Combatting Aggresssive 3-Bettors: Mini-Course

Stop Open-Raising and Folding to 3-Bets

You open-raise from the cutoff or the button. Once again, someone 3-bets you.

Wide 3-betting from late position has become common in today's games, even at 5NL and below. Without a plan, you end up open-raising and folding far too often, and the profit you should be making from late position slips away.

This 1-hour mini-course focuses on the two spots where you face most of these 3-bets, and shows you how to fight back in each one.

Why Am I Getting 3-Bet So Much?

Your opponents know you open-raise a wide range from late position. They also know that, with 100 big blind stacks, most of that range can't profitably call a 3-bet or 4-bet, so you're forced to fold a lot. In a typical cutoff opening range, only about one hand in four can continue against a button 3-bet.

On top of that, many coaches now teach a 3-bet-or-fold strategy from the small blind, so your steals get 3-bet more often than ever before.

The Evolution of 3-Betting

The course starts with a quick look at how the game moved from value-only 3-betting to 3-bet bluffs, then to 4-bet bluffs, and finally to today's 3-bet-or-fold small blind strategies. It's the background you need to understand why you're facing so many 3-bets, even at the micro stakes.

Polarized vs. Merged 3-Betting Ranges

A quick refresher on the two types of 3-betting ranges your opponents use, so you can recognize which one you're facing and which hands they're 3-betting with.

Cutoff vs. Button 3-Bets

When you open from the cutoff and the button 3-bets, you're out of position with a wide range that can rarely continue. You'll learn why the button 3-bets you so often, which hands can continue, and how to respond: leaning on a 4-bet-or-fold approach as a beginner, adding a calling range as your skills grow, and widening your 4-betting range.

Steals vs. Small Blind 3-Bets

When you steal from the cutoff or the button and the small blind 3-bets, you have position. You'll learn when to call more often, how to widen your 4-bet value range against a wide merged 3-betting range, and how to choose 4-bet bluffs with ace and king blockers.

Preemptive Adjustments

Some of the best adjustments happen before anyone 3-bets. You'll learn why opening to 2 to 2.5 big blinds instead of 3 leads to smaller 3-bets and deeper stack-to-pot ratios, and how to tighten your opening ranges in games full of aggressive 3-bettors.

Real Data and Real Hands

See what micro stakes opponents actually 3-bet from the button and the small blind, using the range visualizer in PokerTracker 4. Then review real hands from Alton's own 5NL fast-fold games, including 4-bets for value, 4-bet bluffs with blockers, and exploitative plays, with the reasoning behind each decision.

Course Structure: 6 Lectures, About 1 Hour Total

This focused mini-course isn't a full 3-betting course. It zeroes in on the two late-position spots where you face the majority of 3-bets, with practical adjustments and real hand examples you can take straight to the tables. For complete 3-betting theory, see 3-Betting 101 and The Pre-Flop Mastery Game Plan.

Who This Course Is For

• Players Who Get 3-Bet Often When Opening from Late Position
• Beginners Who Open-Raise and Fold Too Often
• Micro Stakes Players Facing Aggressive 3-Bettors, Even at 5NL and Below
• 3-Betting 101 Students Ready for a Focused Next Step

What You Need

• Basic Understanding of No Limit Hold'em
• Familiarity with Pre-Flop Ranges and 3-Betting Basics
• Experience Open-Raising from Late Position

What You'll Get from This Course

• Clear Understanding of Why You're Facing So Many Late-Position 3-Bets
• A Plan for Cutoff vs. Button 3-Bets When You're Out of Position
• A Plan for Steals vs. Small Blind 3-Bets When You're in Position
• Preemptive Adjustments to Your Open-Raise Sizing and Opening Ranges
• Guidelines for Widening Your 4-Bet Range, Including 4-Bet Bluffs with Blockers