Learn To Bluff

Bluffing is by far the most fun aspect of poker. It feels good when you bluff someone out of hand that they would definitely win – and show your cards afterwards – However, other than feeling good, bluffing is a very important tactic that every poker player needs to master in order to advance his game.

Bluffing at Poker:

Now when you bluff(lie) you want to look as honest as possible. You really do have the best hand, Don’t you?!! Other than the psychology of bluffing, there are cetain strategies you should know when trying to bluff a poker a player.

When bluffing in poker, many factors have to be analyzed and be taken to consideration. That includes

  • Where the gameis loose or tight
  • What the table limits are
  • The person that you are trying to bluff and his characterestics
  • What position are you – this is exteremly important
  • Do you still have outs(so it’s a semi bluff) or you are sure that you can’t have the best hand evern after all the cards are out(so it’s a full bluff).
  • The table image is

Here are some basic DOs and DON’Ts in bluffing:

  • Do Bluff at good/tight players. They will put you on the good hand more often than the loose players.But don’t bluff too much, because you will lose your image at the table.
  • Do bluff at scary flops. If there is a possible flush at the flop – three of a suit on the flop – and you bet at it, people will most likely fold to you, because even if they have outs to hit, it is still hard to beat a flush.
  • Do bluff more often when you are in the late positions. That way you have a good idea of how good other people’s hands are.
  • Do bluff more often when there are less players in the hand.
  • Do bluff more often on the turn and river.
  • Don’t bluff bad/loose players. Bad players don’t necessarily know when they are beaten or when they should fold. So even though it might be obvious to you that they should fold their hand to your fold, most of the time they don’t.
  • Don’t bluff when you are playing lower limits. If you are playing $1/$2 and you bet $30 at a pot, it is very likely for the other player to call you with the second or third best hand. Again, that depends on other players too; if they are college students, $30 might mean much more to them than if they are doctors.
  • Don’t try to bluff at a hand where there are over 4 people playing in it. It is very likely that you will be called by at least one of them.
  • Don’t show your cards every time you bluff. Do it every now and then to put them on tilt, but if you show your cards too often you will have a bluffing image at the table and players won’t respect your raises anymore.
  • Don’t bluff when you have been caught bluffing recently.
  • Don’t bluff when you just lost a big hand or have lost a series of hands.
  • Don’t bluff when you limed in or are in blind position. Players don’t believe you have a good hand, otherwise you would have raised preflop.

Bluff Quotes:

  • If you don’t ever get caught bluffing you almost certainly don’t bluff enough.
  • But again, bluffing is the vegetable of revenue streams.
  • “The best horse doesn’t always win the race.” (Irish proverb)