In poker online free games where there are many inexperienced players who don’t have the poker skills needed to win frequently by skill a good player deploying solid ABC poker will win a lot of games. Against experienced players, even in some free poker games online and for certain in cash games, ABC poker won’t work so well.

To win frequently you need at mix new methods into your game. One tactic that you can employ to confound skilled poker players is the ‘light’ three-bet.

It serves a very different purpose than the typical ‘value’ three-bet in which you raise with premium pre-flop hands like aces, kings, queens, or ace-king. With those kinds of hands, you’re looking to extract the maximum value from a strong hand before the flop.

The ‘light’ three bet is a really different sort of move altogether.

Purpose

When you “light” three-bet, you’re re-raising with a hand that may not be the best before the flop but may turn out to be the best when all is said and done. The Light-3 bet then is a type of semi-bluff, but only semi as the hand is not total rubbish.

You want to win the hand before the flop with your re-raise, steal the hand from your opponent after the flop, or get lucky and make up a big hand.

Even if it fails you will succeed in affecting your table image and balancing your range. Should you play too tight you will find it hard to get your pay off when you get a Big Hand. But if you Light-3 bet the other players will not think you’re a nit.

They won’t know whether you have pocket aces or a hand that may be much weaker.

Ideal Opponent

You don’t want to use the “light” three-bet against a poor player. You do not need to get sophisticated with them, if you have good poker skills you can beat them with your ABC solid tactics.

You do want to use the “light” three-bet against a good player who plays somewhat loose. Since the player will play a wide opening range of hands, he’ll be playing less than premium hands frequently. Oftentimes, this type of player will lay down his hand when you “light” three-bet. He wants to steal pots. He doesn’t want a confrontation.

Ideal Hand

You obviously don’t want to “light” three-bet with the worst starting hand possible. Although, some young online pros have been seen to “light” three-bet with all sorts of trashy hands.

Ideally, you’ll want to “light” three-bet with suited connectors or suited aces. Even when you miss the flop, you may pick up a strong enough draw to allow you to stay in the hand the hand. If you “light” three-bet with 7-2 off suit, it’s essentially a stone cold bluff with no real outs.

Summary and Warning
You ought not risk the “light” three-bet too much and without an understanding of the intention of the tactic. You should play a generally solid game but still generate enough action to get paid off with your good hands. If you “light” three-bet too much, you’ll just develop into another weak, loose player who bleeds money at the table.

If you’ve not tried the light 3 before practice it when you play free poker first and work it into your cash game repertoire when you feel confident in its use. If you’re new to poker learn how to play poker for beginners first at a online poker free site and learn this sort of tactic in the process.