when to bluff?

Hello ladies and gentlemen, I have a major problem when it comes to bluffing, Specifically when, where and how much. Don't get me wrong I've bluffed many times but my uncontested bluff compared to loosing my butt ratio is poop.

1. is there a particular position that is best to bluff in?

2. Does my hand ranking actually matter? Not in a semi-bluff, or big stack bullying, but a pure bluff.

What is it that make you want to bluff?

I just bluff my c-bets and in position against my villain, so if he checks I can see a freecard on river and wait to my hand get better.

It depends what it cames on the flop, don't try to pure bluff on flops with connectors flops or flush flops.

When you are bluffing you have to do the same thing you would do if you had value. So villains will never no what you do when you are bluffing or with a value hand.

Never bluff a calling stations, you can bluff only people who folds when they dont see anything good for them.

Hope I helped you

I agree..Never try to bluff on the flop a calling station..that will often cost you too much..and never bluff someone who uses his timebank too much for thinking that usualy is a trap for you

That's what all the books I read say and apparently I have blind eye sometimes as this is a leak for me and am trying to correct it. Fact is ya can't be 1st place in a tournament with out this skill set.
I have improved some. I totally cut bluffing out and then started to slowing try at different points still like 75% failed bluffs to 25% winning bluffs, but I don't see the difference in why they fail or can win.
After a failed bluff attempt I'll fold or check it down, normally I can read people pretty good and know it's good to bluff a tight player if ya think he doesn't have it and they'll usually fold. till ya do it to many times and then they come out swinging.
I'm beginning to think I have some sort of tell when I'm bluffing.
Again I mainly play Live tournaments and then usually only circuit events for the wsop and WPT. That's why I started to play online to get some practice.

Regards,
GiGiCat

Before making a Bluff you can observe your opponents first and the condition is they respect your bets.

A successful bluff tends to rest how good of story you have told at the table up to the point and including the hand you are playing with the players in the pot.

a reason to bluff is to increae your chip size. You need to make it big enough to make the guy fold but small enough that it doesn't damage your chip stack. If you have any doubts if your bluff will work, don't bluff. If you have a feeling the guy is just calling you to see the cards then call a major bluff. Number 1 point in bluffing, do not bluff all the time. Bluff once in a while. If someone thinks you bluff a lot they may not fold so be careful. Although you could use that to your advantage.

The best position to bluff is the button, however you can bluff in the UTG, there is no place and time, the blef comes from constant reading, knowing your opponent's range is very important, and not be afraid of losing chips, think of a Hand and play as if you really have

Any dry board can be a good bluff. Wet boards are less bluff.

Just don't bet a dry board of they might of hit their card.

Don't try and bluff too many opponents. One is best.

I bluff bluntly only when my rivals are hyperpassive, or when I have an advantage in the position on the table.

blanktheman said:

a reason to bluff is to increae your chip size. You need to make it big enough to make the guy fold but small enough that it doesn't damage your chip stack. If you have any doubts if your bluff will work, don't bluff. If you have a feeling the guy is just calling you to see the cards then call a major bluff. Number 1 point in bluffing, do not bluff all the time. Bluff once in a while. If someone thinks you bluff a lot they may not fold so be careful. Although you could use that to your advantage.

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Amanda A said:

Don't try and bluff too many opponents. One is best.

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davidhoyle107 said:

Just don't bet a dry board of they might of hit their card.

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Some of my successful bluffs is when the board flops a pair,

3 card flush or straight on the board on the flop I've had minimal success and bluff light so as to make them think I'm trying to keep them in.

In either case if raised will fold or if called may check till river and then make another attempt at bluff unless a 4th card to the flush or straight comes on board. This has also been successful for me.

What'd ya think?

Regards,
GiGiCat

GiGiCat said:

Some of my successful bluffs is when the board flops a pair,

3 card flush or straight on the board on the flop I've had minimal success and bluff light so as to make them think I'm trying to keep them in.

In either case if raised will fold or if called may check till river and then make another attempt at bluff unless a 4th card to the flush or straight comes on board. This has also been successful for me.

What'd ya think?

Regards,
GiGiCat

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I would avoid bluffing wet boards except under one circumstance. But ill get there last. The advantage of a dry board such as A 4 8 no draw is that they need the ace with a high kicker to call. Chances are they don't. On a board like 6 5 9 with a flush draw, they could of hit a pair, flush draw, straight draw. Even ace high. Do you really want to c bet into that? What if they hit the flush? Remember, bluffing light is a red flag you're up to no good. I might try looking into semi bluffing too. For example, if you got a flush draw, raise as if you hit a top pair. Then bet again if flush comes up.

davidhoyle107 said:

I would avoid bluffing wet boards except under one circumstance. But ill get there last. The advantage of a dry board such as A 4 8 no draw is that they need the ace with a high kicker to call. Chances are they don't. On a board like 6 5 9 with a flush draw, they could of hit a pair, flush draw, straight draw. Even ace high. Do you really want to c bet into that? What if they hit the flush? Remember, bluffing light is a red flag you're up to no good. I might try looking into semi bluffing too. For example, if you got a flush draw, raise as if you hit a top pair. Then bet again if flush comes up.

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As for wet boards, only bet if they seem unwilling too. If

Ps, I got all this info from a book about post flop play. It's been pretty accurate and helped my game. I can give you the title of you'd like.

To perform a bluff, you need to create a good reputation at the poker table. If you have created a reputation for tight player, the opponents will play with you carefully (this does not apply autoresponders and maniacs). Most likely, they will throw their cards on your bluff, if you do it right. The essence is to play the hands in the same manner as its previous winning hand.

If we're talking an actual bluff and not a semi-bluff, then do so when you have absolutely no showdown value and the only way to win is by forcing a fold.

Try bluffing in ''dry boards''. The boards that dont hit the range of your opponent and dont have many straight of flush draws.

As for me, I also agree that, to start bluffing, you need to have a good reputation as the poker player, bluffing is some kind of poker playing style, to my mind! Also, I think , it takes a lot of time, to learn real good bluffing! Good luck)!

If at the showdown you always have a good hand, then you can safely bluff)

If you have a HUD look for villains that cbet 100% of the time or villains that you'd as TAG's and float them. For this you have to be in position and you flat call there cbet and wait for them to check the turn, you than fire a bet and most of time they fold. Don't do this to much or they will catch on and they will make it costly for you. There is also the check raise for out of position. But for these move you need to have a read on the players at the table. If you playing online low to medium stakes don't bluff early on in the tournements.

Can you post some of the hand histories of the bluffs gone wrong? That would be great dissecting it and learning from the more experienced players.

So many factors influence factor into a successful/unsuccessful bluff. How tight a player is, your table image, board texture and bet sizing on each of the streets.