Beginner mistakes - bluffing

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In my experience, someone who bluffs often has a tendency to assume other players at the table are bluffing too. Conversely, someone who rarely bluffs tends to discard the possibility their opponents are bluffing.

While this is not necessarily true in all cases, I find it quite useful. When someone is caught bluffing too much (or attempting a really bad bluff), I file it away for a situation where I have a monster on a good board for a bluff. A bluffish bet will get paid off by that player more often than not.

 

[Skidis]

I think that there is a lot of players that bluffing pre-flop, at the flop and the turn. But then check on the river, and if you make a good bet here, they always fold and you can take a pretty huge stack the problem is to find these players, and sometimes they actually hits..

 

[DaMan1313]

Bluffing is totally situational, and greatly depends on your opponent. Try to bluff scare cards, or to put in a more poker sense type of way, if you perceive a card being terrible for your opponents range, it may be a good card to bluff. That being said if he's a station you are better off staying away from even thinking about bluffing.

 

[locha2013]

I try not to bluff, because you can loose a lot of money. Above all the most players can somehow see when im bluffing. I dont know why but they always get me, so i have no choice and let it be.

 

[blueskies]

Bluff in small pots so it sets you up to win big pots when you do have it.

But you gotta pay attn to your opponents. Your efforts are wasted on villains who don't pay attn.

 

[redcross]

To bluff or not to bluff, I have lost a lot in the bluff game but it is a necessary evil. You just don't run across enough great hands that actually hit on the flop. I realized I needed to throw in a few bluff after the same thing kept happening to me in tourneys. I would play really tight with only great hands and then I get the the point that blinds have come up so much I NEED a great hand to stay in.

So now my strategy includes more betting and what I have found most successful is play tight till the donks are weeded out then open it up a little bit. The next stage is really open it up when you are getting to the $$ positions. IE 23 people left in a tourney where 20 people cash. People hate taking risks at this point. Just remember to slow it down after money spots are filled.

 

[Vhyre]

Bluffing is definately a skill that belongs in the tool box. I seldom bluff but with the right image that makes it easier to sell the hand you really dont have.

 

[Salvete777]

I can say one - beginners shouldn't bluffing very often (if we talk about Ring Games in tournaments there is a different).
I don't think that you can learn bluff reading books, to bluff you need a experience, you should know when do it and how much to bet.

 

[teh_colonel_saigon]

Online my bluffing gets out of control- I suck and probably should rarely bluff, makes sense that other noobies should do the same, unless you know for sure your opponent is weak on a hand and capable of folding.

Itd be nice to be able to work on bluffing and get better but its such a situational thing

 

[hrix]

IMO, bluffing is very dangerous. You can win pot sometimes, but imagine... you try to bluff with nothing (post big amount of chips) and someone calls/reraises you. You will definitely lose, so bluffing is dangerous.
Beginners shouldn't bluff a lot. I see guys (calling machines) who are calling with everything and after flop they bluff with everything. They are losing too much chips.

 

[blueskies]

Bluffing generally only works against people who know how to play. And to make bluffing work, you need to be telling a convincing story and representing a hand that you don't have.

I would stick to spots where it's obvious the villain has nothing and you are taking a small risk by bluffing. I.e. don't bluff $3 into a 30 cent pot, as I saw one genius try on the river card that could have completed a flush draw after there was no flop or turn action. He got called by a guy who actually did have a flush.

IMO, bluffing is very dangerous. You can win pot sometimes, but imagine... you try to bluff with nothing (post big amount of chips) and someone calls/reraises you. You will definitely lose, so bluffing is dangerous.
Beginners shouldn't bluff a lot. I see guys (calling machines) who are calling with everything and after flop they bluff with everything. They are losing too much chips.

 

[dakota4real]

I agree with you

I find that bluffing comes more in the freerolls. The higher the stakes the less bluffing, I think.

I totally agree, I find players in higher stakes games are less likely to bluff but then again I'll never know unless someone calls them at any level..right?

 

[Dikkas]

Study the table first, if the ppl never folds why would u do bluff? u'll just loose the chips