4-Bet in Poker: The Re-Raise That Puts Stacks in Play

The 4-bet is the raise over a 3-bet — the fourth level of preflop betting. At 100 big blinds it often commits a third of the stack: it's deep poker's heaviest preflop decision, and one of its worst played.

When to 4-bet

Facing a 3-bet, your options are fold, call or 4-bet. The value 4-bet is reserved for the top of the deck (AA, KK, and depending on the opponent QQ/AK); the bluff 4-bet exploits aggressive 3-bettors — and that's where blockers shine: an ace in your hand nearly halves their AA combos.

The benchmarks

• Sizing: 2.2 to 2.5 times the 3-bet in position, slightly more out of position — no need for more, the pot is already huge.
• Typical bluffs: A5s-A2s — the ace blocker, decent playability when called, and a hand too weak to call the 3-bet.
• Depth: under 40 big blinds, the 4-bet often becomes a shove — push or fold takes back over.

The classic mistake

The “only with aces” 4-bet. Good 3-bettors read it within an orbit and fold everything else — you win the minimum with your monsters and absorb their 3-bets with no answer. The remedy: a few blocker bluffs at the right frequencies — the ones the PokGenius Ranger displays and the Trainer drills.