3-bet
A 3-bet is the third bet in a sequence, a re-raise of an opening raise. 3-bet pots, especially out of position, are a common leak source.
In short: The first re-raise before the flop.
- Category
- Game
- Best use
- Session review and bankroll decisions
- Related page
- Poker leaks
Why 3-bet matters
A larger preflop pot reduces the remaining stack-to-pot ratio, so calling a re-raise changes the postflop decisions that follow. Game terms matter because they describe the conditions that make a result meaningful. The same £300 win says different things at different stakes, stack depths, formats and table line-ups. Without the game context, the number is detached from the decision.
Worked example
Re-raising a button open from the big blind is a 3-bet. The useful part is not the label itself; it is the decision it changes. If the example changes your stake, stop-loss, review queue or next study block, write it cleanly in the log.
How to apply it
Record the table facts before the memory softens: stake, format, stack depth, position, relevant reads and any hand context worth reviewing. Then use the term as a label for the spot, not as a story about whether the session felt good. For 3-bet, the practical question is whether the label changes a bankroll, session or study decision. If it does not change a decision, it belongs in a note, not in the headline read.
Use the current session fields for game context and keep detailed hand or opponent reads separately. A player notebook and dedicated hand review are still in development. Use the same spelling every time, then link it back to poker leaks so the page, calculator or guide beside the term does useful work.
Common mistakes
- +Logging only the result and leaving out the game texture.
- +Using a term loosely enough that it stops being searchable.
- +Reviewing a hand without the stack, position or opponent context that made the decision real.
Questions players actually ask
How should I use 3-bet in a session log?
Use 3-bet as a decision label, not decoration. Log the raw session first, then attach the term only where it explains a stake, bankroll, variance or study choice you can review later.
What is the common mistake with 3-bet?
The common mistake is reading the term without the sample and context behind it. In live cash, a clean label still needs stake, hours, stack depth, cost and result data before it tells you anything reliable.