Terms Of Texas Holdem
What is a 3 Bet?
Hold’em – The most popular poker variant, sometimes referred to as the “Cadillac of Poker”. Learn the rules of this popular variant in this glossary entry. Hole Cards – Refers to cards that are dealt face down to the player and kept secret. In Hold’em players are dealt. Welcome to PokerDictionary.net.Confused by some of the poker terminology and lingo? This site is here to help you better understand the talk from opponents. You can find some of the best places to play at bestonlinecasinos.org.uk, but before you can master the game, you need to get familiar with all the poker terms and poker slang used by Texas Holdem players, both online and live.
You may have heard the phrase 3 bet watching poker on TV or at your local casino and wondered what it meant. A 3 Bet is the term used in poker to describe a specific re raise. A 3 bet is typically made before the flop but can also be performed post flop. It is the third bet on a specific round. Check out examples below:
3 Betting Pre Flop Example
Player A calls £5 before the flop, Player B iso-raises to £20, Player C re-raises to £65 from the small blind. This raise by Player C is a “3 bet”. This is effectively the third bet, hence the phrase “3 bet”.
3 Betting Post Flop Example
Player A raises to £20 and Player B calls from the big blind. The flop is:
Player B checks, Player A bets £30 (1st bet) , Player B re-raises to £75 (2nd bet) and Player A puts in re raise to £225 (3rd bet or “3bet”).
What Can 3 Betting Mean?
A decade ago, a 3 bet before the flop usually meant a premium hand (Pocket Jacks or better) however, with the evolution of online poker and aggressive poker strategy, this is no longer the case. A pre flop 3 bet now can be given less credence, particularly with certain players.
The context, table demographic and opponent are the key factors when considering what to do in the face of this move. It is now used to isolate weak players, steal the pot pre flop, exploit a player opening too wide, balance a player’s re raise range or just to have the lead in the hand. This is why observing your opponents, taking notes and understanding their strategy is key to winning.
If you know player A knows you are opening 90% of hands on the button and is an observant, thinking player, he is likely to open his range of 3 betting range from the blinds.
When Should One 3 Bet?
Terms Of Texas Holdem Online
Context and history is very important. If you are facing a player that is super tight when facing a re-raise, you can 3 bet almost with impunity. On the other hand, if you are facing a maniacal player who has shown tendency to move all in before the flop and 4 bet lightly. You should be more wary about 3 betting with nothing. Perhaps consider lessening your stacking off range and be prepared to hold on.
Conclusion
A 3 bet is an important weapon in a winning player’s arsenal. When used effectively, it can make you feel unbeatable, particularly when you’re doing it with rags. The key thing to remember when 3 betting or facing 3 bets, is making a calculated decision before the flop. Is your opponent likely to be holding a weak hand or not? If not, you are more often than not facing the dreaded Aces or Kings. Playing the player is critical when it comes down to 3 bets.
This article is just a brief guide on what 3 betting is. There’s far more strategy involved including what hands to do it with and from what position etc. If you are interested in learning more about 3 betting and how to incorporate them in your game. If this is of interest, why not book in a FREE 30 minute poker training consultation? Start by clicking below and we will be in touch soon.
Featured Photo by Tony Hand @mr_t55
Muck -
1. To fold a hand.2. The pile of discards and other dead cards in front of the dealer.
In many poker games, once a card has been discarded, it can not be brought back into play for the remainder of the hand, except under extreme circumstances. This means that discards are considered “dead cards,” and must be treated as such. One of the jobs of the dealer is to collect the dead cards, and keep them in a separate pile, away from the cards in play. This pile of cards is called “the muck.” The “muck” typically consists of all discarded or fouled hands, plus any other dead cards, which typically result from dealer error (for instance, boxed cards, or cards burned and turned too soon.) The dealer keeps this pile of cards face down on the table, either in front of, or to the right of the box. The dealer is expected to do his best to physically protect the muck, to prevent live cards from entering the pile.
This is important, because live cards entering, or even touching the muck, may be fouled. Sometimes a player will lose a hand he was going to win, because he has had his hand fouled by the muck. Typically, this happens when a player is not careful about the way he shows down at the end of a hand. In most poker rooms, a hand is not considered a valid shown hand until all cards are placed face up on the table so all can see. If a player turns his cards over incautiously, one or both of them may accidently touch or land in the muck. This can result in a fouled hand.
In addition to preventing live cards from going into the muck, it is also the dealer’s responsibility to prevent dead cards from coming back out of the muck. This is called protecting the muck. Players may wish to remove cards from the muck in an attempt to cheat, either by peeking to see which cards are out of play, or more blatantly, by attempting to incorporate previously mucked cards into their live hands.
Although rules vary from poker room to poker room, the muck is often considered a point of no return. In other words, a hand is generally considered live until it touches the muck, at which point it is considered dead. It is part of the dealer’s job to kill hands as they are discarded, by touching them to, then burying them in, the muck. For this reason, all players need to take responsibility for protecting their live hands from being fouled by the muck. The best way to do this is to be aware of where the dealer is keeping the muck, and stay away! It is also a good idea to protect your hand by placing a chip or other small object on top of it while the hand is in play. This will prevent the dealer from inadvertently grabbing a hand he thinks you have mucked, when you haven’t. Remember, the muck is toxic to your good hand.
Depending upon house rules, management may reserve the right to retrieve an identifiable hand from the muck and allow it to play, even after it has been killed, if they feel it is in the best interest of the game. This rule is generally used as redress if a player has had their hand killed unjustly, or through no fault of their own.
While touching the muck is capable of fouling an otherwise good hand, it is not the only danger. Poker hands may be fouled in many ways that do not involve touching the muck. For example, hands dropped on the floor may be fouled, or hands containing too few or too many cards may also be fouled. In addition to this, there are many other ways a hand can be fouled. It does not matter why or how the hand was fouled, once it is determined to be a fouled hand it is placed face down in the muck. The muck is essentially a graveyard for cards that have been taken out of play.In some poker games, it is possible for cards to be brought back into play from the muck. This most commonly occurs in the later rounds of draw games, when the dealer does not have enough cards remaining in the stub to complete the draw for all players. In this case, the dealer will typically back shuffle the entire muck with the remaining stub before distributing any cards for that round. This gives all players an equal chance of receiving previously mucked cards. The deal is then continued as usual.
In addition to being a physical place, the term “muck” is also commonly used as a verb, to describe the process of throwing your hand away. When it is your turn to act, you can either play, or “muck” your hand, which you do by discarding toward the muck.
Usage: Mucked my hand, Tossed it in the Muck, Landed in the Muck, Muck the Cards, Muck it!
List Of Texas Holdem Terms
Previous Poker Term: Move In