A triple barrel is when a player bets the flop, turn, and then the river with nothing. It is always a bluff and means that it is the third attempt to take away the pot. Triple barreling is one of the most advanced skills in all of poker. Many players triple barrel at the most inopportune times, while others have a knack for making the most perfectly placed triple barrels. Triple barreling is truly an art; there is no other way to put it. Mastering the triple barrel is virtually impossible, but any good player can learn how to use it effectively with practice. This concept is one of the few strategies that mixed poker game players can use universally on almost any card game. Most people think it is strictly a Texas Hold'em strategy but it is also very common in the Omaha variants as well.
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Texas Hold'em Articles:
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Who to triple barrel
If you are considering a triple barrel you should be sure that your opponent is very capable of making a good fold. As odd as it many sound, a triple barrel works best when you are facing a solid player. A triple barrel is successful only when the other player lays down their hand, so what is the use in making one against a loose player? They are loose because they tend to call off way too lightly, this is the opposite of what you need to triple barrel.
When to triple barrel
Assuming that you have determined that your opponent is capable of making a big river fold, the next step is to determine whether your line is believable. If you are repping a hand that is very unlikely it will be difficult for you to convince the other player that you have them beat. The entire premise of a triple barrel is built around the ability to convince a player that you have them beat, if you are unable to contrive a realistic story they will call your river bet and you will have lost a large pot. This is one of the major drawbacks of triple barreling; when it is unsuccessful it can lead to substantial losses. Players often get caught in the trap of thinking “There is no way they can call this big of a bet,” when in reality they should be thinking “Can I convince this player that he should fold to my river bet.”
How much to bet
The bet sizing is one of the most important parts of a triple barrel. While all parts of the triple barrel are crucial to its success, the amount of money you are wagering will end up being very significant in the long run. Some players tend to think that huge bets will scare off players just because they are big. The problem with this line of thinking is that it disregards what your opponent thinks you have. If you believe that your opponent will believe you made a straight on the turn, would he be expecting a huge overbet or a moderately sized value bet? More often than not he will be anticipating a value bet from you. If he is wrong and you make a huge overbet he will reconsider what hand he is putting you on. It all comes down to doing what makes the most sense in the other player’s eyes. Your goal is to act like you have something you don’t, something that beats his hand. Think about how you would play the hand if you truly had the hand you are pretending to have, this is the secret to successful triple barrels.