Do you bluff enough: too little, too much, just right?

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edcwy

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Just a simple little thread. The title is self explanatory.

But I will offer that having a sound principled game prior to engaging a comprehensive bluff will serve a poker player in the long. I postulate that bluffing just for bluffing's sake does not serve the +ev poker player.


I also postulate that that what you see on youtube, one hand in isolation, doesn't fully describe the setup for any potential bluff. It's pretty easy to push back on a LAG (loose aggressive for those that don't have a grasp on the vernacular as of yet) of to push against a NIT. But to make a move against an experienced player, that is a different story.


What say you all?
 
cwdignus

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I do not have the habit of bluffing, only in desperate situations, in the last case or when I am very stacked and superior to the opponent
 
BlackMamba

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I sometimes use bluff, but for this it is necessary to closely monitor the actions of the players at the table.
 
ssory83

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Hmm bluff is a very important thing in poker. You must feel your opponent when bluffing. Or when you have to bluff, you just do it. Without bluff, it's hard to resist a poker table, and here I refer to the tournament tables.

 
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mikey481968

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i bluff some time maybe about 4 times in a live poker game on line you get caught unless the blinds are arounf 750/1500 and there is like 30 players left and u got stacks then i try it lol only if they check the flop and i am first to act with 2 others in the hand
 
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domdiego

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Bluffing is part of poker, but in moderation there are some moments that bluffing is essential for you to win some more chips if you observe your opponents you will know the right moment of Bluffing.
 
cranberry

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I don't like to bluff, but without the bluff poker impossible. I use a bluff when I do not get good starting hands for a long time.
 
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grayfox84

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I am new to these forums, been around CardChats on FB for about a year.


Bluffing should be done in the right spots, position, board texture, opponents position\range, etc.... but in general... players bluff too little.

Balance your game.

Lets say you have a spot where 1 time you have the nuts, and 2 you are bluffing.
Your range has those three in there.

Now here you are bluffing 2 times out of 3! that's a 66% bluff rate... crazy high right?

Lets say all three of the times they come up, we bet it out the same exact way.

If they call all three times, we break even, because we are gonna win with the nuts.
Now, if a bluff gets through, were are profitable.


In reality it is not as simple, but the same principals apply.

I like to really bet out my draws hard and sometimes they can be very bluffy.

Now put it back to the simple example of the bluffs... now if those bluffs decent draws to a winning hand... and we are bluffing... even if they call all three we are profitable, because some of those bluff's will win out due to the draw equity.



So again, everyone should look at their own game and ask "Am I really bluffing too much?"
 
soulkurt

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I try to keep tight.
sometimes I give a variety (usually in position) not to be very obvious.
 
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Richardszabo

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I think it is recommended higher limits, low limits carefully, they give everything!
 
korneel

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I bluff a bit. Just have a hard time what to do when the opponent just calls my bluff.
 
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kalon breeden

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I feel like my bluffing comes in waves! In tournament play I can go hours without bluffing a pot even for just blinds...But then all the sudden I'll bluff 3-4 hands in a row like I just caught super hot cards!!
 
javi12k

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I definitely bluff too much. That probably is because I don't necessarily play for the money but mainly for fun. Bluffing an opponent out of a pot is fun in my opinion.
 
blueskies

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Too little. Little fold equity at micros. Plus, bad runs make me become quite passive.

A bad habit I know. But it's not that easy to change
 
Nikka18

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Wellll... lol....
I have had my times with all 3. Sometimes while bluffing I get a little to carried away. Like the elementary tournament I played today. I was winning everytime I bluff, and eventually I got carried away and lost.

When you're bluffing you need to be focused, not get carried away. Because you can lose your whole pop in a split second.
 
supernuts25

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depends

well when I'm playing good I rarely bluff in cash games, I found bluffing maybe 1 or two times a session in the right circumstances is best at least for my game, and not talking about continuation bets.
but if I'm playing bad yes bluffing and getting caught, tourneys are a little different though
 
Scottk87

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I used to bluff way too much, would cbet 100% of the time. What I started doing, was looking at board texture. If I have 2 over cards, or a backdoor straight/flush draw, I will fire a 2nd barrel, if I hit another one on the turn, I will fire again. Seems to work well, although when you get caught it still sucks, but I find having something to go for, rather than just air, it helps me pull the trigger.
 
Amanda A

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They check I bet. Not all the time but if I feel they are not interested in the pot and didn't hit the flop why not throw out a bet as long as they are not a calling station. I don't think of this as a bluff really but I guess it is.
 
NHequalsFU

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I probably don't bluff enough but most of the people at my level don't have a fold button so bluffing doesn't usually pan out well.
 
proud2Bwhack

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Due my best to keep this short...

low level online poker YOU DO NOT BLUFF, you just get value for your made hands.


This From THE KING OF POKER "bluffing on the river is a lot less effective."
When you bluff on the flop or turn with a draw/overcard senario (semi-bluff) you have two ways to win, vs one way with a dead bluff on river.


Bluffing live is mandatory! Think of everything you know that means someone has a good hand and try and act that way. :) Give A SPEECH about how you are tired and want to go home so you are just shoving to get it over with. Or say, "I dont think you have a very good hand so Im going to bet a little here..."


couple other interesting facts, bluff early in tournaments, no one expects it or is able to read you yet, having just sat down with you. same for moving to a new table, bluff early before anyone gets a read on you...
 
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white_vision0

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Only ehen superior stacked than opponent. Is hard to bluff online
 
playinggameswithu

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Bluffing is actually an advanced move contrary to common perception. You can bluff when they have nothing of course c-bets. You can bluff when the board is scary, you can bluff when they have a weak holding and show hesitation two barrel bluff. You can bluff when they miss OOP.

But generally speaking stick to c-bets and medium sized bluffs when boards get scary. When bluffing you really need to make sure your action does make sense with your previous actions,you need to make sure the player is not a bluff sheriff and they are disciplined. Bluff work against experienced players the best. Also big bluffs are idiotic, 35% of your stack or lower total. You also need sharp reading skills and to make sure that the turn or river did not complete your opponent. It gets even worse when it a multi-way bluff. That said you must bluff so you do not become readily like a book,to grasp bluff outs and opportunities and generally to be more difficult to play with.


TLDR: Stick to C-bets,and bluffing disciplined players when boards get scary.4 card flush boards are like free money.
 
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