A 3-bet pot is a pot where the preflop raise was re-raised and called. It starts big, so the stack-to-pot ratio is low by default, both ranges are narrow and strong, and commitment decisions arrive on the flop.
With 100bb stacks a single-raised pot leaves an SPR of around 13; a 3-bet pot leaves 4 to 6, and after one flop bet it is often 2. Low SPR changes what a hand is worth: there are only one or two bets left, so top pair top kicker and overpairs are usually good enough to play for stacks, because villain can get the money in with worse. Folding an overpair to a jam because ‘one pair is never good for stacks’ is a rule that belongs to SPR 13, not SPR 2.
Both ranges are narrow — big pairs, A-K, A-Q, suited broadways, a few suited connectors — and that changes which boards belong to whom. Ace- and king-high flops hit the 3-bettor’s range hard, so the caller should not float without a pair or a draw. Low and middle boards miss a range built from big cards and favor the caller’s pairs and suited connectors. Plan the whole hand on the flop: with a set or a big draw, build the pot now; with a medium hand, do not put in the bets that commit you.
Worked example
FAQ
How is a 3-bet pot different from a single-raised pot?
The pot is bigger relative to the stacks, so SPR is low, and both ranges are stronger. One-pair hands gain value as stack-off hands, while underpairs and unimproved overcards lose value fast.
Should you c-bet more in 3-bet pots?
On ace- and king-high flops, which hit the 3-bettor’s range, yes — often and small. On low and middle boards, which favor the caller’s pairs and connectors, the 3-bettor should check more.