Bluffing or Not Bluffing (limit or No Limit)

WISDOM #1: One thing that I have learned and will share with you.... If you think your opponent is bluffing, they usually ARE NOT BLUFFING.

Is he probably bluffing?

Well, players want to play! They will look for excuses not to fold. So sometimes, even when you think you’re probably beaten, this thought can creep into the back of your mind to convince you that there’s at least some possibility that your opponent is bluffing and that you should continue with a marginal hand into a very strong bet.

In "limit" poker, this usually isn’t a problem. The instinct that propels you to call on the river is a usually a good one, since the pot is usually many times the size of the limited bet. However, in "no limit" poker, when the bet is often as large as the pot, this can be a serious problem.

Of course there are times when your opponent is actually bluffing and a call is in order. But, you must guard against the thought that your opponent may be bluffing to just serve as an excuse for you to call a bet when your better judgment tells you to fold. As stated earlier, If you think your opponent is bluffing, they usually ARE NOT BLUFFING.

My best and GL, Wally (Aka Bullish06)

Couldn't agree more. My father always advised there was no shame in being bluffed out of a pot. Much worse to lose much of your stack on a marginal hand hoping the other guy is bluffing.

If you are allowing your instincts to make this decision for you, you are making a mistake. In a live game, look at your players mannerisms. In an online game, look at their betting patterns. I limp/call preflop, I sit and hesitate a call on the flop, a seemingly harmless card comes on the turn and I go all in as soon as the action's on me? I just made a big hand, or a crazy bluff.

How many times have you seen me do that? How likely is your hand to improve? Did I go all in because I wanted you to call or because I wanted you to fold - I won't lie - I'll go all-in with the dead nuts if I think it will make potential draws fold. And I'll be scared when I do it, too. Not because I'm afraid you'll call, but because I'm afraid you'll catch up.

But I'm guessing by the vagueness of the thread, this will not be a serious discussion about the bluff, and I've just wasted 300 words.

Weregoat said:

But I'm guessing by the vagueness of the thread, this will not be a serious discussion about the bluff, and I've just wasted 300 words.

Click to expand...

If you want to discuss the topic seriously, I'd re-phrase it - under what circumstances does it make sense to call a river bet light. There are certainly good situations to do so.

As a general rule though, if you don't have a good reason to call down light, you probably shouldn't, which I think is the point OP is making.

If your opponent's not bluffing when you think they are, sounds like a problem with hand reading or tilt issues.