4-Bet
A 4-bet is a re-raise of a 3-bet. Preflop it's the raise after an open raise has been re-raised, and it usually signals a very strong range.
A 4-bet is a re-raise of a 3-bet. Preflop, the big blind is the first bet, the open raise is the second, the re-raise is the third, and a raise over that is the fourth: the 4-bet. Because each step costs more chips, 4-betting ranges are usually tight, and 4-bet pots often end with someone all-in.
A typical 4-bet sequence
At 1/2 blinds with 200-chip stacks (100 big blinds), a sequence might look like this:
- The hijack opens to 5.
- The button 3-bets to 16.
- The hijack 4-bets to 38.
- The button now chooses between folding, calling, or a 5-bet, which at this depth usually means moving all-in.
Notice how quickly the stacks fill the pot. After a 38-chip 4-bet and a call, the pot is about 79 chips (38 + 38 + 3 from the blinds) and each player has 162 left. That leaves a stack-to-pot ratio of about 2, so most flops will lead to all-in decisions.
Sizing a 4-bet
A common guideline is a little over two times the 3-bet when you are in position and a bit larger, around two and a half times, when you are out of position. Unlike earlier raises, a 4-bet does not need to be huge; you just need enough to make calling awkward while keeping room to fold your bluffs. With shallower stacks, players often 4-bet all-in directly.
What hands to 4-bet
- Value: the strongest part of your range, such as A♠ A♥, K♣ K♦ and often Q-Q and A-K. Against very aggressive 3-bettors, hands like J-J or A-Q can be added.
- Bluffs: hands with blockers to strong value hands, such as A♦ 5♦ or A♣ 4♣. Holding an ace makes it less likely your opponent has A-A or A-K, and suited wheel aces keep some equity when called.
Choosing bluffs that block your opponent's strongest hands is one of the key ideas behind 4-betting well, and it ties into combos: there are 6 combinations of A-A, but if you hold one ace, only 3 remain.
Example hand
You open A♥ K♥ from the cutoff to 5, and the button 3-bets to 16. A-K is strong but not invincible. If your opponent 3-bets only premium hands, a 4-bet might fold out nothing worse. If they 3-bet often, with bluffs like suited connectors and weaker aces, a 4-bet to around 36 to 40 wins the pot immediately a lot of the time and is happy to get all-in against weaker aces and pairs that call.
Mistakes to avoid
- 4-bet bluffing players who rarely 3-bet; their 3-bets are strong.
- 4-betting with medium pairs and then folding to a shove, wasting chips.
- Making a 4-bet so large it commits you to calling a shove with a bluff.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 3-bet and a 4-bet?
A 3-bet re-raises the open raise; a 4-bet re-raises the 3-bet. Each step usually represents a stronger range.
What is a 5-bet?
A 5-bet is a re-raise of a 4-bet. In 100 big blind games it is almost always an all-in.
Should beginners 4-bet bluff?
Sparingly. Start by 4-betting strong value hands and add bluffs with blockers, like suited aces, only against opponents who 3-bet often.
Related poker terms
- 3-Bet — A 3-bet is the first re-raise in a betting round. Preflop it's the re-raise of an open raise, because the big blind counts as the first bet.
- Raise — A raise increases the current bet so opponents must add more chips to continue. In No-Limit it must be at least the size of the last bet or raise.
- Combos (Hand Combinations) — Combos are the specific card combinations that make up a starting hand. Pocket pairs have 6 combos, suited hands 4, and offsuit hands 12.
- Range — A range is the full set of hands a player could hold in a given spot. Thinking in ranges instead of single hands is the core of modern poker strategy.
- All-In — Going all-in means betting every chip you have in front of you. You can't be forced out of the hand, but you can only win what your chips cover.
- SPR (Stack-to-Pot Ratio) — SPR (stack-to-pot ratio) is the effective stack divided by the pot on the flop. It shows how committed you are and which hands can play for stacks.