Bluffing in Poker

Poker is a game of chances and players must take advantage of them and try to bluff their opponents when they think they can represent a good spot for putting opponent off his hand, by either bluffing or semi-bluffing.

Bluffing in poker is by no means an easy task to do but it is a fundamental part of the game. You must apply your bluffs in the game carefully and pick good spots for it to avoid getting caught and make it difficult for your opponent to read your game.

Let's have a look at some of our tips on how to bluff in poker.

When should I bluff ?

You should bluff your opponents when you think they will fold if you bet into them.

The answer might sound simple but in reality it is harder to pull of a bluff as there are several other factors involved like your opponent style, table image, stack size, etc. Let's have a look at some of the best bluffing situations in poker:

• Position: If you are in a late position, then you have better chances of putting your opponent of his hand. If opponents before you all check to you, that is a sign of weakness and perfect opportunity for you to bet and take down the pot.
• Stack Sizes: If your opponent has a small stack and is not showing any interest for the pot, then you can bet and steal a pot from him. Opponents with small stacks are very unlikely to give back action unless they have hit their hand.
• Semi-bluffing: Whenever you bet with a hand that has good potential to win the hand at the end, that is called semi-bluffing. By betting with a hand that has "outs" to make the final hand (flush draw, straight draw), you can either take down the pot or build the pot size in case you hit your hand.
• Type of players: Bluff frequently against tight players. These players are playing marginal hands most of the time and will fold often if they don't hit a hand or they will not stand the pressure with marginal hands. Avoid bluffing against loose players that go to showdown very often.

Below is an example of good spot where you can bluff your opponents:

UTG ($10)
UTG+1 ($10)
CO  ($10) 
BU  ($10) 
SB  ($10)
BB  ($10)

Preflop: Hero is on button (BU) with A7

3folds, Hero raises to $0.30, SB calls 0.30, BB calls $0.30.

Flop: ($0.90) K62 

SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $0.60, SB folds, BB folds.

Since both players have checked to you (weakness) and they are both out of position on this very dry flop (unlikely to hit anyone), you can bet and hopefully take down the pot.

How often should I bluff ?

When bluffing in poker it is extremely important to remember not to overdo it!

A lot of players think that they can take down way too many pots and they keep on bluffing in same situations, no matter what is going on at the table and how players are adjusting to your betting frequencies. You must be aware that while bluffing is very important part of your game, it may not always work. And when it doesn't, it is important to realize that and adjust your game by cooling down a bit and start waiting for real hands instead.

Some opponents are much harder to bluff and are not willing to lay down their hands very often, so you must be careful and pick your bluffing spots according to your opponent styles. If you have a passive player who is playing "hit or fold" poker, then you should keep bluffing him more often as he is likely to lay down the hand when he misses the flop. But if you are playing against a maniac player, someone who is loose and not willing to lay down many hands, then you should rarely bluff him and instead wait for real hands to play against him.

Did you know?
Successfully bluffing an opponent can put him on tilt which increases your chances of winning further money from him because of the tilt factor involved.

Mastering Poker Bluffing

There is a famous phrase used in poker world "It takes a minute to learn the game, but a lifetime to master" and there is no difference when learning how to bluff in poker. Poker is a game of patience and you must carefully wait and pick your spots and turn them into long-term profitable decisions. You can become a better player only by practicing and playing many hands every day. By doing so you will develop a better understanding of the game and you will learn how to adapt in certain situations, such as bluffing.

Only time and practice will make you a better player and help you understand how to bluff against different type of players. There will be times when nothing will be going your way and your bluffs will be called down frequently. It is important that you don't let this type of situations get to you and put you on tilt. These periods are normal in poker for every player and even top pros struggle to deal with them all the time so make sure you stay strong mentally and results will come.

Read other articles from our Advanced Poker Strategy section.

Posted by M.B