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Lesson 4: The art of bluffing
Bluffing should only be used by experienced players that can pull it off. Bluffing is only effective when playing against good player since the less skilled poker players will tend to call anything, and therefore bluffing rarely works with them.
In a limit poker game, it is recommended to bluff early (at the flop), because once a good poker player starts calling big bets he usually won't fold his hand, unless he was drawing the cards he wanted and missed with the final card.
It is also important to know when not to bluff, generally as more hands are on the table more likely that someone will call. If somebody bets or raised the pot, it would be dangerous to bluff.
Bluffing in poker can be a powerful tool, here are a few "classic" bluffing situations:
- Not a lot of players left in the game – chances are nobody has a good hand; you might need to be consistent with the bluff. (more than one bet)
- Betting on the river – usually players will stick to the rule – throw your hand the minute you know it can’t win, they might throw a missed flush/strait or low pair you can steal the pot with an ace high by bluffing on the river card.
- Position raise – when in a late position and every one checked it is usually good to bet since you will probably force some players out, but some will stay so you should be consistent with the bluff to make it work.
- Pre-flop raise - if you raise before the flop and missed when the flop was revealed, other players don’t know it so you might fool them with a bluff, they will assume you have a high pair.
- Pair on the board – when there is an open pair on the board (preferably 8’s and lower) the others players might be waiting for there high card and won’t buy against a possible 3 of a kind. In this instance the bluff may cause the other players to think you have three of a kind.
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