To be a good poker player, you must know how and when to bluff. Poker
is is about the luck of the cards, and sometimes luck isn't on your side.
You might not get good cards, but you can still win the hand by bluffing.
Some players do not bluff at all, which makes them predictable.
Bluffing has its pros and cons. To bluff you will need to bet a good amount
of chips to force players into folding. A successful bluff can turn a
weak hand into a winning hand. An unsuccessful bluff can be costly to
your chip stack. To make your bluff work, the following have to be factor
in.
Your Table Image
If you're known to be a loose player, then people will normally call your
bluffs. A tight player will have more chance of success at bluffing.
Number of Opponents
It is not advise to bluff when there is a lot of players in a hand, especially
in limit hold em. The best time is bluff is when there is 3 or less players
in the hand.
Type of Opponent
Do not bluff players will who call with anything. This is especially true
with players who are new to poker. You may want to present yourself as
having good cards, but they may not know or don't care.
Your Reading Skills
This is probably the hardest skill to master in poker. If you're good
at reading people, and think they did not hit anything on the board, or
is holding a bad hand, then bluff away.
The Size of the Pot
The bigger the pot, the more likely someone will call you due to pot odds.
On the other hand, your bluff will be that much more satisfying if it
works.
Your Position
Your position on the table can help you decide if it's a good time to
bluff. If you're big blind, and only small blind calls, then chances are
that player is limping in with a weak hand to see the flop.
The Board (if any)
You can use the community cards to your advantage. You can bluff when
there are high cards on the flop to make people think you're holding them.
Bluffing takes time to master, and you will get caught a few times. Getting
caught bluffing isn't a bad thing. You can use that to your advantage
too. If someone catches you on a bluff, he might think that you would
be too scare to bluff him again. If you are known to bluff, players will
start calling your bets more often. That's when you start playing with
strong hands and that's when your chips start stacking high!
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Poker Guide's Poker Bluffing