A 4 bet in poker is a contentious preflop betting move and by using this move, you can make other players fold and claim the pot before the flop is dealt. It is a raise that comes after a 3-bet, and is ordinarily done before the flop.
A 4 bet in poker is symbolic to a lot of poker hand strength before the flop, indicating that the player is prompting to play for their entire stack.
Use of 4 Bet in Poker
4 bet in poker is one of the strongest moves and it should be used sporadically. Pocket aces and pocket kings are the best poker hands you always want to 4-bet with. So your aim is to get as much money into the pot preflop as possible.
AK suited is the strongest unpaired hand making it another good value 4 bet entrant. Many good players use this hand as a call when playing extremely deep (over 200 big blinds) depending upon the opponent and the situation they’re in.
4-bet can be the player’s best hands against everyone. However against aggressive players, your 4-betting range can be extended to include other powerful pocket pairs like AQ suited, AK off, Queens and Jacks.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid in 4 Bet Poker
There are some common mistakes that the players commit in 4 bet poker. It takes experience and practice to avoid these mistakes. Misinterpreting the opponent’s 3 betting range is the first and the most expensive mistake.
Here are few other mistakes players make with their 4 bets:
- 4-betting conveys a lot of strength. It’s not necessary to go big unless and until there is a very specific reason for it. To accomplish your goal, going about 2x the size of the 3 bet is more than sufficient leaving enough chips to play on future streets when called.
- You need to acknowledge opponent’s left to act before doing 4 bet as a bluff. You should avoid bluffing if there are players with low stacks behind you, as they can easily move all in, forcing you to call with what stands to be a lower hand.
4-Betting as a Bluffing Tool
4 bet bluffs is used by good players as a part of their poker strategy, but doing it efficiently, you need to have a good knowledge of this move and experience playing against various types of players.
The two most common scenarios in 4-bet buffing are:
- Attacking players you know who use 3-bet too wide.
- Attacking the players with wider ranges, 3-betting from later positions or from blinds.
When you know one of these spots, you need to determine which poker hands are good candidates for 4 bet bluffs. Most of these hands will have blockers and have a decent chance of making a big flop, such as small suited pocket aces (A2s-A5s). To balance this out and be less predictable, include other hands into your bluffing range like 78s or 89s.
Value Betting Using 4 Bets
4 bets are generally used as a value-betting tool. 4 bet is one of the best way to get more money into the pot if you have a big hand before the flop. AA, KK, QQ, Aks, and AKo are some of the standard 4-bet hands for value regardless of the position.
When deciding out what sizing to use, players likely to use a larger 4 bet size for hands like AK and QQ and possibly go smaller size for AA and KK. This is due to the fact that the latter is easier to play after the flop, and makes it easier to find more favorable boards with aces and kings.
Also read: What is a 3 Bet in Poker?
