Probably the most well known poker term, bluffing has been associated with the sport since its very beginnings.  It is the fine art of poker, not a crass attempt at playing out a weak hand because you want to play every hand.  You need to know when to bluff in order for it to be an effective weapon.  You also need to understand what a semi-bluff is and how it can be used to steal the pot.

When using the bluff you are trying to get all the other players to fold their hands, and do so as soon as possible.  That’s because when you’re bluffing you have a weak hand that you’re highly unlikely to win if it makes it to a showdown unless you get really lucky.

Different types of poker players will react to the bluff differently and you need to understand who’s at your table before bluffing.  The best circumstance for bluffing is when your table is full of tight players.  These players will be less likely to throw more money in the pot just to see the cards unless they have strong hole cards.  However loose, aggressive, poor and beginning players are not the type of players you want to test with a bluff.  These players are much more likely to call your bluff just to see the next card(s), to challenge you or because they don’t know the game well enough.

Just as you’re paying attention to the playing styles of others they are also paying attention to you.  To really be a master at the bluff you need to make others think you’re not likely to use it.  In other words you need to make other players think you’re a tight player that only goes after good hands.  That means you can’t bluff as soon as you sit down at a table.  You need to slowly build up this image of being a tight player by doing just that for a while.  And make sure not to drop the ball by waiting to bluff but failing to take note that a new player who hasn’t seen you playing has entered the game.

You’ll have more luck when you bluff the short stack as opposed to a chip leader.  Common sense will tell you if they have fewer chips they have more to lose and are likely to not risk it.  If you’re up against players when you’re the short stake it’s never a great idea to bluff since anyone else can match you and then some even if you go all in.

In the same thread of thought consider the game that you are playing before you attempt the bluff.  If you are playing a low stakes game your bluff is much less likely to work.  People play more hands in low stakes because it doesn’t cost them as much to see the next card.  In a high stakes or no limit game people are going to be much more conservative and more likely to play only stronger hands when they’re raised.  If you’re playing a limit game with stakes lower than $2/$4 then you’ll most likely be called all the way to the end.

Your position at a poker table has a lot to do with your chances of bluffing effectively.  The position to bluff from is a late position where you have the chance to see what others are going to do first.  Ideal circumstances would be when everyone is either folding or checking, which is a good indicator no one has a strong hand.  From the late position you can then bluff and likely steal the pot.  Be a little more cautious if someone has raised before you.  Also smart players will understand that bluffing is easier to pull off from a late position.  If you attempt bluffing from the position every time they are going to catch onto you and call the bluff.  Bluffing isn’t advisable from an early position since you’re not going to get any tells from the bets of others.

You also need to consider where you’re at in the game.  This is a catch-22 of sorts.  You want to get everyone to fold on a bluff.  Mathematically speaking the less players there are left in the game the better your chances are of pulling off the bluff.  This means the mathematical advantage is most likely to occur in later betting rounds when more people have already folded.  However, this also means the players left in the game are more likely to have strong hands they are going to back away from easily.  Therefore weighing the odds it’s a better idea to try the bluff earlier in the game than later.  If at all possible try to steal the pot with a bluff before the flop.  That way players won’t have the chance to catch a strong hand on the flop.  Players will tend to be more conservative if they only have their hole cards to go on.

So you’re in the game and you’ve decided you’re going to bluff.  Hopefully you’ve built up an image of being a tight player so you don’t tip off other players.  Now you’re got to make sure you don’t undo all the work you’ve done.  You’ve got to keep working to make sure those who are trying to read your tells don’t spot the bluff.  One way of giving yourself away is by playing the bluff differently than you would a good hand.  It just makes sense because in a bluff you are representing that you have a good hand.  Be careful to play it exactly the way have played the good hands that came before the bluff.  If you slow play then don’t jump the gun on a bluff, and if the opposite is true don’t try to play the bluff cool.

Learn to use the cards to your advantage when bluffing.  If there has been a flop look at what’s on the board.  When the board shows a possible flush or straight, or even a high card that you could have the pair to, that’s when a bluff may be a good idea.  Again it goes back to representing that you have a good hand.  You’ll want to be bluffing good players that aren’t going to chase down whatever hand they have.  It means they’ll be putting together possible hands others could have based on what community cards turn up.  They’ll also notice the possible flush or straight and read into it that you’re likely to have the hand.

The Semi-bluff in poker is a lesser known strategy but can be just as powerful as the bluff.  A semi-bluff is the circumstance in which you have a drawing hand.  In other words you don’t have a hand yet but if the right card lands on the board you will have one.  This is like bluffing with a safety net.  You’re still trying to get others to fold because you don’t have a made hand, however you have some outs in case your semi-bluff gets called.

 

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