Sizing Pre-flop 3-bets

[microDonk]

This is a topic I have been wondering about lately, and I haven't been able to find any good posts focusing on this topic. I understand that giving a set answer to a question like this (i.e. always raise 3x your opponents raise) is foolish, but I was wondering what the general guideline that people use when determining the size of their pre-flop 3-bets.

In reading through the posts on this forum, it seems that a lot of people consider 4xBB+1BB/Limper to be a good standard for a pre-flop raise. I deviate from this slightly, in that I start at 3xBB+1BB/Limper on the button and move up to 4.5xBB UTG (feel free to comment on this as well if it seems wrong). In general, I find it is good to have some sort of standard for your pre-flop raises, as it ensures that you are not telegraphing your hands by raising different amounts with different kinds of hands.

However, when it comes to 3-betting, I am less certain, and I worry that I may be telegraphing my hands sometimes. In general, I think I tend to come in at around 3-3.5x my opponents raise when in position, and between 3.5-4x my opponents raise when OOP. I usually try to compensate for any cold-callers (usually add 1x the raise for each cold-caller), but I don't think I am overly consistent on this.

I guess what I am looking for here is for people to chime in with their thoughts on this topic, and how they usually handle the sizing of their pre-flop 3-bets. Do you try to standardize them, or are you fairly fluid? If you do vary them (whether by some form of standard or by feel) what factors to you account for?

[Khaos4k]

Regarding your standard pfrs....why are you putting in more money when your out of position?

[vixticator]

I usually make them about the same from any position, it depends who raised to some extent. I like to shove 3-bet deepstacked with good hands against stations that are calling if they raise PF... but this kind of player rarely comes along.

You seem to be making pots larger OOP though. That can't be good. If I were to vary the size based on position I'd certainly do the opposite of you.

[corsakh]

I just bet pot, sometimes a little more OOP. I also underbet open raises OTB with regulars in the blinds since you get reraised fairly often and they just mash the pot button - so you have more odds to call [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Regarding your standard pfrs....why are you putting in more money when your out of position?

[/ QUOTE ]

Folding equity.

[microDonk]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I actually posted the part about my standard PFR's as an aside because I looked at my PT for my last 5500 hands (useless sample size, I know) and saw that I was losing more money UTG than the BB!!! It got me thinking about my PFR sizing, and I started to wonder if it was a good idea to make bigger pots OOP.

As corsakh has already stated, folding equity was my biggest reason for taking this approach. I figured the bigger raises would fold out more hands, and lower the chances that I have to play a pot OOP. Based on the feedback thus far, I may experiment with this for a while and see how it goes.

With that being said, I also almost left out that part so as not to distract from the intended point of the post. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] So everyone, feel free to comment on the PFR's put please put in as many thoughts as you can about the 3-bet sizing as well.