Poker Bluffing

Bluffing is one of the biggest attractions for new players to the game of poker. Novices are excited by the thought of bluffing an opponent out of a huge pot and taking down pots that they had no right to have. The excitement and anxiety derived from firing a bluff is unique to the game of poker, and it cannot be imitated by any other game. However, the bluff is a fragile move and must be used with caution because through all of the thrills, there is a lot of angst that can be caused through big unsuccessful bluffs.

It is not easy for beginners to be able to pick the right spots to bluff, but this does not stop them from trying anyway. There is no harm in learning this way, but it is probable that more money will be lost than won in the process. Below are a few tips to help you understand situations in which a bluff will be successful.

1) Don’t bluff against weak players.
Weak players or ‘calling stations’ will regularly call bets regardless of the strength of their hand. This is because they are new to the game and they are happy to call down bets with mediocre hands just to feed their curiosity and see whether or not they had the best hand. Therefore you should avoid trying to make bluffs against these poor players because they are unlikely to show your bets and bluffs too much respect.

2) Don’t bluff too often.
A common misconception between amateur poker players is that you have to bluff to be able to become a winning poker player. In fact, it is perfectly possible to be a winning poker player without ever having the need to bluff. Therefore you should try and limit your bluffs as much as possible and only use them in situations where you feel strongly that you will be able to force your opponent to fold. Never feel compelled to bluff because you haven’t done so for some time.

3) Use your position to help you bluff.
When attempting a bluff, it is more advantageous to have position on your opponent. If you are acting after your opponent, you will be able to see how they play and gain information on the strength of their hand according to the way they have played up to that point. Therefore if they have been playing weakly and have been showing very little interest in the hand, you can use this to your advantage and make a bluff at the pot, as it is more likely to be successful than if you had no information on your opponent.

Hopefully these short tips will help you on your way to making more and more successful bluffs at the poker table. Many players will ask, “When should I bluff?” The simple and effective answer that you should always remember is; you should bluff when you think that your opponent will fold.