bluffing skills

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kworm2013

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Can someone share the experience of the bluffing skill. I am not good at bluffing and I am a victims of bluffing.
 
bullishwwd

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Can someone share the experience of the bluffing skill. I am not good at bluffing and I am a victims of bluffing.
One general rule to remember is: Limit the number of folks you are trying bluff against. Bluffing one player is much easier than attempting to bluff 4 or 5 players. Best to actually have 'some' kind of hand (say a pair) when attempting to bluff.

Let the "board" help you in bluffing by presenting a scenario in which you are 'believable' when you "represent" a specific hand.
 
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GWU73

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Read The Book of Bluffs, it is really good. Until then remember that your bluffs must make sense to your opponents, you want to get some calls (and lose), it is easier in position, & never bluff a calling station. Also semi bluffing has more value than betting air most of the time.
 
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Beanfacekilla

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One general rule to remember is: Limit the number of folks you are trying bluff against. Bluffing one player is much easier than attempting to bluff 4 or 5 players. Best to actually have 'some' kind of hand (say a pair) when attempting to bluff.

Let the "board" help you in bluffing by presenting a scenario in which you are 'believable' when you "represent" a specific hand.

This^

I have some things to add. I typed up a very lengthy post, and it got lost in cyberspace:mad: . Let's try this again.

Let's say you hold A-K, and you raised preflop. You are HU, and opponent checks to you on a Q-high, unconnected rainbow board. Even though you didn't hit that queen, you should c-bet bluff here most times. If you check the flop, and then bet the turn, the villain will probably not believe that you have the queen. You take control of the hand on the flop. Then continue to rep that queen. If you come up against some serious resisitance, get out.

As for good situations to bluff:

Don't try to bluff wet boards. Boards like T-8-7 with two of one suit are terrible boards to bluff at. Three broadway cards are terrible flops to bluff at. If you are going to bluff boards like these, make sure you are semi-bluffing with draws to the nuts. Make sure at least king high FD, or the top end of straight is what you are drawing to, to semi bluff in these spots. If you have the lower end of straight, or a 6 high flush for example, even if you hit, it may be no good.

Good boards to bluff at are dry, unconnected, rainbow boards. It is pretty simple to put an opponent on a range too if he calls. And make sure you are playing tight. Most times you enter the pot, you should be opening for a raise. Don't limp often. Raising preflop helps you to define ranges, and take control of the hand after the flop also. You are already laying the groundwork for a c-bet on the flop. And if that flop comes A-7-2 rainbow, it will be easier for people to believe you paired the ace (even if you have K-Q suited on the button). Take control of the hand early if you are going to play it.

Bluffing out of position is very difficult, and not advised unless you have a great read.

Postition is everything in poker.

Do not try and bluff donkey calling stations, ever. They will just call. Don't waste your money. They are too bad to even see the possibilities on the board. Don't bluff calling stations.

As for being bluffed:

You have to go over the hand when deciding if you are being bluffed. If it looks like your opponent may be trying to make you fold, he may be doing just that.

Let's say flop comes K-K-Q rainbow, and you have A-Q suited. Your opponent leads out for full pot right from the get-go. Many times, players try to bluff these boards. Not always, but frequently. If he really has that king, is he going to try and push you out of the pot? I think not... He is going to want you calling, so he can make money with those trips... Not always the case. Some opponents are tricky. When you aren't sure, run the hand over in your head. Think about betting action preflop, and all streets, and ask yourself what kinds of hands would villain bet like this with. It's like a puzzle.

If people flop monster hands OOP, they generally bet small, or check/call or check/raise. If you are getting check called on a dangerous board, you might want to check back on the turn.

If you can put someone on a hand, it is alot easier.

And finally, floating to bluff later: Advanced

Many opponents will bet draws really hard on the flop. They may have the nut flush draw, or OESD. The are firing, full pot the whole way. If you have a good read, and have some insight on your opponents tendencies, you can punish them for this when they miss. However, this should only be done in position, and with a GREAT read. You just call their flop bet, and see what they do on the turn. Many opponents will just c-bet with air OOP, and they don't have the balls to fire another barrel on the turn or river. This is where you punish them. I have played against people who will bet flop, and turn, with a FD or open-ender. Then when they miss, they check the river. I fire about 3/4 pot bet, and I take it down. I might not even have anything at all, but they don't know that. This is why you want to avoid playing out of position if at all possible.

Anyways, that is just my $0.02, gathered from my experience over the years. Take it or leave it. I am not Phil Ivey. I am just a semi-skilled poker player trying to make it.

Edit: Raising an opponent on the flop can give you valuable info. I forgot to add this. Do this with big draws or a good pair perhaps. Aggression wins pots sometimes. And the raise can help you take control of the hand, and win later. However, be careful with this...
 
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I found there is a pair and flush on the flop,bluffing is can be more successful.Any other case should be ok?
 
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Can someone share the experience of the bluffing skill. I am not good at bluffing and I am a victims of bluffing.

First of all, your bluff has to be believable. When you raise preflop and an A comes on flop you can easily represent an A because you raised preflop. So make it look like you're betting for value, and best to bluff scare cards, like when a flush or straight or other scare card arrives. It's also a good idea to bluff dry flops like 339 rainbow or 26Q rainbow, it's hard for anyone to have much of anything on these flops where no flush or straight draw.
 
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Can someone share the experience of the bluffing skill. I am not good at bluffing and I am a victims of bluffing.

As far as identifying bluffs, read a book on poker tells such as Mike Caro's book. Always be on the lookout for betting patterns and how much people bet when they have a monster or when they're on a draw or bluffing. And ask yourself if their bet makes sense, or why they're betting so much. Often if someone raises preflop. And then they continuation bet like 2/3rd the pot quickly as if they were going to bet no matter what the flop came, high probability they're bluffing. Remember someone with two unpaired cards will miss the flop at least 2/3rd of the time. If you call the flop, good chance they give up on the turn if they were bluffing and you can win the pot no matter if you have a good hand or not, by betting the turn. All bets are either a bluff, (semi bluff) or a value bet. Try to figure out what the villain is trying to accomplish with his bet, and then do the opposite and disappoint them.
 
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First of all, your bluff has to be believable. When you raise preflop and an A comes on flop you can easily represent an A because you raised preflop. So make it look like you're betting for value, and best to bluff scare cards, like when a flush or straight or other scare card arrives. It's also a good idea to bluff dry flops like 339 rainbow or 26Q rainbow, it's hard for anyone to have much of anything on these flops where no flush or straight draw.
interesting.If there is an A on the flop,I will think if he have another A.That should be a good bluff. Sometimes I am afraid to bluff for afraiding the A he have.
 
duggs

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bluffing isnt something that should be looked at in isolation. start of by working out basic opening ranges as these bleed the most money because they occur more often. then work out basic cbetting ranges (starting as purely value or 100%) based on board texture and go from there. working out 'how to bluff' isnt going to help you
 
Beanfacekilla

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bluffing isnt something that should be looked at in isolation. start of by working out basic opening ranges as these bleed the most money because they occur more often. then work out basic cbetting ranges (starting as purely value or 100%) based on board texture and go from there. working out 'how to bluff' isnt going to help you

This is good advice. Even though bluffing is a part of poker, it is not as common as people may think.

But OP was also asking how to spot bluffs.
 
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