Keys To Mastering The Poker Bluff

July 21st, 2008

Bluffing is a key part of playing good poker. But, there’s an art to it. Do it too often under the same circumstances and other players will pick up the scent. You’ll go from predator to prey in a heartbeat. Do it too seldom and you’re leaving opportunities for quick kills on the table. Anyone can bluff. Few have the skills to do it well. So, let’s talk about the art of bluffing.

Daring Vs. Stupid Bluffs

Bluffing is a daring move. You’re lying through your teeth, holding cards that can’t stand the heat from other hands and hoping to swipe the pot from under the noses of the other players. That’s a tall order. If it works, you’ll feel as if you own the world. There’s nothing like pulling the wool over the eyes of experienced poker players and getting away with it.

It’s a rush.

But, your bluffs can sour quickly. A lot of veteran players see bluffs often. They’ve spent years watching others make stupid bluffing mistakes. In fact, they’ve probably made the same mistakes themselves. The fact is, inexperienced players follow the same patterns. They tend to bluff in similar circumstances. When their bluffs are called, they scratch their heads, wondering what happened.

Contrarian Bluffing

If you’re going to bluff (and you should), learn to do it when others don’t. Rookies tend to bluff after a raise before the flop. Or, they bluff like idiots on all of the big pots, with dollar signs in their eyes. Skilled players can see right through it. They draw the rookies in, get them to bet more chips and then slit their throats.

Bluffing is supposed to catch everyone by surprise. If other players are expecting a bluff, that’s obviously the worst time to do it. For example, bluff during early positions when the pot is relatively small. It’ll help throw other players off your trail.

Here’s a bluffing tip that a lot of people won’t tell you. Most tables will have good and bad players. Believe it or not, bad players blow out bluffs more often than good players. Skilled poker players play on instinct, skill and percentages. Bad poker players often play out of stupid aggressiveness. I’ve seen veteran players try to bluff and have a knucklehead on the table take them to a showdown. The knucklehead simply didn’t know any better.

Validation By Getting Caught

Here’s my last tip on bluffing (for now): if you’re not getting caught, you’re not bluffing often enough. It’s like asking people out on a date. If you’re not getting shot down, you’re not approaching enough people. Obviously, if you’re getting caught whenever you try to bluff, others are onto your scent. But, find a balance. Bottom line… bluffing is one of the most potent weapons in your arsenal. Use it properly and you can devastate a table. Use it poorly and you’ll just blow yourself up.