S
Sacredoro
Rock Star
Silver Level
qkamara6ina
Rock Star
Platinum Level
Of course you can play without bluff but it will be very very very stupid to do that , a bluff is part of every poker strategy if you play only when you have something 1. you will be 100% easy for your opponents that's = lose, 2. it's a just a weapon in your arsenal that you bluff doesn't mean you have to bluff every hand, how ever remember that you have another weapon too.
vinnie
Legend
Silver Level
Yes, a million times, yes. This is so true that it's not even funny. There are so many people who will check/fold every time they miss (of course, they might consider even a gut-shot to the idiot-end of a straight to be a hit).
And, often, they'll even let you know the pot is open for stealing. They keep checking, even after you check and show no interest. I recently had a guy who obviously had clicked "fold to any bet" because it immediately returned action to me after I checked. So, I min-bet into the 3-bet pot (1xbb into a pot of around 20xbb) and he folds.
Also, there are a lot of "one shot and give up" players at the micros. You call their c-bet (ideally with position) and you can easily play the turn perfectly with ATC. If they bet, they had/have something and you fold and give up unless you're strong. If they check, you bet and they'll fold nearly always.
There are tons of other little spots. Yeah, you're not going to get credit for hitting a back-door straight with a huge raise on the river, but that's not the bluff you make in those games. You don't even have to worry about what your bet represents (unless the other player is half-decent). They won't think about what you might be betting with. They'll just think about how their hand isn't that great and fold. I've made river bets that absolutely reeked to high-heaven of absolute BS, but they succeed far often than not if the other player has been checking it to me the whole way.
Will you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar? Will you get check-raised, called down with third pair, or bet into a medium flush the guy didn't want to bet but is willing to call with? Yes. That will happen. But, not nearly as often as you think. And not nearly often enough to make bluffing a bad idea. It also helps to do your bluffing on the flop/turn with outs to improve. There have been a number of times that I bet the flop, bet the turn, and then hit gin on the river.
The only thing you don't want to do is turn a hand with decent show-down value into a bluff that's only getting called by better. And, if you bet a moderately weak made hand and they raise or bet into you on the next street, you give them a reasonable amount of credit for a real hand and give up. You don't need to play sheriff if someone who's been playing FoF suddenly plays back at you. He's not stealing (often) anyway. Don't pay him off. This is where a lot of people make a mistake. They think, "I've been stealing from this guy all the time and this time I have a hand, so I need to call." No, No, No! Unless you have a very strong hand, just let him have this one. They're not making a play with bottom pair after giving up the last 15 hands. And, if they are, they probably won't be able to keep doing it. So, you can go right back to your thievery in future hands.
ilyass
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Three-bet pre-flop - one of the most effective ways to declare its strength. This technique distinctive game professionals, but it is often not fully understood and used properly. Three-bet pre-flop with premium hands like QQ + and AK - quite a simple task. But do not be limited to this and become predictable player for his rivals. Here are three main reasons to make a 3-bet, even in the absence of a strong hand.
To get thin value
QQ + and AK - this range is not limited to the hands, with which you can do for value-three-bet preflop. Most of the loose-aggressive players on low stakes players call often three-bet quite a wide range, if they acted as the initial raiser.
Against such opponents, who love wide open with a raise before the flop and then call a 3-bet with the most range, it is necessary to apply the right strategy. You will be profitable to do laytovy three-bet - with KQs type hands, AJs, AQo, 99, and so on. This is especially important if the opponent is in the style of "hit or fold" on the flop.
To isolate Fish
If the fish is opened with a raise before the flop, and stacks is not very short, you will be profitable laytovo his three-bet. Such a good 3bet with hands like - KJo, ATo - are well suited for post-flop against the Fish, and not very suitable for multi-way.
In this way, you isolate Fish - stay with them one-on-one on the flop, thereby increasing its equity in the hand. This rally will be particularly advantageous if the other players tend to play loose-passive, and often players call a single raise pre-flop. So you do not run them in hand and will be able to realize his advantage over Scylla fishom after the flop in heads-up situations.
To seize the initiative
Have you heard the phrase "cheknut and give iniativu raiser?" It's pretty fishovy advice, but it is often used on low-stakes players. And if it is you will be the one who last showed aggression before the flop, there is a high probability that the other players will play passively after the flop and wait for the continuation of your aggression.
"You can not put in the first raiser" - many players follow it like an unwritten rule of poker and lose a huge benefit. So you can afford to make a three-bet laytovy - with KTs type hands, QJo, 77, especially if you do not have the right pot odds to call. So 3bet you can win the pot immediately, without further struggle. Or in the case of call you can put the bluff continuation bet after the flop, and in many cases you will again win the pot.
It's better than doing just flat-call with these hands and hoping to hit the flop well. It is much easier to bluff after the flop if you were the main aggressor before the flop, so you can sometimes use a three-bet to seize the initiative in the hand.
To get thin value
QQ + and AK - this range is not limited to the hands, with which you can do for value-three-bet preflop. Most of the loose-aggressive players on low stakes players call often three-bet quite a wide range, if they acted as the initial raiser.
Against such opponents, who love wide open with a raise before the flop and then call a 3-bet with the most range, it is necessary to apply the right strategy. You will be profitable to do laytovy three-bet - with KQs type hands, AJs, AQo, 99, and so on. This is especially important if the opponent is in the style of "hit or fold" on the flop.
To isolate Fish
If the fish is opened with a raise before the flop, and stacks is not very short, you will be profitable laytovo his three-bet. Such a good 3bet with hands like - KJo, ATo - are well suited for post-flop against the Fish, and not very suitable for multi-way.
In this way, you isolate Fish - stay with them one-on-one on the flop, thereby increasing its equity in the hand. This rally will be particularly advantageous if the other players tend to play loose-passive, and often players call a single raise pre-flop. So you do not run them in hand and will be able to realize his advantage over Scylla fishom after the flop in heads-up situations.
To seize the initiative
Have you heard the phrase "cheknut and give iniativu raiser?" It's pretty fishovy advice, but it is often used on low-stakes players. And if it is you will be the one who last showed aggression before the flop, there is a high probability that the other players will play passively after the flop and wait for the continuation of your aggression.
"You can not put in the first raiser" - many players follow it like an unwritten rule of poker and lose a huge benefit. So you can afford to make a three-bet laytovy - with KTs type hands, QJo, 77, especially if you do not have the right pot odds to call. So 3bet you can win the pot immediately, without further struggle. Or in the case of call you can put the bluff continuation bet after the flop, and in many cases you will again win the pot.
It's better than doing just flat-call with these hands and hoping to hit the flop well. It is much easier to bluff after the flop if you were the main aggressor before the flop, so you can sometimes use a three-bet to seize the initiative in the hand.
M
mikeisanace
Enthusiast
Silver Level
I depends on the game type and denomination you're playing
Assume your playing a 2/5 cash game with 6 rocks 1 medium loose players and a total nit see where i'm going with this? Ok this is the kinda game where you may be able to bluff a little pot to the rocks but never take down a huge one so it's kinda worthless. You can't bluff them all day because their rocks and only play solid hands and will only all with qq or the nuts.. This kinda game requires a little luck and solid hands to the turn or river with the goods until showdown or folds.
Now if your playing with 70% lagf ''Loose aggressive fish'' Then your in bluff ville heaven! These kinda players aren't weak calling stations they have a wide range and will re raise you with backdoor draws often not to the nuts. The key here is usually a heads up scenario with a turn pair such as qj2-j.. Here is your bluffing spot with a 4 bet opportunity with 10-10 or ak or even 55. The tagf is on a draw their always on a draw and very seldom actually pair the board. You can think qj=89,910,A10 etcc.. The rarely have one pair and on a board like this they could have 2 pair but less likely dictated by their range. If you bet enough here even with air they might fold because their not stupid and could feel you filled up on the turn.
Assume your playing a 2/5 cash game with 6 rocks 1 medium loose players and a total nit see where i'm going with this? Ok this is the kinda game where you may be able to bluff a little pot to the rocks but never take down a huge one so it's kinda worthless. You can't bluff them all day because their rocks and only play solid hands and will only all with qq or the nuts.. This kinda game requires a little luck and solid hands to the turn or river with the goods until showdown or folds.
Now if your playing with 70% lagf ''Loose aggressive fish'' Then your in bluff ville heaven! These kinda players aren't weak calling stations they have a wide range and will re raise you with backdoor draws often not to the nuts. The key here is usually a heads up scenario with a turn pair such as qj2-j.. Here is your bluffing spot with a 4 bet opportunity with 10-10 or ak or even 55. The tagf is on a draw their always on a draw and very seldom actually pair the board. You can think qj=89,910,A10 etcc.. The rarely have one pair and on a board like this they could have 2 pair but less likely dictated by their range. If you bet enough here even with air they might fold because their not stupid and could feel you filled up on the turn.
F
fishyfishh
Rising Star
Silver Level
One of the best quotes i've ever heard about poker directly relates to this. I can't remember who said it, but I think it was one of the wsop guys. He said, "Every player can make money with a strong hand. What separates the weak players from the strong is winning the pot with the worst hand." In my opinion, you definitely dont have to play LAG or anything like that. No need to bluff all the time. But in the end, the hands that you won on a bluff are what put you ahead. I think bluffing is a necessity at least some of the time.
N
ndnk
Rising Star
Silver Level
At microstakes zoom, you can probably be profitable without bluffing (although "bluff" c betting is still probably required)
Against thinking opponents, and even most fish, you will be absurdly easy to exploit if you never bluff.
Against thinking opponents, and even most fish, you will be absurdly easy to exploit if you never bluff.
teepack
Legend
Bronze Level
I am not an extensive cash player but played two live sessions in July while in Los Angeles - one at Hawaiian Gardens and a few days later at Commerce Casino. I played $2/$3. At Hawaiian Gardens I cashed in for $100 and walked away with $1,002, and I don't think I bluffed a single time. I did a few C-bets where I missed the flop but decided to bet any way, but I'm not sure I really consider that bluffing. A few of them induced folds, a few of them didn't. But as far as trying a bluff all the way to the river, or betting big on the river when I missed, I don't think I did it once. A few days later I played at Commerce and bought in for $100 at $2/$3 and cashed out more than $650. Again, I don't think I bluffed once.
So yes, maybe in the short-term you can be successful in cash games without bluffing. If I were a grinder who played for a living, I would try some bluffs, because you can't just rely on getting better cards all the time.
So yes, maybe in the short-term you can be successful in cash games without bluffing. If I were a grinder who played for a living, I would try some bluffs, because you can't just rely on getting better cards all the time.
M
mikeisanace
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Depends on the structure and game format
Limit holdem has very little bluffing at all and 1/2 or 1/3 nl is full of stations and as we all know they shouldn't be bluffed instead they should be value betted to death. Id say the better the players and the higher the stakes the more bluffing in position should be attempted. Good players won't overvalue your card range instead they will calculate outs and odds and go from there. If you predict your opponent doesn't have overs or a piece of the board then you can bluff with air or a weak pair,or price out any mid range draw and often take it down. A station will call and suck out on you so you need the goods.
Limit holdem has very little bluffing at all and 1/2 or 1/3 nl is full of stations and as we all know they shouldn't be bluffed instead they should be value betted to death. Id say the better the players and the higher the stakes the more bluffing in position should be attempted. Good players won't overvalue your card range instead they will calculate outs and odds and go from there. If you predict your opponent doesn't have overs or a piece of the board then you can bluff with air or a weak pair,or price out any mid range draw and often take it down. A station will call and suck out on you so you need the goods.