Are you one of the people who bluffs?

Iryna Stryzheuskaya

Iryna Stryzheuskaya

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Total posts
2,826
Awards
10
BY
Chips
186
If you don't like it, then of course I won't do it.
 
Shakyamuni22

Shakyamuni22

Rising Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 21, 2023
Total posts
11
KZ
Chips
88
Well, It is one of the most important skills in the poker
Sometimes I’m bluffing too many sometimes too less and this is the one of the skills you should check when your are analyzing the hands history
 
D

darkgonz

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 18, 2020
Total posts
248
PE
Chips
42
Bluffing is necessary in poker, when you don't have a hand that has a good showdown it is the only way to steal the pot and make money in the long term.
 
hamon08

hamon08

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Nov 21, 2022
Total posts
633
Awards
1
UA
Chips
133
I play aggressively and I use bluffs and semi-bluffs very often. I like to bluff with my whole stack, it really looks very scary and players throw away top pairs expecting me to have stronger hands, but sometimes my bluff is called and it's very bad, especially if I'm playing in a tournament.
 
Sivraj

Sivraj

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 22, 2021
Total posts
343
Chips
4
Of course, bluffing is an important part of the game in poker, but like other skills, bluffing must be skillfully used and applied at the right moment.
True indeed bluffing should be handled with care.
 
Sschafell

Sschafell

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Jun 9, 2016
Total posts
483
Awards
4
BR
Chips
95
Beautiful yes, but when I think it's necessary, depending on the villain and how the play was, I don't just bluff for the sake of bluffing!
 
W

Wega85

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Total posts
310
Awards
1
CA
Chips
225
Bluffing is one important skill to have. yeh it sux to get beat by a bluff but you can just sit there and keep waiting for good decent hands to play. you got to bluff to rack up chips
 
D

dompoker

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Total posts
693
Awards
1
Chips
128
Whenever I can I try to bluff, it's a good way to get chips.
 
IRINA70

IRINA70

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Jul 24, 2022
Total posts
620
Awards
2
BY
Chips
119
Usually I'm playing according my cards but sometimes I use semibluff.
 
O

oskarsbaumanis2

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 13, 2023
Total posts
269
Chips
150
I bluff, I like it and I know it!
 
GNuTTz

GNuTTz

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Aug 1, 2020
Total posts
535
Awards
1
Chips
140
I like to keep my game fresh and exciting- so, yes indeed- I love throwing in a bluff every 10 hands or so 😎
 
Mauricio Perrotta

Mauricio Perrotta

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
May 18, 2015
Total posts
2,807
Awards
2
AR
Chips
239
Very rarely do I lie when playing poker
 
sincos

sincos

Visionary
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 22, 2022
Total posts
784
Awards
1
Chips
180
If my opponent shows weakness in the game, then I'm happy to bluff...
 
puzzlefish

puzzlefish

student of the donk arts
Loyaler
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Total posts
4,545
Awards
3
CA
Chips
362
I never ever bluff, so it would be best if you just fold your hand whenever I am betting.
 
MackemMan

MackemMan

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Dec 4, 2005
Total posts
292
Awards
1
GB
Chips
157
Part and parcel of the game although I do bluff very occasionally ;)
 
ObbleeXY

ObbleeXY

Visionary
Bronze Level
Joined
Jul 28, 2020
Total posts
952
Awards
2
GB
Chips
238
if you aren't bluffing at least some percentage of the time, then:
a) you are leaving chips on the table for others;
b) you will not go as far in tourneys
c) if you've admitted it above (or below), you'd better change as I'll add this to your player notes and it is going to hurt you even more.

But bluffing takes several forms.
- There are the "out and out bluffs" which is basically having nothing of value for showdown. These are sometimes called stone-cold bluffs as they have zero equity.
- There is the C-bet bluffs where you haven't hit, but have a decent enough hand to continue , but are not necessarily leading post flop...you're essentially bluffing on the hope that your opponent has not connected on the flop.
- There is the semi-bluff where you're betting, but without top/nutty hand
- Finally you have your oppoprtunistic bluff, which is less dependent on your hole cards, and simply more focussed on specific opponents you are pushing out of the pot. Its considered opportunistic because you are making a move based on the specific villain.

As a person on the other side...if you play straight-forward only, then you are going to be giving up on pots where your equity is higher than the person taking it down. Further, you set yourself up for being exploited by opportunistic bluffs.

My view is that if you never get caught bluffing, you're not bluffing enough.
And when you DO get caught. You have now primed your opponents to be suspicious. This can increase your value when you tighten up post-catch-out and increase your bet sizing. You'll get more callers, more chips.

What one must make sure they avoid is bluffing in non-sensical spots. You don't try to bluff a fish/call-station. you don't go bluffing the nit who hasn't played for 15 hands and has all of a sudden woken up and is betting when AAK hit the flop.

Sometimes you need to set up your bluffs to be able to pull them off. Fopr example, bluffing that you've hit a straight or flush is a lot easier if you have been C-Betting prior to the bluff. It makes it look like you're slowly building a pot on a strong draw. It's more useful to do this on flush draw boards as these are quite obvious to your opponent. Doing it with straight draws works too, but straight draws might be more likely to simply go unnoticed by villain, especially if they are very gappy.

At any rate....the long and the short of it is -- all the best poker players bluff. Bluffing might not make you the best, but you'll never be the best if you don't learn how to do it properly.

Cheers,
JT

PS -- I over-bluff...so what do I know!?!
 
ShaDoWGuarD

ShaDoWGuarD

Rock Star
Bronze Level
Joined
Oct 16, 2021
Total posts
183
Awards
1
UA
Chips
34
There can be no poker without bluffing! If you want to play this game plus, sooner or later you need to start bluffing. But that doesn't mean you should bluff everyone and everyone in every situation. You need to find moments in the game and suitable opponents when you can start your tricks. If you learn how to do it right, then your profit can grow significantly.
 
Niveau1

Niveau1

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Dec 3, 2022
Total posts
361
Awards
1
AT
Chips
238
I also bluff sometimes. Rather but rarely, as I lose more than I win.
 
dreamer13

dreamer13

Legend
Platinum Level
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Total posts
2,966
Awards
2
LV
Chips
363
Bluffing is the sexiest thing about poker. Besides the adrenaline rush of winning something significant, bluffing provides opportunities much greater than other actions, especially if it is folding, calling or betting with a better hand.If you've never been caught bluffing, you almost certainly don't bluff enough.
 
istbno

istbno

Rock Star
Platinum Level
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Total posts
218
Awards
2
UA
Chips
177
The frequency of bluffing depends on dynamic factors like opponents, table image, and the stage of the game. Bluffing too often makes it predictable; too infrequently can lead to being exploited. A balanced approach, adjusting to opponents and table conditions, is effective. In early stages, be selective; as blinds rise, strategic bluffs become crucial. Adapting to opponents' tendencies and maintaining unpredictability define a skilled player. It's about calculated risks, understanding the game flow, and exploiting opportunities rather than adhering to a rigid bluffing frequency.
 
Gallarado777

Gallarado777

Legend
Loyaler
Joined
Jun 19, 2022
Total posts
5,515
Awards
3
KZ
Chips
286
Yes, sometimes you have to bluff because you can't win poker without this skill, of course, I wouldn't want to do it, but I don't know for sure how to win poker without it. After studying bluffing, you will earn a lot of money and win more tournaments, I hope there will be very few players who know how to bluff:)
 
Top