Bluffing doesn't work for me, what is the trick?

[Marius Ugle]

So, I am now furious with frustration because I simply CAN NOT make a bluff go through.
I play pokerstars online, and I have lost a few tournaments and too many hands to the evil of bluffing. Everyone else does it, but when I try, you bet they will not f*cking flinch!

What on earth are the magic to bluff? I am close to crying because of the frustration, so I therefore took a brake and figured I could ask someone instead of loosing in tilt mode.

 

[wildwildwes]

Bluff

I’m just starting to figure it out after 15 years now I call planeting the seed some a little at the start then I have them at the end won 3 big tournament this week an a second place to

 

[bellicoso]

You have to sell it, I think. How are you betting? What's you position? How do the other players view you as a player? If they don't see you as a player taking pots, the sell is dead from the start. If you're viewed as loose you're likely to get called. There are several factors I think you need to consider. But keep playing. If bluffs aren't working, take a break from them for a while. Change you image to a tighter, winning player first. Anyway, good luck going forward.

 

[grumblbrumbl]

I don't know how to bluff either. Т_Т

 

[WSMFP1986]

You have to pick good times, dry board, and just feel it, some bluffs you get through, some don't, also if it doesn't make sense or add up, I'm calling

 

[prizzy711]

I think folks just starting just make random bluffs and don't think about what they are representing. Many of the times they are representing nothing, that's why they get called. I used to do this a bunch, until I starting thinking about that. I always wondered wtf commentators where saying when they said "what bluffs does he have here?"

 

[edenman1]

Its hard online, too many players will play bad cards, but its fun when you pull it off! I kind of just get a sense everyone will fold.... And go for it!

 

[delirium1129]

Just look very carefully at opponents stats like WTSD and board structure and the most important thing make bluff from the position.

 

[bigpappa325]

Bluffing can be a serious leak so take some time and study a bit. Try never to bluff from start. Dont bluff players raising hands. Make bets look like you want a call but just a bit higher than a standard raise. Like to small a raise to big sometimes gives flags. Very seldom bluff. because once your caught its a tough rode unless you hit some pretty good cards. :star:

 

[zviko]

Really takes patience and practice man, understanding why and how someone would raise, how and wht someone would bet, there is no magic to it but knowledge wisdom and experience

 

[JBGoode]

I will say for 1 if your not playing a pro calabier game preflop (always raising when frist to open, never open limping) you will get labled.... 2ndly, once you have mastered the pre flop aspect of the game you need to learn how to utilize fold equity.... first I would focus on your preflop game though.... cause without it, your post flop bets will hold no credibility.

 

[ventrolloquist]

So, I am now furious with frustration because I simply CAN NOT make a bluff go through.
I play Pokerstars online, and I have lost a few tournaments and too many hands to the evil of bluffing. Everyone else does it, but when I try, you bet they will not f*cking flinch!

What on earth are the magic to bluff? I am close to crying because of the frustration, so I therefore took a brake and figured I could ask someone instead of loosing in tilt mode.

Do you have any hand histories of those bluffs or at least an example? Lower stakes players will sometines call anything. Usually bluffs are more respected at higher stakes. That's not to say move up so you can bluff though, make sure you're a consistent winner in lower stakes first.

Also, I'm not making assumptions about your skill level, but your bluffing story has to make sense from preflop to river. If you call preflop for example and bluff postflop, or suddenly bluff on a turn or river that doesn't improve your range, they will easily call you.

Be mindful of your bluffing raise size. It should give your opponents bad odds. A good example is to bet over 75% of the pot on a draw heavy board (like 2 of the same suite on the flop, or something like 89J). If you bet like 33 or 50% on a scary flop you will just get called by hands that have draws. Likewise, if you overbet (bet more than the pot) you may raise suspicion that you are bluffing, however you also give others bad odds when you do actually have a draw. And be very careful when bluffing out of position.

Another example. You raise preflop with AK (and lets say you have a tight table image so you play only premium hands)... Then the flop comes 268 (a low flop). Any cbet/bluff you make on this board will not be as convincing because preflop you represented a strong hand with high cards, and the board is low so you are likely to have missed. This is less applicable at microstakes where player may not be range aware though.

Avoid doing pure bluffs. You should mostly bluff hands where you have a draw.

And don't bluff too much in microstakes, just be patient and wait for good hands. Those same people who call your bluffs will also call your monster hands / nut hands and it will be very profitable for you.

 

[greatgame230]

All you need is a good reading of the opponent and take into account the board when trying to make a bluff, but I must tell you that it is never easy

 

[timeforachange]

There is a time and place, and while I have had many bluffs get called off, you just have to keep firing and play your game. The times it gets through you feel awesome and say wow i cant believe they folded and when they call you say how can they call that I represented this. Just have to keep good notes and try to make the move at the optimal time.

 

[Marius Ugle]

Thanks a bunch, guys! I appreciates all of it. I ended up calling it the day and started again after som sleep.

I am playing the lowest stakes with 0,02$, simply because I will not ruin myself when it goes wrong. In cash games I have stopped bluffing, and instead being a tighter player running 4 tables simultaneously. I am rather new to the serious part of poker, but I remember years ago I enjoyed Zynga poker for 30 mins each session until I lost it all. :icon_boun


In tournaments I regularely meet people who bets and raises, and ends up getting a lot of my chips because I am not that agressiv. Moral of my story, don't do tournaments.

 

[ventrolloquist]

Thanks a bunch, guys! I appreciates all of it. I ended up calling it the day and started again after som sleep.

I am playing the lowest stakes with 0,02$, simply because I will not ruin myself when it goes wrong. In cash games I have stopped bluffing, and instead being a tighter player running 4 tables simultaneously. I am rather new to the serious part of poker, but I remember years ago I enjoyed Zynga poker for 30 mins each session until I lost it all. :icon_boun


In tournaments I regularely meet people who bets and raises, and ends up getting a lot of my chips because I am not that agressiv. Moral of my story, don't do tournaments.

For people who bet and raise a lot loosely preflop (and even postflop) a well timed 3-bet or reraise with a good hand will send them the message that you won't take kindly to getting bullied. If they are a loose player they may be raising you with total garbage, and your AK suited or whatever can go far with a 3bet. Likely they will just fold. Just be careful though, because if they are reckless calling stations and if it's a multiway pot where many other players call 3 bets, you will likely get wrecked. See how they react to 3 bets from others if you're not sure. Play tight by default early on in microstakes tournaments then adjust to the players. In multiway pots with a bunch of loose players, calling with medium suited connectors, and pairs with the aim of hitting a set, flush, or straight goes a long way (assuming it doesn't cost you too much to call). also be patient and wait for very good high card hands. Whatever you do though don't open limp. And play less hands if you're the first or 2nd player to act. You just have to read the players and decide "if he does this to try and exploit me or make me fold, what can i do in return to trick him or take advantage of this behavior to make more money". Don't just blindly raise / bluff, etc. just because others do it.

 

[DS3]

I think it bears mentioning you need to know your own character and style of play.

Almost everyone who has written a book or attempted to coach poker will offer one size fits all scenarios. However, one of the most illuminating things I ever heard was a player describing when they finally grasped they had their own personal style, decided to play to it and then improved. As it happened they liked playing aggressively.

I am the very definition of tight aggressive and bluffing has never appealed to me. I think it comes down to Catholic guilt from childhood and a question of honesty- no kidding- that I do not like lying. At best I can pull off semi-bluffs with regularity. I would love to bluff with some frequency but cannot pull the trigger. But, I also find when I widen my opening range I just seem to create problems for myself.

In short I generally stick in my lane and it remains successful. For others their lane is aggro play or bluffing and they are comfortable. I think you have to question if something is a natural fit or not. Its easy to assume you need to take on every piece of advice from the poker coaching community to 'expand' your game, but we are not cut from the same cloth and need to play to our own strengths.

 

[pentazepam]

In general and without reads: the lower the stake the less you have to bluff to balance your game (and win).

But look at it on the bright side - if they often call you, you can value bet your good hands thinner and often bigger. A lot of players call with draw and weaker hands even without odds at lower stakes.

 

[Roger1960]

This is where you have to play the player. Some think they are so great they can win every hand with 22 and will NOT fold no matter what. With that being said. You have to hope they are watching how you play, and it is a very good idea you play strong hands. The good players will know you do, then you can think about setting up a bluff.
I rarely bluff, you can get more chips if you have a great hand, because a lot won't fold. If no one at all is betting into a pot, that means either 1. they don't have anything to bet with. Or 2. they are hoping someone will get a halfway decent hand and will call their bet, because they have a great hand and want some chips. The thing about bluffing also is not to bet all of your chips. A good many players wait for an all in and hope to get lucky.
Best way for me is to raise pre-flop, then bet on the flop, and again on the turn. This way they may be thinking you are trying to get more of their chips, which I usually am. If I am in the hand, I am trying to get your chips.

 

[sipitka]

do not bluff too often, bluff only when the nuts can reach

 

[TheDude6622]

I’m just starting to figure it out after 15 years now I call planeting the seed some a little at the start then I have them at the end won 3 big tournament this week an a second place to

That is correct. Planting seeds of a tight and strong player is key. Another important piece is aggression. Don't be afraid of being aggressive when trying to bluff.

 

[akmost]

Yeah I like many comments here. I think the two most important factors are:

1.Your playing line (pre flop and post flop) , what are you trying to represent to your opponent?Does it make sense?You can't represent a limited combination of hands out of the blue because you just want to bluff.Or you can't bluff only the river card , sometimes you must build your bluff street by street.

2. Most important is against who you are trying to bluff that moment, let's say your playing line is ok , it is useless trying to bluff a weak opponent who never folds his top pair for example.Try to bluff a good opponent and value bet a bad one(calling station).And as some previous poster mention if you play micro stakes - as I do - don't bother so much about balancing and all those things.They don't matter in those limits.Or again if you want to balance some plays of yours just do it again a good opponent who understands and observes your plays.

 

[Vallet]

You need to think about what combination you want to draw for the opponent. Frequent bluffing is the main reason for losing.

 

[st_steady]

How I've had success with getting bluffs to go through on 6 max micros on Bovada.

-play in position


-Pay attention to what your opponents are showing down with, trash, top hands? Ranging your opponents is a big part of it

-pay attention to bet sizes, are they checking, 1/2 potting, potting? You can get an idea of hand strength preflop/postflop

-if you suspect your opponent is weak, fire off a bet on a scary turn card.

-try to evaluate your table image

Theres a lot of factors that go into it but basically my most successful bluffs are when i feel i have a tight image and miss and when i sense weakness.

you shouldnt bluff often. Just in spots where you are pretty sure your opponent will be folding. Ive lost a lot of money with risky bluffs (trying to bluff a station, trying to bluff someone off a strong hand), but ive found some good spots to steal some pots.


-

 

[charliej]

Bluff judiciously but you must bluff. Less at low stakes cuz too many loose players. Getting caught is not necessarily a bad thing. It provides info that you can later use to your advantage.