🔥 Squeezes and playing against a 3-bet: sizes, SPR and who 4-bets
Why a 4-bet is 2–4% of hands and why top pair is already all-in in a 3-bet pot · Pro
3-bet and 4-bet pots are the most expensive in Omaha, and their decisions are made before the flop. This lesson covers exact squeeze and 4-bet sizes, the SPR in each scenario, the chart's frequencies (who continues against a 3-bet and why it's not only aces that 4-bet), and the equity of aces against a very narrow range.
The squeeze: size and logic
A squeeze is a 3-bet after an open and a call. There's already money from two players in the pot, and the raise can either take it right away or leave you heads-up with a strong hand.
A pot-sized squeeze from the button after a 3.5 open and a call: 3 × 3.5 + (3.5 + 1.5) = 15.5 bb. If the caller folds and the opener calls, there's 36 bb in the pot and 84.5 behind — SPR about 2.3. This is already a pot where top pair with a draw goes all-in on the flop.
Per the chart, 4.6–7.3% of hands squeeze, depending on positions. Out of position the range is narrower: a big pot is hard to play out of position.
Against a 3-bet
You opened and got 3-bet. The chart's shares are of your opening range:
— UTG against an MP 3-bet: call 54.6%, 4-bet 17%, fold — 28%;
— CO against a button 3-bet: call 55.4%, 4-bet 13.8%, fold — 31%;
— button against an SB 3-bet: call 76.4%, 4-bet 6.3%, fold — 17%.
UTG's narrow range almost all continues: it's full of aces, which is why it also 4-bets most often. The button opens wide, but against the SB it will play the pot in position — and folds only a sixth of its opens.
Who 4-bets
A pot-sized 4-bet after a 3-bet to 12 is 37.5 bb, and after a call the SPR is below 1: the hand is almost decided before the flop. That's why the 4-bet range is narrow: 6–17% of the opening range, or 2–4% of all hands.
For UTG against an MP 3-bet, aces always 4-bet: double-suited, single-suited and even rainbow (94%). But not only aces: double-suited rundowns 4-bet 35% of the time, and double-suited aces with connected cards (A♠J♠9♥8♥) 45%. These hands have good equity even against aces, and an ace in your hand lowers the chance that your opponent also has aces (more on this in the lesson on blockers).
For context: A♠A♥K♠K♥ against the strongest 5% of hands — 69.4%, A♠A♥7♦2♣ — 59%, K♠Q♠J♥10♥ — 42.6%.
How to think in 3-bet pots
1. First count the SPR: after a 3-bet it's about 3.5, after a 4-bet below 1. That decides which hands are ready to go all-in on the flop.
2. Against a 3-bet, continue with hands that play well at low SPR: aces, strong double-suited rundowns, pairs with good suits.
3. Out of position, continue tighter; in position, wider.
Practice: 10 hands — squeezes and playing against a 3-bet. Frequencies here are often mixed, so an "Inaccuracy" is normal, and a "Blunder" is a reason to open the chart for that spot.