How to bluff a fish?

For me it's hard to bluff a fish in poker, you don't know what he's holding every hand he's calling against you, especially big pots..he's calling everytime you raise preflop, he will just call every bet against him he didn't know how to raise or to bet his strong hands..spotting a fish in the table is more profitable for the grinders.

Yes, it is not always a simple task to beat the fish, but depending on which side to look at, the correct strategy is to wait for the monster and play with it until the river, and there already watch the table, the fish are not always as strong as they seem

I agree with Glebtyzhnyh90 100%. Don't try bluffing at all. Just like he said, wait for the big hands and you will have the fish where you want him. He/she may think you are bluffing and move all in. If you get caught bluffing that's even better. But like I said, the best thing to do is to not bluff at all. What type of MTT are you playing? Is it a freeroll? Make yourself a plan on how you will play a MTT and stick to it. GL to you

Disguised as a shark.

debriz said:

For me it's hard to bluff a fish in poker, you don't know what he's holding every hand he's calling against you, especially big pots..he's calling everytime you raise preflop, he will just call every bet against him he didn't know how to raise or to bet his strong hands..spotting a fish in the table is more profitable for the grinders.

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You should clearly divide the fish into two varieties: aggressive and passive. Passive can be bluffed and robbed. Aggressive it is necessary to play with a good ready hand and take its stack. Do not need complicated solutions.

I never bluff a fish because a true fish will call down on his draws and made top pairs. I always try and have 2 pair or better and go for the kill shot if they are prone to call off their entire stack.

What you describe, is a classical calling station. Never bluff them, since they will call even with weak hands. That's why they're calling stations.

That is correct Trillian I think calling stations and fish usually go hand and hand paying you off early in tournaments.

debriz said:

For me it's hard to bluff a fish in poker, you don't know what he's holding every hand he's calling against you, especially big pots..he's calling everytime you raise preflop, he will just call every bet against him he didn't know how to raise or to bet his strong hands..spotting a fish in the table is more profitable for the grinders.

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You want to have it all, who doesn't? In poker, as in life, you got to pick your battles. Bluff the players who are able to make tough folds, and raise the calling stations and maniacs for value. Even if you want to show a bluff for table image purposes, you should still bluff the player who could potentially fold and the bluff would work, and then you have the chance to make another bluff.

Calling stations should never be bluffed. The only kind of bet they really respect is an all in shove and even then they might call you!

The goal is to have a monster and value bet your hand and get paid. ie, Two Pair/Set/Straight vesus their 2pair/set etc.

You can't. I have tried several times, but fish never gives up and she will even play your all in...

The ask was how to bluff a fish...bluff against fish isnt a option cuz he will call your bluff,even all in in more than 50% you'l loose that bluff,to take out a fish is the part were you have to play verry good hands only when you hit them cuz fishing will call your raise and when he will take 1 or 2 mans out than will be more triky a fish with a 3X your stack isnt a good ideea to attak...He will attak every hand confident by the 2 succefull take outs and you need to have high pairs to play against it rest check fold strategy.I hate the situation and some of them have a high luck they beat monster hands frequently...yea hard to play with such a player at your table

bluffing a fish is like mocking a fool, if you do it you become the fool or the fish

just value bet them to death

as much as possible dont try to bluff a fish besides if you have a hand the fish will pay it off

You should clearly divide the fish into two varieties: aggressive and passive. Passive can be bluffed and robbed. Aggressive it is necessary to play with a good ready hand and take its stack. Do not need complicated solutions. Sometimes if you make fish it's good too or we'll treat fish like fish by releasing the shark inside you

Bluffing against payers is terrible, so it takes a strong hand

Trillian said:

What you describe, is a classical calling station. Never bluff them, since they will call even with weak hands. That's why they're calling stations.
Don' t Bluff the Calling Station with Phil Hellmuth ?? Advanced Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Tips - YouTube

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This was actually a very informative video, such a pity it had so many cringy moments.

Never bluff against fish, they will keep calling and sometimes they hit at the river. If you have a calling machine, just keep betting higher if you got the nuts. They will fold eventually.

Trillian said:

What you describe, is a classical calling station. Never bluff them, since they will call even with weak hands. That's why they're calling stations.
Don' t Bluff the Calling Station with Phil Hellmuth ?? Advanced Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Tips - YouTube

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This was actually a very informative video, such a pity it had so many cringy moments.

There are many species of fish.


Categories, and sub-categories....


These are all the passive types of fish I can think of at the moment. Watch all your opponents closely, and you will see how they play. Recognize first if they ever raise pre. That's the first clue you will have that they are a fish. Limping. If they are passive, divide them into loose/tight/station/fit or fold.....


Loose passive: General term. This describes the people who never raise (very very rarely anyways), they never do anything but limp and call. They play probably 75%+ range. Like when these guys fold, not even limp, I will wonder to myself what they could possibly fold, considering some of the hands I have seen them show down.


This first one is the type of player the OP is talking about....
Loose passive station: These guys will call flop and turn with any pair, inside straight draw, one over card to the board (think A-X, calls flop and turn, river A). These players are just about the closest thing to a walking human ATM machine. They will readily dispense cash. They just hate money.
Stategy to beat this player - Isolate them pre flop with a good hand. One that dominates their hand. Make a hand, and value bet, relentlessly. Don't even cbet bluff them, if they never fold to cbet. Make hands, bet them. Simple. Raise pre, make hand, punish fish. Repeat. Don't try to bluff a calling station. Just don't waste money. They don't fold, you know they don't fold, so don't bluff them. Don't put a single chip in the pot postflop, if you don't have at least a big draw. They don't fold dude. I feel like I have covered that enough now hopefully.

IF this player ever raises you, or gets aggressive, they will almost always have 2p+. If this player raise pre, or 3b pre, yeah, they just have the nuts, or near nuts. Even an open from a guy like this is probably going to be super duper narrow range. Recognize how passive they are, and take any aggressive action seriously. They aren't C/R you like a sicko with A-10 on A-9-3r, and your A-K is good. It's not good. If they C/R you on that board, and you have A-K, yeah dude no good. You can value bet them relentlessly with TPGK, but if they show aggression, yeah you need to really think "what do I beat?"

The Station is a good target for offensive over bets.

Loose passive fit or fold: These folks just like to see the flop. Loose. Wide range. They are looking for that miracle flop for their Q-4 "suited", that they limp UTG, and call a huge ISO raise. They fold if the miss the flop. So yeah, they fold alot.
How to beat them - Raise their limps with a wider range, always try to be in position. Cbet tons of flops. Just watch these people, they see flop, they fold, see flop, fold. If they don't fold to cbet, they got something finally. If they C/R, or any aggro action post flop, it's 2p+ usually. So if called when you cbet, proceed on turn/river with caution. They might be on a draw perhaps, but you better be sure in a read to double barrel. They usually don't give up after flop call easily.

Weak passive: This player limps all hands except maybe 10-10+ and A-K, mayyyybe A-Q if they are feeling frisky. They generally will call raises, and if you raise them too wide, their limping range may be ahead of what you raise them with. They generally play tight, but passive. They usually won't lay down top pair, like ever.
How to beat them: This type of player just folds way too much post flop. So, you put pressure on them. However, the key is to realize when they have a made hand, and back off the gas. Cause if they made TP, or they have a strong draw, they aren't folding. So, you pay attention, watch what they do, and only empty the clip on them when you know you have a better hand. Basic poker 101. Don't value own yourself against these guys. Don't go triple barreling on of these dudes with TP meh kicker. They fold alot. If they don't fold, don't get too invested with out a strong hand.


These are just some thoughts on the subject. I play all live poker, and I play 1/2 and 2/5. That's where my experience comes from. I'm sure there's fish like these everywhere? Online? I dunno.

PSR and over bets will take the meeker of calling station off their guts hot or bottom pair. But for most you need a showdown hand period.

Beanfacekilla said:

There are many species of fish.

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Nicely written and analyzed. I agree 98% The 2% comes from 'loose passive station' isolation. If you can you should isolate them with almost any 2 hands. Imo it's more about your position on table and what other players can do to prevent you to do that.

Not sure if this is good or valid, but when I have a chance (good position to do that), against these players I go happily 3way too. No-one with brains try to bluff them, so even 2nd pair can be for value. Those who do, are a bit to funny side, so winning good size pot when good hit comes trivial.

Also it's important to realise that isolation and getting betting lead and 'controlling the hand' are two totally different things. Direct result from the difference is that calling them comes trivial task while using wide range.

braveslice said:

Nicely written and analyzed. I agree 98% The 2% comes from 'loose passive station' isolation. If you can you should isolate them with almost any 2 hands. Imo it's more about your position on table and what other players can do to prevent you to do that.

Not sure if this is good or valid, but when I have a chance (good position to do that), against these players I go happily 3way too. No-one with brains try to bluff them, so even 2nd pair can be for value. Those who do, are a bit to funny side, so winning when good hit comes trivial.

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Yeah I ISO really really wide too. I just don't know if I'm supposed to be doing that. I don't want to give bad advice, so I kept it kinda tame. But dude I am ISO these fish light too. So yeah I agree, but I didn't want to give advice like that cause it's basically playing LAG.

These live games, the players are so atrocious, it really isn't even necessary to raise wide range. They just call pre anyways, even if you show them aces, they probably still call pre and post. They don't care.

So yeah, not necessary to play loose or super out of line. However, I see a showdown, and I see this effin masterpiece just limp/called an absurd raise, UTG, with K-5o, yeah dude he is getting the business. I just can't help it. I have to punish them repeatedly.

Dude, you'll look at their stack, let's say they have $400. Look again 45 mins later, they sitting on $125, and they didn't play a big pot. Yeah, they just torch money. Like a screen door on a submarine. Leaks.

Looks like I'm a fish sometimes. I always assume my opponent has a weaker hand or that they are just bluffing. I just feel like it most times. lol

I knew someone who was not so bright and wanted to play poker(bless his heart). He told me it he had to call with ace high and even king high.