A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

We all know the problems that our nemesis small sample size presents. Big long-term winners break even for 100K hands at a time and suffer precipitous downswings with frightening frequency. But as we look at more specific situations such as play from a particular position, the sample size problem amplifies.

For instance, if 100K hands can be such a fluke with regard to our overall winrate, imagine how out of whack our winrate from the SB can be when we look at it for that same 100K period. About 20% of my total hands are in the Small Blind. Does that mean that I could play 500K overall hands and have a fluke winrate from the Small Blind since I only played about 100K hands from that position? I think it does.

That brings me to the purpose of my study. There is considerable variation among us with regard to our 3-betting criteria from the Small Blind when facing an open-raise. We all try to adjust based on the position of the raiser, his estimated hand range, his postflop tendencies, and the profile of the player in the Big Blind. But even when all of these parameters are identical, I think there is still considerable variation among us. I suspect the reason is that we just never know for sure what the best approach is. Our sample sizes are prohibitive and so maybe we just gravitate to what feels best. We also may be trick ourselves into using whatever criteria we were using when we happened to run hot from that position--attributing the good results to good policy making instead of to variance.

So the first step of my study is to get an idea of just how much variation there is among us with regard to our 3-betting criteria. Here is the situation:


<font color="blue"> A player who is 30/20/2 with Attempt to Steal Blind of 40 open raises. He has a Went to Showdown of 38. You know nothing about his postflop tendencies aside from these stats. The Big Blind has the same stats and a folded Big Blind to Steal of 50. We know nothing about his postflop tendencies either. You just joined the table and therefore have no particular image and have no history with either player.

What is your approximate 3-betting range if the open raiser is:

1)UTG
2)UTG+1
3)CO
4)BUTTON</font>


Thanks,
Cartman

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

<font color="blue">What is your approximate 3-betting range if the open raiser is:

1)UTG<font color="green"> - {88+,AJs+,AJo+,KQs}</font>
2)UTG+1<font color="green"> - {77+,ATs+,AJo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
3)CO<font color="green"> - {66+,A9s+,ATo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
4)BUTTON<font color="green"> - {55+,A4s+,A7o+,KTs+,KJo+,QJs}</font>
</font>

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="blue">What is your approximate 3-betting range if the open raiser is:

1)UTG<font color="green"> - {88+,AJs+,AJo+,KQs}</font>
2)UTG+1<font color="green"> - {77+,ATs+,AJo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
3)CO<font color="green"> - {66+,A9s+,ATo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
4)BUTTON<font color="green"> - {55+,A4s+,A7o+,KTs+,KJo+,QJs}</font>
</font>

[/ QUOTE ]

i also add QJo when open raise comes from button, maybe 44 too

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="blue">What is your approximate 3-betting range if the open raiser is:

1)UTG<font color="green"> - {88+,AJs+,AJo+,KQs}</font>
2)UTG+1<font color="green"> - {77+,ATs+,AJo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
3)CO<font color="green"> - {66+,A9s+,ATo+,KQs,KQo}</font>
4)BUTTON<font color="green"> - {55+,A4s+,A7o+,KTs+,KJo+,QJs}</font>
</font>

[/ QUOTE ]
This is pretty close to what I do, but against most 30/20 types I open up a little looser. Stuff like QJo against the Button, KQo against UTG, but this is pretty close.

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

What about calling ranges from the SB against the same player?

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

1)UTG - {TT+,AQ}
2)UTG+1 - {88+,AJs}
3)CO - {66+,A9s+KQo}
4)BUTTON - {44+,A5s+,A6o+,KTo+,QJo+}

I have started to mix it up some though in the past few months. Above is a general guidline, that I am not rigid about. I may 3bet QJo or K9o somtimes vs a CO and fold it other times. I may 3 bet a QTo vs a button steal sometimes, fold it other times, and yes call other times. I have allowed my self to call sometimes with various hands and deviated from my prior style of 3bet or shut up.

I'm probably tighter than some vs UTG, UTG+1 raises as I think a 30/20 is generally going to be somewhat tighter in his ep raises and pretty freakin loose with his lp raises.

WIP

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

1)UTG - any two face cards, A7+, 88+
2)UTG+1 - any two face cards, A7+, 88+
3)CO - any ace, any pair, any two face cards, K7s+
4)BUTTON - any ace, any pair, any two face cards, occasional random 3bet with any 2

Though all of this is dependent on the big blind's stats

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

UTG: 77,AJo,ATs,KQs
UTG+1: 77,AJo,ATs,KQs
CO: 55,ATo,A8s,KJo,KTs,QTs,JTs
BTN: 55,A8o,A8s,KJo,KTs,QTs,JTs

Edit: I usually just call with KTs,QJs,QTs,JTs hands, but these are the hands I play against this opponent.

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

I tend to only 3bet A7o+ 66+ and call with everything else not wanting to commit to the pot and preferably getting it 3way.

Re: A Study on 3-Betting from the Small Blind
 

Should our range be similar to when we're on the button facing an open raise from CO or earlier, or should we be looser due to the discount from the SB, or tighter because we're OOP?