♠️🔨 Three-Bet Thursday: Polarized vs. Linear 3-Betting

Apply Pressure. Watch Them Crack.

Author

Mike Deckard
May 22, 2025

🔨 Three-Bet Thursday: Polarized vs. Linear 3-Betting

One of the biggest steps in leveling up your game is understanding range construction — and there’s no better place to start than with your 3-bet ranges.

Today we’re diving into the difference between polarized and linear 3-betting — what they mean, how they function, and when to use each.

🧠 First, Think It Through...

Before we go further, take a second and ask yourself:

When should I 3-bet with a linear range? When should I use a polarized one?

Hold your answer — we’ll come back to it after some examples.

📊 Linear vs. Polarized — What’s the Difference?

🔹 Linear 3-Betting Range

A linear range is built from the top down. It includes:

Your strongest value hands

Next-best playable hands that perform well postflop

Example (vs loose open from CO or BTN):
TT+, AJs+, KQs, AQo+, broadways like KJ/QJ

You’re not trying to trick anyone. You’re simply 3-betting your best hands for value

🔸 Polarized 3-Betting Range

A polarized range includes:

Strong value hands at the top

Bluffs or semi-bluffs at the bottom

You leave out the middle — hands like KJ, QJ, ATs, which you’d rather call with

Example (vs tight MP open):
Value: QQ+, AK
Bluffs: A5s–A2s, 76s, T9s
You’re 3-betting the nuts or the “trash” — nothing in between.

✅ Use a Polarized Range When…

  • Your opponent folds too much to 3-bets

  • You want to attack a capped range with fold equity

This is where suited connectors and suited A-x hands come in — they:

  • Can't profitably call preflop (or take tons of skill to do so)

  • Block top continues

  • Benefit from fold equity

  • Perform better heads-up than in multiway pots

We’ve covered this before: hands like T♠️9♠️ or A♣️5♣️ are often better used as aggressive bluffs than passive calls.

✅ Use a Linear Range When…

  • Your opponent calls too much

  • You want to value-own wide ranges

In these spots, you want to dominate, not bluff.
Hands like AJs, KQs, TT climb in value because you’ll frequently be ahead of your opponent’s flatting range and can extract more.

🔁 Bring It All Together

Let’s recap:

  • Polarized = Value + Bluffs → used when you don’t expect many calls

  • Linear = Pure Strength → used when you want the call and dominate their range

Knowing when to use each range type separates button-clickers from thinking players.
So next time you're reaching for a 3-bet, ask yourself:

Does this opponent fold too much… or not enough?

Answer that — and the rest builds itself.

💬 What Do You Use?

When you play $1/$3 or $2/$5, are you building polarized or linear ranges — and do you adjust based on who’s opening?

Hit reply and tell me how you construct your ranges.
I'll break down a reader-submitted range in a future issue.

Stay sharp and curious,

— Mike

Want 1-on-1 help with successfully navigating Three-Bet scenarios?


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