The Texas Holdem Guild (THG)

Bringing players together

Learn to win poker 3
Lesson #4     Bluffing

One element of poker is deception. Bluffing is the quintessential trick in hold em poker. Of course, the reasoning for a bluff is to deceive the other players into thinking you have a better hand when you actually do not. For a bluff to work, you need the other players to think you actually have that better hand. Many beginning poker players love this idea of bluffing and often misuse it. The value of the bluff increases under certain general circumstances that often have a lot to do with information you assume about the other players. This vagueness makes it difficult to give definitive reasons or places to bluff. Some less generalized times to bluff and some advice are given below. The bottom of the page gives some more ideas and perspectives on deception in poker.

Some typical reasons to bluff...

A. When there aren't many other players in a pot.

Simply put, it's easier to trick a couple people than a crowd. With fewer hands out there, chances are better that no one has made a reasonable hand. This is fairly common though, so many players won't believe you. Some will stay in the hand just to "keep you honest", so sometimes this needs to be a persistent bluff over a period of two or three betting rounds. That can be costly if they don't fall for it. You need to know the players before you use this type of bluff.

B. When you're up against fairly tight players.

Those that tend to fold easily are the biggest targets of a bluff. Bets will be put out just as a form of information gathering on this player's hand. If you bluff early (pre-flop, flop) against a very tight player and they don't buckle, you should think twice about trying it again on a future round. They have something. Your job is to determine whether they have a made or drawing hand. Once again, you need to know the players.

C. On the river.

Especially if apparent drawing hands missed. That's when players react to rule #1 "the moment you know you can't win, throw in your cards". It is often a good idea to bluff with a weak hand, like ace-high or lowest pair with these kinds of bluffs, because some players will stay in just because of pot odds. If you do that, it is actually semi-bluffing (see the bottom of the page).

D. You're in late position and everyone else checked.

This one you'll have to gauge for yourself. It will most likely force some players out, but not all. This is a pretty common bluff once again, and many players will stay in just because of bet odds, and/or to once again "keep you honest". This is another example of a bluff that needs to be more persistent over a couple betting rounds.

E. You bet pre-flop and missed.

That's because they don't know you missed! This can be dangerous, and you really have to evaluate to board before you get into this one. Sometimes it's good to bluff when AK misses, sometimes when 99 misses. You have to really feel this one out.

F. You have given other players "the fear".

It's about how other players perceive you. If you just won a hand through good play, the players who say "nice hand" are the ones who now respect you. They will more likely fold to your bluff if you play it right. The trick is to play the hand exactly the same way you played the other winning hand. Give it the "here we go again" act.

G. When the flop isn't so great.

Some players will fold automatically if all they have is an overcard. With a rainbow flop of 2, 6, 9, not many players will have much. This is another example of a bluff that can go horribly awry. I wouldn't be too persistent in this case, unless only more low cards pop up. Once again, know your players.

H. Pre-flop on the button, and everyone else has folded.

This is usually best used with tight players to your left. Its good because it can change from a bluff to a deceptively good hand with luck and the right flop.

I. When there is a pair on the board.

This is especially useful when the pair is 88 or lower. Chances are that these cards might have been folded or are still in the deck. This is one situation where you want to evaluate the hand very carefully if they do call though. This is a great situation to read the tells of the players who are NOT involved in the game. It's much easier to give away the fact that you HAD a card than if you HAVE it.

Keep in mind that these are pretty common reasons to bluff. Many players know these reasons. Most of the time it just won't work. The main thing is always to know your players and to not do it so often that it never works.

There's some great books about bluffing out there. I suggest reading as much as you can about it, as it's one of the most misunderstood aspects of poker.
Lesson #5     Choosing your seat

By now your level of play should be reaching an advanced level. You may even want to give live games a try.
Many players are nervous about embarrasing themselves at the first live game they attend, but if you have studied the previous lessons, you know as much, if not more than most of the players there.

If possible, you want to gather some information prior to choosing your seat at a poker table. Seating position is not only a valuable key to winning, it is a key to losing smartly.

Wait to Start

Many casinos will allow you to sit at the table for a certain number of hands without playing. In most cases, you will have to make up blinds that pass you by, but it is probably best to wait till you are in the latest position possible at the start of play.

A. Before Old People

Sit to the right of (before) the oldest person at the table. According to casino statistics, older people are the most conservative players pre-flop, preferring to see the flop for as little money as possible, even when they have a great hand. Therefore, when you want to call in the small blind, you are much less likely to be raised.

B. After Loose Players

If you have a chance to watch the table before sitting down, try to sit to the left of (after) the most aggressive (loosest) player at the table. That way, if they raise aggressively, you will be saved having to call and fold on a questionable hand.

C. After the Big Fish

The player at the table with the most money may be a fish with more money than brains, or they may be the best player at the table and have legitimately won all that money. In either case, you want to be immediately after them, so that you can make your decisions based upon their raises, which are likely to be frequent and sizeable. The last thing you want is someone like that after you constantly raising your bet, frequently forcing you to fold after having already made an investment into the pot.

D. After an Out-of-Position Player

If you can see that someone frequently plays out of position, betting with mediocre cards in early position, or folding too often in late position with a table full of players, then you want to play after them.

These are relative to the playing position lesson on learning to win at poker 2.
Copyright . hales1m@hotmail.com. All rights reserved.

External links of similar interest

online blackjack   internet poker   online slots   online keno   online craps   online baccarat   online casino   online gambling   online checkers   online chess   online casinos