We are living in times where you have to put up a façade of what you are not in order to impress the world and earn importance in their eyes as the times of ultimate truth are long gone and only white lies earn praise and prominence, which is why gambling too has become soft target for bluffing where a situs poker online is passed off as an original poker played in the casino.
An integral part of the game of poker is sometimes using a bluff to take down a pot that likely would not have been won based on the strength of your cards alone. It is an incredibly wonderful feeling to outplay your opponent in such a fashion. Granted, the bluff will always be part of a successful poker player’s arsenal. However, the frequency of its use should be sporadic at best. Continued and repeated attempts at bluffing will lose their effectiveness once other players have caught on.
Where to Start
Many beginning players bluff far too often, perhaps believing that such a style is necessary to win. Its not. The goal at the poker table is to win money. If a particular situation should call for a bluff in order to claim the pot, keep in mind that a good portion of your success will be dependent upon your knowledge of the other player and how he may react to your wager or bluff. It is never a good idea to enter a hand intending to bluff prior to seeing the cards. A bluff should only be attempted when you are confident that you will force other players to fold and take down the pot on the basis of the betting patterns and playing styles of your opponents in the hand.
Success
Successful bluffs often are reliant on your experience and your ability to read other players. Amateurs may find this aspect of the game difficult. As with anything in life, practice and experience makes one better at any task, including bluffing. A good rule of thumb is that if you are unsure whether or not your bluff will be successful, its probably better for your bankroll to avoid the attempt.
There are some additional advantages to bluffing than simply winning one particular pot. For instance, a well-timed bluff in which you show the other players your cards after they fold can give you a loose table image that will make other players tend to call your bets in the future, including those instances when you happen to have the nuts or a premium hand. It forces your opponents to overplay their marginal hands against you, which is always a good moneymaker. Players generally hate to be tricked or bluffed. It can cause those players with fragile egos to go on tilt, as their emotions may get the best of them and seriously affect their decision-making process due to being deceived out of a pot.
Bluff Your Way to the Top at Carbon Poker
Best Timing
You may be wondering the best time to bluff your opponents. Basically, the simple answer is, when you are certain that they will fold. It all depends on the various scenarios and situations, as no two hands are ever alike. However, there are certain situations that are more favorable than others to pull off a bluff. For instance, being in last position in the hand is a huge advantage and lends itself to bluffing opportunities when players acting before you have checked. A check is typically a sign of a weak hand and should often times be exploited when you have the favorable position.
If you raised before the flop, even though the flopped cards may have missed you, you can make a continuation bet and possibly take the pot if the flop didn’t help your opponent’s hand either. Or if you are in a drawing situation post-flop with a possible straight or flush, you can then attempt a semi-bluff. The semi-bluff differs from a pure bluff in that you do not have a made hand at that stage of the hand, but still have possibilities of winning the hand on the turn or river if you catch one of your outs. You will try to scoop the pot on your semi-bluff by the other players folding. But if you get any callers, you still have chances of winning.
Bluffs can also be successful against small-stacked players in tournament action. Unless the small stack improved their hand considerably on the flop, they will likely not risk their tournament life by calling your bet and continuing to draw. Caution is crucial, however, because a small-stacked player will normally either fold or shove all in. That’s again why a proper reading of your opponents’ playing styles and tendencies is always important before attempting to bluff.
Conclusion
Be cognizant of the fact that bluffing is not always necessary to win at poker. Playing your hands correctly should be your first aim. But once you have some experience and can get a feel for anticipating the future moves of your opponents by observing their betting patterns, there will be situations where bluffing comes in handy and can be profitable. Some players believe that bluffs are actually more beneficial in future hands than in the particular hand that you bluff in. This is because your bluff creates an image that persuades others to call you down the road when you are not bluffing and are holding a strong hand.
