poker school
lesson ten: bluffing
Bluffing is not an easy pull off, however if done correctly you will definitely see the rewards in your poker game. Without the ability to bluff at the right moments, you will miss out on numerous opportunities to win pots, which equals money.
It is tough to always have to rely on your good cards to hold up, and when they don't hold up that is largely a factor of luck. As you are relying on the cards to dictate who wins and loses the hand. However, when you bluff you are no longer relying on lady luck. Instead, you are using your skills to read your opponent, and taking an aggressive stance when you feel you have a weak hand. Ideally, you are looking for a hand with some possibilities when you decide to bluff, like over-cards, a straight draw or flush draw. This is significant because if you do get called you want something that will give you a chance to improve your hand and possibly win. This is called a "semi-bluff", and it's one of the most powerful plays in poker. The majority of bluffing takes place on the flop, because the flop so often determines the strength of your hand. The best place to bluff is when you are the last player to bet because you have been able to store all the information necessary regarding the strengths of your opponent's hands by carefully analyzing each and every one of them. Picking the right spots and the right opponents to bluff is a skill that you must learn for this technique to work its best. You should avoid bluffing players who check-raise frequently, as well as those players that refuse to lay down any sort of hand (also known as "calling stations"). Your main targets for bluffing should be those that play straightforward and tight.
It is important to understand how many players you will have to bluff in order to win the pot. Your best results will come by playing against one or two players. If you are not extremely confident in your bluffing abilities you should definitely shy away from trying to bluff more than two opponents out of a pot. Even if you get caught bluffing that does not mean it was not the right decision. A bluff is really only one bet to win the entire pot full of bets. Bluffing really only has to work some of the time because when it does work you will win a nice stack of chips, and if you get caught your opponents will have to think twice. They won't be sure if you have a strong hand or if you are trying to bluff again. This is to your advantage, so use it.
Another opportune time to bluff is when all of your opponents checked during the previous round of betting. Now, once that next card turns up you play it as though it helped your hand tremendously, coupled with the knowledge you gained from the way your opponents played the previous round. It is yours for the taking, unless the newly exposed card appears to have helped out one of your opponents. Remember, it is easier to bluff players who show weakness by checking when compared to those who show strength by betting during the previous rounds.
Well that's it for now on bluffing. We hope this will help you out in your poker games be sure to stay tuned to our next lesson, where we will be discussing Poker Odds for Hold'em.
good luck and enjoy your experiences at the poker tables
