SPOT PRINCIPLE
Linear and honest: 3-bet the top, call with hands that dominate nothing but flop well.
The reference tier. 3-bets are linear and value-heavy, live-style; calls are pairs, strong suited hands, and the best broadways.
The tightest confrontation at the table: an early open, and you right behind it with six players still to act.
Assumes a ~4bb open; 3-bet to ~3x the open in position, ~4x from the blinds – larger as stacks deepen.
Baseline assumptions: 9-handed · no ante · no straddle · 4bb opens · low-rake live structure · cold-calling allowed. Charts reduce low-frequency mixes to a single default action; adjust live for opponents and rake. Baseline v1 · updated 2026-08.