Bluffing strategy

A few stategies i have read about bluffing tactics suggest that you should show your cards after a successful bluff particularly if you have taken a decent pot with real bad cards,they say it frustrates the guy who folded the better hand and affects his judgement,im not really a fan of this tactic as i like to keep the opponents guessing about whether or not i had the better hand,i often use bluffing as a very important part of my game, particularly later in a tourney after the donks have crashed out and play has settled down when players are playing for position, i beleive it affects a player more when hes not quite sure if you made that flush or str8 or if he was wrong in folding his middle pair,if you show off a successfull bluff surely that limits the amount of times you can bluff again..On one rare occasion i showed off a good bluff win i had 6 2 off suit i found it difficult to bluff again one guy called every bet i made and i wasnt getting the cards to capitilse,when i eventually did get pocket kings the same guy took me out with his ace 6,thats the last time ill show off a bluff win,I think the keep em guessing tactic is much more effective..

i cant breathe.

The Shrog said:

i cant breathe.

Click to expand...

LOL

Conversely, if you show your cards after you hit with a monster, it can help a bluff later on. And then, if you show your bluff, they don't know what to think.

But then, if you don't show your bluff, then they will think you only play monsters.

But then again, if you don't show your monster, then they'll think you're a donk and call your monster for sure.

But.......


---

showing bluff

have to agree with Capt. to show bluff and have opponent guessing will need to show a monster or two to keep the effectivness of the bluffs strong.

WILDBILL IMC said:

have to agree with Capt. to show bluff and have opponent guessing will need to show a monster or two to keep the effectivness of the bluffs strong.

Click to expand...

I do see the logic in showing the monsters for that very reason but i was referring more to the tactic of showing off the bluff where you took the pot with nothing.

I think its best never to show a bluff, particularly if its a huge bluff. Keeps your opponents guessing. It good to show a semi-bluff like 3rd pair etc I would say, just to you dont only play the premium hands.

I think you want to have a very good reason for showing any cards that you don't have to, be they monsters, bluffs or otherwise.

If you know what effect showing your hand is likely to have on your opponents, and you have a plan for managing their reaction, then maybe it's useful.

Personally, I leave automuck turned on when I'm online, and pretty much always muck face down live.

I never show off a bluff, only time I will show a hand is if its 4 of a kind or better.

Just show every hand you play, then your opponents wont have to guess.

To NEVER show a bluff is bad strategy. Every table/situation is different. I am of the same opinion as OzExorcist, you have to have a very good reason to show down a bluff.

I think the number one reason to show a bluff is if you are not getting the action you need.

if you show off a successfull bluff surely that limits the amount of times you can bluff again..On one rare occasion i showed off a good bluff win i had 6 2 off suit i found it difficult to bluff again one guy called every bet i made and i wasnt getting the cards to capitilse

Click to expand...

I was reading a book about game theory and it suggested that the correect bluffing frequency was one which caused your opponent to be indifferent to calling or folding. Thus .. from your play .. he could not justify either and therefore allowing you to set traps etc.

By showing your bluff, you caused your opponent to gain a bias towards calling. A bias which you could have used to your favor had the cards gone your way.

But why show them in the first place? What was your table image like? were you gently guiding him toward the optimal bluffing frequency for your game or were you setting him up to be a calling station (which of course is not optimal for your play)

Had the cards gone your way then you would have made some cash .. and at the same time pushed him away from calling. Maybe too far past the indiferent point but I think you get the idea of what im trying to say.

never ever voluntarily show cards, if you think its acceptable to, you have no idea how much information you are giving away

never bluff nerver , ok maybe once, i'm not a gambler so anything that is not the nuts is a bluff, obviously the closer to the nuts the safer the bluff.

who can you bluff? never try to bluff a bad player! nope don't try

when to bluff? in position with lots of outs and weakness being shown by one player, never try to bluff the field, lol

allndave said:

who can you bluff? never try to bluff a bad player! nope don't try

Click to expand...

Truer words have never been spoken.

You should never show your hands.
When playing online it's hard enough to get a read off an opponent as it is, so why would you want to make it easier for your opponents to read you?

I like it I'm gonna try one of those bluff thingies so I can show it .

otherwise can't think of any reason to show except that you want them to know how and what you play .
I always lie when switch begs to know what I had .

never ever ever show a bluff ppl remember that more than ur monster holdings