4-bet for Beginners: When, Against Whom, and Why?

Beginner players often choose between two scenarios — "I don't play 4-bets at all — it's complicated and risky" or "I play 4-bets with the strongest hands." 

In this article, we want to discuss the basic principles of constructing 4-bet ranges to make it easier for you to understand and start using this technique in your game without significant risks. 

You will learn: 

• what a 4-bet is

• the objectives of a 4-bet

• why positions matter more than they seem

• how to choose 4-bet sizing

• which hands logically suit a 4-bet against different types of players;

• how to respond when you are 4-bet.

What is a 4-bet in simple terms

To avoid confusion with terms, imagine the sequence of actions:

• there are bets on the blinds — they are already in the main pot

• a player makes an open raise

• the next player raises, i.e., plays a 3-bet

• the following raise is what we call a 4-bet.

The main point: a 4-bet refers to the order of raises, not the bet size. Not "4 times", not "4 blinds", not "raised large" — it is specifically the bet following a 3-bet. 

Why a 4-bet is necessary

1. For value — to build the pot when you are ahead

The simplest example is holding AA. It's the strongest hand in poker, meaning any hand in the opponent's range is weaker pre-flop, turn and river. 

In this situation, you want to:

• get a call from worse hands

• provoke the opponent to play a 5-bet/push

• play a big pot where you have the advantage.

Your task is to extract the maximum from the hand where the math is on your side.

2. For bluffing — to eliminate equity and take the pot before the flop

If an opponent 3-bets frequently, they are likely bluffing 3-bets and can easily fold against a 4-bet. You have a chance to take the pot here and now.

For this action, you need: 

• fold equity — where the opponent must realistically be able to fold

• you need blockers — Aces and Kings are the most valuable

• your hand should have a chance to make the nuts in case of a call.

Therefore, professional players often choose weak suited Aces as their bluff range. 

The best hands for a 4-bet bluff

The range from A5s to A2s meets two parameters: 

1. It has a blocker to a strong hand in the form of an Ace. This reduces the probability of the opponent holding strong Aces. 

2. There is a chance to make a nut flush or straight during post-flop play. 

What a player should ask themselves before 4-betting

Before making this move, it's important to ask yourself two questions: 

1. With what does the opponent 3-bet?
This depends on position and the type of player. A 3-bet against UTG and a 3-bet against BTN are two different universes.

2. With what hand would they continue against a 4-bet?
That is, what will they fold, what will they call, and with what will they 5-bet/push.

The importance of position

Understanding the importance of position in the context of 4-bets begins with these two situations: 

• Against early positions, ranges are typically tight → the 4-bet must also be disciplined. 

• CO/BTN vs SB/BB — conversely: there is more width, more dynamics, more room → there is space for bluffing. 

This is why there is no universal 4-bet range. But you can have clear guidelines.

Which 4-bet sizing to choose

One of the typical mistakes of beginner players is using different sizes for value and bluffing. This makes the strategy readable. How to fix this? 

• 4-bet in position — about 2-2.5x the size of the 3-bet;

• 4-bet out of position — about 2.5–3x the size of the 3-bet.

Example: you opened 3bb, received a 3-bet to 10bb, an adequate 4-bet in this case would be about 20–24bb. 

Another important point: if your 4-bet is about a third of the stack size, it is often easier and more logical to consider a shove — especially with smaller stacks — to avoid an awkward SPR* on the post-flop.

*SPR (Stack-to-Pot Ratio) — is the effective stack-to-pot size ratio in a particular hand.

Example Hands 

Example #1: 4-bet for value against a loose-aggressive player

Situation: we are on the CO, holding JJ. On the BTN, a loose-aggressive opponent 3-bets against us. 

Jacks in this situation become a hand that often has a 4-bet value because the continuation range includes worse hands — including lower pocket pairs and broadway hands that may outsight us on the post-flop. 

Approximate 3-bet range of a loose-aggressive player on BTN against CO

The best move here is to make a 4-bet to: 

• get a chance not to play a difficult spot out of position 

• get paid by weaker hands pre-flop

Example #2: 4-bet bluff against a player with a high fold to 4-bet

Situation: we open from HJ and receive a 3-bet from a player on the SB. 

We hold A5s — and this hand is excellent for a 4-bet bluff because: 

• the Ace in hand reduces the number of combinations of AA, AK and other strong Ax hands the opponent may have

• the hand can make a nut combination if we suddenly get a call

• we are not reluctant to turn it into a bluff — unlike AQ, which is often better to call

Optimal action — 4-bet with the same sizing as for value — in this case, we are in position, so 2-2.5x will be sufficient. 

By doing this, we can eliminate dominating Aces, strong broadways and take the pot without a fight. 

Let's give two specific situations as examples: 

A player on the SB — especially a skilled one — would often play off-suit strong broadway hands through 3-bet in order to knock out the opponent's weak Aces.

By playing 4-bet, we can take the pot without fighting and making tough decisions post-flop — even if the opponent's hand is mathematically stronger than ours. 

In this case, the opponent's hand, having played a 3-bet on the SB, is stronger than ours. It is part of a bluff range against the HJ position.

By making a 4-bet, we not only ensure that we take the pot without a fight but also force out a stronger hand. 

Conclusion

If you want to learn how to build a pre-flop strategy so that 4-bets generate profits over time — apply to FunFarm. 

We help players structure their system — ranges, sizings, adjustments to opponent types and confident play in 3-bet/4-bet pots — so that decisions are predictable and profitable.