|
To bluff or not to bluff ?
That is the real question and honestly, I have a long and complicated answer, but just stick around, it might help. Oh and the success of any bluff lies in your capabilitie to observe others. Because when you bluff, you don’t bluff with your cards, you bluff with the cards everyone else think you have.
Bluffing, it is quite complicated to master, yet so simple to use. You simply raise your opponent with confidence, and hope that he will chicken out. This process is entirely psychological, everything you do, every movement, every word you’ll be saying will have a direct impact on someone’s decision.
If you play against a friend that knows you, it will be harder to bluff, simply because he knows your patterns. Me for example, I used to have a habit I didn’t notice myself when I started playing poker (around 6 years ago), I would often raise after the initial flop when I had an Ace in hands. So although you might think your giving no tells, you are, everyone does, even the pro’s. And wit this kind of information, somone could take everything you have, literrally.
Before ever bluffing
You need to fine tune your play style. You need first and foremost to make sure that no ones truly knows if you bluffed or not when you win a hand. You need to keep poeple guessing. You need to switch from Loose play, to a tighter play if you see that someone is catching you on. See, if someone cannot figure what you next move will be, you achieved the simpliest, most important strategy in poker, deception!
When to bluff
There is many time where bluffing can be an advantage for you.
- When you are too deep in a hand and you don’t think you can win against your opponents.
- When you find a weakness in someone, be aggressive, make him think you have a great hand
Basically you can bluff either to get yourself out of a hand that turned bad, or because someone look like he might chicken out if you put in the big chips.
How to bluff
Some people make mistake when they get in a hand, and once they put a bit of money in, they find themselves with a decision to make, either cut the losses, or bluff your way out. Now usually, if you are playing against decent poker players, there is always a chance that someone saw through your bluff. So my advice is simple
Be always tight before you get in a hand, but once you are in, you have to play aggressive.
That means, once your in a hand there should be no weakness, no doubts that every time another card is turn, you simlpy are getting closer to your victory. And that should show in everything you do, you have to irradiate confidence, everyone must think you are NOT bluffing, so try to talk the least possible (if you are a beginner) in every game you play, because the more you talk, the more tells your giving.
Caution : Don’t be stupid, don’t bluff against to big odds! Remember, you always have to observe, and sometimes, it might be difficult to make someone believe you have a better hand (simply because he/she might have the best possible hand). So always use your judgment
Enjoy
|
