Preflop Play — Open Raises, 3-Bets, and Limping
Learn how to enter the pot preflop. This beginner guide covers open raises, 3-bets, cold calls, and why you should avoid limping — with sizing guidelines for each.
📝 Where this article fits: Super Basics 8 / 13 | Reading Actions Explained and Starting Hands first will help you get the most out of this article.
Preflop Play
What You'll Learn
- The different ways to enter the pot preflop
- What an open raise is and sizing guidelines
- What a 3-bet is and sizing guidelines
- Terminology for calling in (cold call)
- Why you should avoid limping
🃏 How to Enter the Pot Preflop
As you learned in Game Flow, during the preflop you look at your 2 cards and decide whether to play or fold.
If You Don't Want to Play → Fold
If you think your hand can't win, fold and sit this one out. Most hands you're dealt preflop should be folded. Not forcing yourself into pots is the first step to winning long-term.
If You Want to Play → Call or Raise
When you decide to play a hand, your two options are call or raise.
Entering with a Call
The terminology changes depending on the situation:
| Name | Situation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Limp (Limp In) | Calling to enter when nobody has raised | Calling the BB amount |
| Cold Call | Calling someone else's raise to enter | Calling CO's raise |
Entering with a Raise
This also has different names depending on the situation:
| Name | Situation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Open Raise | You're the first player to raise | Raising to 5 to enter |
| 3-Bet | Re-raising someone else's raise | Raising to 15 over CO's open |
🎯 Key Point
When entering the pot preflop, raising is the standard play. Avoid "limping in" with just a call (we'll explain why later). The golden rule: "If you want to play, raise. If you don't, fold."
From here, let's look at each common action in detail.
🚀 What Is an Open Raise?
An open raise means making the first raise when nobody before you has raised. It's also simply called an "open."
This is the most fundamental way to enter a pot when you have a hand worth playing.
Example
The blinds are 1/2. You're sitting in the CO (Cutoff).
- UTG → Folds
- HJ → Folds
- You (CO) → You look down at AQs (Ace-Queen suited). You raise to 5 chips.
Since nobody raised before you, your raise is an "open raise."
Open Raise Sizing
"How much should I raise to?" is a natural question. The standard guideline is 2 to 3 times the Big Blind (BB).
| Position | Guideline | Example in a 1/2 Game |
|---|---|---|
| UTG / HJ (Early Position) | 2 BB | 4 chips |
| CO / BTN (Late Position) | 2-2.5 BB | 4-5 chips |
| SB (Small Blind) | 3 BB | 6 chips |
💡 When you're starting out, using "2 BB" from every position works perfectly fine. As you get more comfortable, you can adjust based on position.
💥 What Is a 3-Bet?
When someone has already open-raised and you think you have an even stronger hand, what should you do?
Raising on top of an open raise is called a "3-bet."
Why Is It Called a "3-Bet"?
It's because preflop already has bets counted:
| Count | Action | Example (1/2 Game) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st bet | Blinds (forced bet) | BB posts 2 chips |
| 2nd bet | Open raise | CO raises to 5 chips |
| 3rd bet | Re-raise over the open | BTN raises to 15 chips |
The blinds count as the 1st bet, the open raise is the 2nd, and the next raise is the 3rd — hence "3-bet."
🎯 Key Point
3-bet = raising over an open raise. It's a way of saying, "I have an even stronger hand than you."
When Should You 3-Bet?
Use it when you hold very strong hands like QQ, KK, AA, or AKs. By re-raising the open raiser, you build a bigger pot with your premium hand.
💡 As a beginner, only 3-bet with truly strong hands. Stick to QQ+ and AK to start.
🎯 If a hand feels too scary to 3-bet, just fold it. Calling with a mediocre hand is worse than folding cleanly.
3-Bet Sizing
As a beginner, aim for roughly 3x the open raise.
Example: If the opponent open-raises to 5 chips → 3-bet to 15 chips
📝 As you advance, you'll learn to adjust your 3-bet size depending on whether you're in position (IP) or out of position (OOP). We'll cover this in a separate article.
4-Bet, 5-Bet... The Raises Keep Going
Raising over a 3-bet is called a 4-bet, and raising over that is a 5-bet. The number simply increases with each additional raise.
| Count | Action |
|---|---|
| 1st bet | Blinds (forced bet) |
| 2nd bet | Open raise |
| 3rd bet | Raise over the open raise |
| 4th bet | Raise over the 3-bet |
| 5th bet | Raise over the 4-bet |
As a beginner, only engage in 4-bet+ situations with extremely strong hands.
💡 For now, knowing up to "3-bet" is plenty. 4-bet+ situations are quite rare.
📞 More on Calling In
As mentioned earlier, calling into a pot takes two forms: limping (calling without a raise in front) and cold calling (calling someone's raise).
Additionally, calling a 3-bet is sometimes referred to as a 3CC (3-bet Cold Call). However, 3CC is rarely used even by advanced players. When facing a 3-bet, think of it as a simple choice: "4-bet or fold."
⚠️ Limit your cold calls to BTN (Button) and BB (Big Blind) only. From all other positions, the rule is: raise or fold. BTN has a positional advantage, and BB has already invested chips — these are the exceptions where calling can be justified.
💡 When to cold call: Take a hand that's strong enough that you considered 3-betting, and occasionally just call with it instead. That's the proper use of a cold call. It's not about calling because your hand is "almost good enough" — it's about occasionally flatting with hands that are genuinely 3-bet worthy, specifically from BTN or BB. If a hand feels borderline, fold it.
📝 The difference between a limp and a cold call is simply whether there was a raise before you. Calling with no raise = limp. Calling over a raise = cold call.
🚶 Why You Should Avoid Limping
Limping (limping in) is common among beginners, but experienced players almost never do it. Here's why:
1. You Give the BB a Free Flop
If you raise, your opponents might fold, letting you win the pot immediately. When you limp, the BB (Big Blind) gets to see the flop without putting in any extra chips. You're giving them a free chance to beat you.
2. Multiway Pots Put You at a Disadvantage
Without a raise, many players will see the flop. The more players in the hand, the lower your chances of winning.
3. Your Hand Strength Becomes Transparent
Opponents will read a limp as "a mediocre hand." If you had a truly strong hand, you'd normally raise. Limping gives away free information and puts you at a disadvantage.
⚠️ If you want to play, open raise. If you don't, fold. Limping is a half-measure that hands your opponents an advantage.
🔄 Preflop Decision Summary
Let's organize everything that happens preflop.
⚠️ Notice that "Limp In" doesn't appear in this diagram. If you want to play, raise. If not, fold. That's the fundamental approach.
❌ Common Beginner Mistakes
Limping Into Pots
"I'll just call and see what happens" is the most costly play. If you want to play, open raise. If your hand is weak, fold.
Varying Your Raise Size
If you only raise big with strong hands, your opponents will catch on quickly. Raise the same size regardless of your hand strength. Telegraphing your hand through sizing is a major leak.
Being Too Afraid to 3-Bet
"Raising over a raise" takes courage as a beginner, but when you have a strong hand, be aggressive and 3-bet. If a hand "feels too scary to 3-bet," then don't call either — just fold.
🎯 Summary
🎯 Key Takeaways
- The standard preflop plays are open raising and 3-betting
- Open raise = the first raise. Size it at 2-3 BB
- 3-bet = raising over an open raise. Size it at roughly 3x the open
- Only cold call from BTN and BB. From all other positions, it's raise or fold
- Limping (calling in without a raise) is generally wrong — it gives the BB a free flop
- Keep your raise size consistent — don't change it based on hand strength
🚀 Next Steps
Now that you know how to enter the pot with open raises and 3-bets, what do you do once community cards hit the board? In the next article, you'll learn how to evaluate your hand on the flop — figuring out whether you're strong, drawing, or should get out of the way!
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