Intro To Bluffing
What Is A Bluff?
Even non-poker players know what a bluff is. A pure bluff is when you use aggression -- betting or raising -- to a win a pot that you expect you wouldn't win otherwise. The following article/tip is some general advice for how to successfully run bluffs. I'm going to make it more theory, with some examples, so you can apply it to whatever structure you like: tourneys, cash games, limit or no limit.
Steps on bluffing from Poker-info.com
Why Bluff?
It's funny because there are many poker books and videos, tons of literature, websites and everything else, but very little is written on how to bluff, or even that it is important. So what happens is you get lots of players who are solid, but not tricky or deceptive at all. Opponents who never bluff are easy to play against, because you always know "where you are at." Bluffing is also a hard skill to learn, partly because it is trial by fire and partly because it goes against some of the logic that has made you a winning player. Make no mistake, it is an essential part of the game if you want to keep progressing up the limits. At low limits bluffs rarely work, but at upper limits it's hugely effective and important. What sets the pros apart from the amateurs is the ability to win more pots than they deserve and save money on the pots that other players might lose more money on. Remember that if we all played long enough the cards would cut evenly -- you'd get the same amount of good hands as me. Also, it is important to understand that in heads up pots, most of the time both players haven't flopped much. The player who represents a hand usually will win. So why bluff? Because you can. Secondly, to play perfect poker, you want your opponent to have a little uncertainty with regards to what you may have. A little goes a long way and for a thinking opponent, uncertainty always leads to errors. When you have him guessing, he'll unintentionally under play hands, or over play them. This benefits you.
What's A Semi-Bluff?
I'll have another article on semi-bluffing, but for now I'll just list how a bluff and semi-bluff differ. Like I wrote above, a pure bluff's only chance for winning is if the opponent folds. A semi-bluff might win by making the opponent fold, but if the opponent does call, you still have some hope. Hope comes in the form of outs. For example, you may go all-in on a semi-bluff with a flush draw, hoping to get the guy to muck, but if he does call, you can still catch a card to improve to the best hand. Of the two, you'll bluff less than semi-bluffing. Semi-bluffing is a staple of a solid player too, just like bluffing.
How Often Should You Bluff?
As much as you can. What does that mean though? Clearly, if you try to bluff too much, it will back fire. There is no set answer. Your job is to keep a pulse on the table and your table image, so that you can spot opportunities to make a bluff. If you bluff and get caught, you shouldn't try it again for a while because most likely players will call you. Also, I wouldn't try to bluff much when I'm losing at a table. For some reason when the players see you are having a bad day, they tend to call you down more. Also, when you are having a bad day, the tendency is to try and make more fancy moves and get some chips back, which just leads to more problems. Bluff less when you aren't doing well. When you are having a good day you'll be thinking more objectively and pick better spots. Momentum is important. How often you should bluff isn't answered with a number, it's just more about feel. Like I wrote above, you gear how much you bluff with how you think the opponents view you. Say you are in a tourney and haven't played a hand yet, I'd consider raising preflop as a bluff and representing a big hand. The less frequently you do it the more effective it will be. And if you are up against very skilled players who think a lot about your play, you can always use this sort of logic, "he just saw me bluff last time, there's no way he'll think I'll try it again so soon."
Who Should You Bluff?
The cardinal rule in bluffing is never bluff a player who doesn't have options. Options? In a low limit holdem game, the players are not experienced and because of this, they're skill level doesn't allow them to fold -- they don't have an option. You never want to try and run a bluff into a calling station. Next, in no limit holdem, never try to bluff a player who is already pot committed. He needs to either have enough chips to still fold for the bluff to have any hope of working. Thinking players are the best targets for bluffs. A good player puts some thought into what you might have and will fold if he doesn't think he has the best hand. Next, you need to be careful with tilting opponents. They deserve extra consideration. It has been my experience that a tilting player, even if they are good, is like a wounded animal. They are more likely to make a stand and fight, calling you down when tilting, so I would make a big over bet for value before I would try and bluff them out of a pot. But your mileage may vary. There are players who, after getting hammered in some hands, are feeling a little timid and you can take advantage of that -- I've just seen it go more the other way.
How Much In No Limit?
How much you bet in no limit is a little situational, yet there is still a rule you need to remember: Never bet more than is required to accomplish your goal. The goal here is to bluff someone out of the pot. Bluffing is risky. If you can get the job done with half your chips, then only risk those. There is no need to risk more than what is necessary. Sure an all-in bet has potency, it isn't the only way though. Sometimes a smaller bet than normal, against a thinking opponent, can look more menacing. Say on the river, after you have called an opponent down, the fourth suite of a card hits (four flush). If you lead out and make a little bet into the pot, not too small but not huge either, it can appear as though you made your hand and want to get called. It looks like you are trying to price your opponent in.
Detecting Other Player's Bluffs
In hands where you are relying solely on a read to make the right decision, you're going to be wrong a lot of the time. It's a close call either way, since if it weren't, you wouldn't be so perplexed. Ideally you would want to evaluate other things before you relied on body language and stuff, like how the opponent played the hand and previous hands; if it makes sense. I'll list a couple things I've noticed though, about when players bluff.
First of all, strong usually means weak and weak means strong -- this is especially true for limit holdem cash games. When someone slams their chips down and stares at you, that usually isn't a sign they have a great hand. Likewise, when they are smooth and slow with their betting, not in a rush, that usually means strength.
Next, it is true that if someone looks down at their chips after a card hits, often times that means the card helped them. For example, if the flush got there on the river and your opponent, after seeing it, instantly makes a quick glance at their stack. That's not a huge help, but it can sometimes be telling. I think it is kind of a mental preparation. Poker is a public thing and when you look down at the chips you are getting ready to pull some out.
Also, it is very rare that an opponent will try to bluff in a multi-way pot.
Even more so, people very rarely bluff on the turn or river into more than one opponent. So when someone raises or reraises into multiple opponents on the turn or river, that is a sure sign that they have it.
Lastly, while this isn't a tell, it is the most important factor in detecting other players bluffs. It has been my experience that if an opponent bluffs, he'll do it too often. Everyone should bluff some, but most players either don't do it at all, or try it too much. So watch their play and see if they have bluffed. Chances are they'll overuse the play.
Body Language And Cheap Tricks
There are two approaches you can use in your game for how to bet and the signs you give off. The first approach is the methodical one in which you try to make each bet similar to the others -- everything looks the same. The second approach is one in which you are aware of your body language and you use that to intentionally manipulate your opponent -- because you assume he/she is watching. Generally, when you want to disguise a strong hand, the smooth slow approach does work well, even though I mentioned above to watch out for this as a sign of a strong hand in your opponent. The manipulation way is good too, though. If you do have a strong hand, you can think for a while before you make the raise, looking at your opponent, trying to size him up, then raise. Because you feigned uncertainty, the raise can sometimes be misread. Making eye contact with the opponent works well for getting calls (just for a split second).
The worst thing you can do is shut off yourself to the rest of the table. This is interpreted like it is just you, the cards and the pot -- strength. You want to give an impression that his action still has consequence for you, instead of that you'll win the pot no matter what he decides.
Now, for running bluffs, you can use some cheap tricks if you know an opponent watches your play. Anything that can be used as a tell that you have a strong hand can be used against the opposition. So if you are going to bluff that you have the flush, make that subtle glance at your stack. Maybe slightly sit up in your chair. Look disinterested and not rushed when you make the raise. Subtle is the key. You want to look like you want a call and are trying to play weak.
Inducing Bluffs
There is a poker tip that states if you are going to call if someone else bets after you check, then it is usually better to bet yourself. Say in limit holdem you have KK and an Ace hits on the river. If you'll call after checking, then a bet is better. That is true. There are exceptions, though. Your goal with any hand that you expect to be the winner is to get the most value. In limit holdem that usually just comes down to making sure you get all the bets in on each betting round. In no limit it can be a little more complex. Against aggressive opponents, inducing bluffs works well. What this comes down to is that you expect if you bet again on the river, your opponent will fold (he has a hand he wouldn't call with), but if you check, there is a chance that he will bet the weaker hand, either because he assumes it is now good or because he wants to try to bluff and take the pot. Say you have a hand like AA and flop the nuts: A-7-6. An aggressive opponent calls to the river. Most likely he was on a draw of some kind and missed. If you bet again, most likely he'll just fold. On the other hand if you check to him, he might take a shot at the pot. You can use this against all opponents, aggressive ones work the best though. This is a little different than trapping your opponent. In trapping your opponent you usually have a really strong hand. When you induce a bluff, you could just have a decent hand that you think is good still, but won't get called if you bet.
What If You Get Caught? Should You Show A Bluff?
A bluff has merit even if it is called down. When you show a bluff, it is called advertising. This affects your table image. After you've shown a fancy play like this to the table, expect them to call you down more. Because of this, the idea is you pull back some and only show down really strong hands. For a successful bluff, sometimes it is fine to show it, other times you would prefer not to. It all comes down to what you are trying to accomplish. If you would like to be seen as a looser player, then show it. Or if you want to needle an opponent in hopes to put them on tilt, show it. If you want to maintain a strong, tight table image (so maybe you can bluff again), then don't show it and let them guess. I've heard poker hosts on TV, say they don't think it is ever correct to show a bluff. I disagree. Allow yourself the flexibility to do anything you like, just think it through first.
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