At a glance
- On the HUD
- 3BSz
- Formula
average 3-bet, as a multiple of the open (raise-to amount / open amount)- Typical range
Not colored on the HUD: it has no typical range, because a good number depends on the game. See “Too low, about right, too high” below.
- Where it shows
- Badge: the 3-bettor.
- Trust it after
- 12 chances. Below that the number is faded; reads need 12 chances and a number at least one standard error outside the typical range.
What it measures
3-bet size describes how big a player re-raises, not how often. It divides the total they 3-bet to by the total of the open they raised. Over a 2.5 bb open, a 3-bet to 7.5 bb is 3.0x and a 3-bet to 12 bb is 4.8x.
Measuring against the open makes players comparable across games. A home game where opens go to 4 bb and 3-bets to 12 bb shows the same 3.0x as an online game with 2.5 bb opens and 7.5 bb 3-bets.
It sits next to 3-bet, how often they 3-bet, and fold to 3-bet, how openers respond. Size and frequency together tell you most of what you need: a frequent small 3-bettor and a rare huge 3-bettor call for opposite answers.
How it’s calculated
3-bet size = average of (3-bet raise-to ÷ open raise-to) over every 3-bet they make
- Sample: every 3-bet, meaning the second full raise of the hand. That includes squeezes over an open and callers, and limp-reraises, where the iso-raise counts as the open.
- Value: the total they raised to, divided by the open’s total. Blind money is part of the total, so a big blind 3-bet to 10 bb over a 2.5 bb open is 4.0x.
- All-ins count when they’re a full raise. A 30 bb shove over a 3 bb open adds 10.0x.
- Not split by seat or position.
Example: Ana made 12 3-bets: eight to 3x in position, three squeezes to 4.5x, and one 25 bb shove over a 2.5 bb open (10x). 3-bet size = (8 × 3 + 3 × 4.5 + 10) / 12 = 47.5 / 12 = 4.0x. Her in-position 3-bets are standard; the squeezes and the shove push the average up.
Why it matters
3-bet size sets your price. Say you open to 3 bb, the button 3-bets and the blinds fold. To call, you need:
| 3-bet to | Multiple | You call | Equity needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 bb | 2.5x | 4.5 bb | 4.5 / 16.5 = 27.3% |
| 9 bb | 3.0x | 6 bb | 6 / 19.5 = 30.8% |
| 12 bb | 4.0x | 9 bb | 9 / 25.5 = 35.3% |
Raw equity isn’t everything, since position and playability matter, but the trend is clear: small 3-bets let you continue wide, big ones push you down to strong hands.
Size also changes what their bluffs need. With the blinds folding, a 3-bet to 7.5 bb risks 7.5 to win 4.5 (your 3 and the blinds), so it profits when you fold more than 7.5 / 12 = 62.5%. A 3-bet to 12 bb needs 12 / 16.5 = 72.7%. Small 3-bettors can bluff more often for the same result, which is why small sizes often come with wider ranges.
Too low, about right, too high
The HUD shows no typical range or color for 3-bet size. These bands are ours, for 100 bb games. Squeezes and out-of-position 3-bets are bigger by design, so a player who 3-bets mostly from the blinds or over callers will sit higher.
Small: under 3x
What it says
They 3-bet small, often around 2.5x, sometimes a min-3-bet. Two kinds of players do this: aggressive regulars using a small in-position size with a wide range, and beginners who min-raise everything. Either way the 3-bet risks little and asks little of you. Check 3-bet: a small size with a high frequency is a wide, light range.
How to exploit it
- Continue wider. At 2.5x you need about 27% to call, so pairs, suited connectors and suited broadways can call in position.
- 4-bet bluff more. A small 3-bet is cheap for them to give up, and wide small 3-bettors often fold to 4-bets; confirm with fold to 4-bet.
- 4-bet for value a little wider (JJ, AQs) against a frequent small 3-bettor.
- Don’t over-adjust to a beginner’s min-3-bet. If their 3-bet frequency is low, the small size is a habit, not a wide range.
Standard: 3–4x
What it says
The usual sizing: around 3x in position, 3.5–4x from the blinds, and a bit more over callers. On its own it says little about their range, so frequency and seat do the work. Most players who 3-bet with any thought land here, and a number in this band is mainly a baseline for spotting the odd hand that doesn’t fit.
How to exploit it
- Defend by frequency. Against a rare 3-bettor, fold the bottom of your opening range and continue with strong pairs and big suited hands; against a frequent one, call more in position and 4-bet more.
- Watch for single hands that break their pattern. A player who usually goes 3x and suddenly makes it 5x is telling you something, and showdowns tell you what.
- Keep your 4-bets in proportion: about 2.2–2.5x their 3-bet is a common baseline (see 4-bet size).
Large: over 4x
What it says
They 3-bet big: 4.5x, 5x or more. In home games this is often a player who wants to end the hand preflop and 3-bets a narrow, value-heavy range (QQ+, AK) to “charge” callers. It can also be a squeeze-heavy player, a blind-heavy 3-bettor or a short stack shoving, so check the sample and the spots.
How to exploit it
- Fold more, call less. At 4x you need 35.3% on pot odds alone, often out of position against a strong range, and small pairs and suited connectors lose most of their value.
- 4-bet bluff less. A big 3-bet usually means a strong range, and a 4-bet over it costs a lot.
- If their 3-bet frequency is high as well as big, they’re overpaying with bluffs: call wider with hands that dominate those bluffs (AQ, KQs) and 4-bet jam QQ+ and AK.
When it’s your own number
3-bet size has no read, but anyone with the HUD sees your average on your badge when you 3-bet. The common leak is sizing by hand strength: AA to 5x, A5s to 3x. Anyone paying attention will fold to the big ones and play back at the small ones.
Size by position, not by hand: around 3x in position, 3.5–4x out of position, plus about one open’s worth per caller when you squeeze. If your average is high and you rarely squeeze, you may be overpaying for bluffs: a 3-bet to 12 bb over a 3 bb open needs 72.7% folds, where 9 bb needs 66.7%.
Using it on the HUD
3-bet size shows on the 3-bettor’s badge in a 3-bet pot, next to their 3-bet frequency, fold to 4-bet and 5-bet, so you see how big and how wide in one place. It shows one decimal (3.3 means 3.3x the open) and never takes a color.
Samples come as fast as the player 3-bets. Someone who 3-bets about once every 20 hands gives you 12 samples in roughly 240 hands; a tight player may take a thousand. With few samples, one shove or one squeeze moves the average a lot, as in Ana’s example.
Read it with 3-bet, squeeze (squeezes run bigger) and open size: some players simply size everything up.
Questions
What is a standard 3-bet size?
About 3x the open in position and 3.5–4x out of position is a common baseline at 100 bb, with squeezes bigger by roughly one open per caller. The HUD doesn’t mark any size as normal; it shows the player’s average as a multiple of the open they re-raised.
Should you call small 3-bets more often?
Generally, yes. Facing a 2.5x 3-bet after a 3 bb open, you need about 27.3% equity to call, against 35.3% for a 4x 3-bet. Small 3-bets also tend to be wider ranges, so suited and connected hands can continue in position.
Why is a player’s 3-bet size so high on the HUD?
Usually because of what’s in the average: squeezes over several callers, 3-bets from the blinds, or a short stack shoving. One 30 bb shove over a 3 bb open adds a 10x sample. Check the sample count in the tooltip and compare with their normal in-position size.