uNL Concept of the week: Week 2, 3-betting light

NL is a complex game. We all know this. Sure, you get 2 cards, but the game is far more than
just the 2 in your hand and the 5 on the board. For the next few weeks, uNL is going to have a
concept of the week thread discussing a certain concept or theory in NL Hold'em.
In this thread you should post HH's showing situations where the concept was applied
effectively as well as examples of poor usage of the concept. Also, please debate over various
aspects of the concept and it's pro's and con's.
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Week 2, 3-betting light

What is 3-betting light?

Firstly, I guess, we have to establish what a 3-bet is. Its a term used here to describe preflop
(although can also describe post flop). And it is basically just a reraise. So an example is if
UTG raises to 4BB and I then in UTG+1 reraise to 12BB, that would be a 3-bet.
OK, next, what is the "light" part about? Well, most players when they start to play poker to a
decentish level tend to only reraise (3-bet) very strong hands preflop. Something like QQ+
and sometimes AK and that's about it. 3-betting light means that you do it with some weaker
hands as well, like AQ, 66, 78s etc etc.

Why do we 3-bet light?

Theres a few reasons here. The main 2 though are for image/shania/metagame and b/c cbets =
$$$$$$.
I'm sure every1 says that pushing a combo draw is so good because now you can play your
sets the same way and get looked up light. Now I'm sorry, but this is really a bit of BS. Good
players realise exactly what you were doing, so they will think nothing of it. And bad players
don't fold TP+ anyway. Not to mention that people are still too scared to play their sets mega
fast a lot of the time anyway.
BUT when you 3bet light, it REALLY REALLY affects the way villains view you. When you
showdown 79s after 3betting preflop, it make you look like a maniac, BUT they still have no
idea how to respond. They start to call you down a lot lighter (so obv you have to readjust
your frequencies)
Now onto the cbet=$$$ point. You know how when you raise preflop and cbet the flop
normally, you get looked up by bottom pair, gutshots etc. All sorts of trash, after all, you have
AK, right? BUT, in rr pots, things work differently. Every1 puts you on AA all of a sudden.
So, they call preflop b/c they think they have implied odds and they try and get a good flop
with their 78s or their 22. But they c/f the flop all the time unless they flop a set or 2pair or
whatever.

Important note on cbeting in reraised pots:

DO NOT BET AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD DO IN A NORMAL POT! Your cbets in
reraised pots should be between 1/2 pot and 2/3 pot, NOT more. The reasons for this is that
normally you either have air as you're 3-betting light and so we dont have to take it down as
often if we bet less. OR we have a very good hand, and due to pot/stack size ratio, we can get
AI very easily by not betting all that much.
Who to 3-bet light, with what hands and in what position?
I can't stress how important reads are when 3-betting light. You firstly need to know how light
some1 is raising. Theres not point 3betting light, if the guy who raised is a 11/3 preflop type,
or even a 60/5 preflop type. The typed you want to go for are the 30/20 types, or even the
22/17 TAGs. Although a 70/50 player will raise too lightly, he'll also be calling raises to light
and not folding to cbets, so he's not a good person to 3bet light.
Also, try to get a read on what their calling ranges of 3bets are and how they play postflop
after calling. If they call a lot preflop and play fit or fold postflop, 3bet these guys. If they
4bet light and c/r bluff a lot of flops with a good frequency, dont 3bet lighgt these guys.
This is mainly common sence, but is SOOO important.
The hands you should be 3betting with are ones that CAN win you a big pot. So 78s, 33 etc.
Also, hands that have good showdown value, like AQ, KQs etc.
Position is also quite important. Remeber that people raise way looser on the button that UTG
etc. Also, when you have position, you can check behind some flops for pot control etc.

Anything Else?
One of the keys to 3-betting light is playing well is rr pots. This needs reads. You need to
understand pot control and your image well. I really recomment that you just have a go and
practice makes perfect. Maybe drop down a level if you're a bit scared. And if you need some
help on hands in rr pots, just pots them, or PM a few to some1 you respect, and I's sure they'll
help you out

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Here is where we are supposed to put example hands. But the beuaty of 3betting light is that
we make most our money when every1 folds preflop or when they fold to a cbet on the flop,
so theres littly point me posting those. Instead I will post a few hands that I won BECAUSE I
3bet light. But all, feel free to post hands you won or lost:
This guy is a 23/16 TAG, who I had been 3betting light the whole time, and had finally tilted

him:
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
6 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: $214.90
UTG+1: $142
CO: $218.55
Button: $343.10
SB: $147
Hero: $484.30
Pre-flop: (6 players) Hero is BB with T J
UTG calls, 2 folds, Button raises to $9, SB calls, Hero raises to $38, 2 folds, SB calls.
Flop: 5 T 8 ($87, 2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $109, SB calls all-in $109.
Turn: 2

River: K

($305, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $305)

($305, 1 player + 1 all-in - Main pot: $305)

Results:
Final pot: $305
SB showed 9d 8d
Hero showed Th Jh

Note quite how bad his preflop call is. If I have a big hand, he's screwed, if I have a badish
hand, I can still flop better than him and if he doesnt hit the flop (he only hits 1 in 3 times)
he's folding to my cbet.

This one is also vs a 22/16 type TAG. I think even a 2p2er. This is a classic example of some1
playing badly in rr pots. Sure I have AA here, but if I wasn't rr 56s and 22 all day, I doubt he
would play his hand the same way:
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $1/$2
5 players
Converter
Stack sizes:
UTG: $42

CO: $254.90
Button: $59.10
SB: $198
Hero: $201.70
Pre-flop: (5 players) Hero is BB with A A
2 folds, SB raises to $6, Hero raises to $18, SB calls.
Flop: T 4 7 ($36, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $25, SB calls.
Turn: 6 ($86, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $65, SB calls.
River: 2 ($216, 3 players)
SB checks, Hero is all-in $93.7, SB calls all-in $90.
Uncalled bets: $3.7 returned to Hero.
Results:
Final pot: $399.7
Hero showed Ad As
SB mucks Jh Tc