvious, but I'ld just thought I'ld say it anyway. Great thing to do against light 3betters if you have position is flat AA/KK and just shove over them on the flop. There not gonna be able to call a 4 bet most of the time so best way to get value there is to call and pick up there Cbet on the flop or stack them if they hit something.

I'ld 4 bet QQ/AK against them consistently. (I know lots of players like to 4 bet these hands anyway, but I usually won't.) How many hands you 4 bet really depends on how Light he's 3 betting and what range he's calling a four bet with. I think Myth said in a post that optimal is to 4 bet about the same range he'll call a 4 bet with.

it's good to start thinking about this but honestly you shouldn't be getting caught up in 3betting light or calling 3bet light besides only a handful of regulars on 100 NL.

from your questions it sounds like you have pretty good understanding of the concepts you just need to play more. no matter what anyone says here the only way to play well in 3bet pots just takes playing in A LOT of 3bet pots.

a lot of the questions you basically answered in your question or the answer comes down to personal style and how you fit it into an unexploitable game. although your point about calling w/ pps b/c you have implied odds is wrong. on 100bb stacks you don't have implied odds unless the guy is only reraising like AA/KK and especially don't have implied odds if he is 3betting light.

4 betting light is definately an option and something i often use against people who 3 bet light.

Just use position and don't get caught up in the reraise war and you'll be fine. But at NL100 this only applies to a very miniscule # of players.

And you should be happy they are giving you so much action with a wide range. I love to get my gambol on with these players ;D

by light 3bet do u mean reraising less than the min amount? like 120% of his raise?

On March 29 2007 15:26 redrain0125 wrote: by light 3bet do u mean reraising less than the min amount? like 120% of his raise?

well you can't fucking do this so of course that's not what he's talking about you jackass

Call in position or 4-bet/fold oop

lol oops *_*

but u need not get worked up over retard question like that
hope u havent been running bad

On March 29 2007 15:50 redrain0125 wrote: lol oops *_* but u need not get worked up over retard question like that hope u havent been running bad

lol yea sorry didn't mean to be an ass

i flat and check/ push in a very wide variety of flops with ANY hand, an overpair... a set, top pair, middle pair flush draw etc etc etc.

On March 29 2007 16:56 Baal wrote: i flat and check/ push in a very wide variety of flops with ANY hand, an overpair... a set, top pair, middle pair flush draw etc etc etc.

I start the 4 betting game

On March 29 2007 21:11 TalentedTom wrote: I start the 4 betting game

But with what hands?

What ever you think are ahead of his range.

On March 30 2007 04:07 Muhweli wrote: What ever you think are ahead of his range.

You dont even need to think your hand is ahead of his range to 4 bet, because the reason why you 4 bet is the fact he will be folding most of his light 3 betting range to it, and calling with only the top range of his hands. The funny thing is, I would probably 4 bet all-in with absolute shit (aka: hands I couldn't flat call a 3 bet with and play a flop caz they have no value) or any AK, JJ, QQ, KK or AA, and flat call hands that have some value vs his 3 betting range like 99-TT, AQs, AJs, KQs. And when 4 betting (especially with the absolute shit) you should be very aware of where he's 3 betting you from, and where you open raised. Like I'd be more likely to 4 bet someone who 3 bet me from the button especially if I opened a hand under the gun because I feel that I can represent a great amount of strength with this play, however I'd be far less likely to 4 bet someone light who 3 bet my utg raise from 2nd position since their 3 betting range here is significantly more solid than if he did it from the button. At the same time, if I opened the pot from the cut off and he 3 bets on the button, my 4 betting range here will be tighter as well since he must know that I can open-raise the CO w/ a wide range of hands and a 4 bet might look like more of a resteal attempt than an actually play for value. Same deal when you raise the BB from the SB and get 3 bet, your 4 betting range (or frequency you 4 bet) should be more solid since they will be expecting you to read the 3 bet weaker. Be aware of what you can represent when 4 betting~

I really hope that made some sort of fun sense to you... Caz I'm re-reading it right now and I dont know if I explained it right.

Oh and one final note: If your 100bb's deep in a cash game, and you 4 bet... make sure you commit urself to the pot and make sure they know it (if they shove just insta call caz your pot committed). If your 4 betting with the intention of folding to a shove, dont 4 bet to begin with. Nowadays I just like 4 bet shoving all-in, because I dont want people to think they have any fold equity when/if they decide to reshove a regular 4 bet raise . . . with a hand like say K9 (not naming any names... hey Radioheads!)

I forget who said it but: "4 Bet if you like variance" is basically 100% true too, and if you dont want to have some pretty crazy swings, and this guy keeps harassing you, then just find a better seat or a better table. You aren't forced to keep sitting with someone that's abusing you.

I could go into depth on this but its so much reads/metagame/your image vs their image to play it optimally etc.. and i really dont' feel like going into it or reading all these posts, maybe another time i might think about writing something about it lol