Player Reads: How important are player reads in determining whether a bluff will be successful?

[ednaroza]

What signs or behaviors do you look for to identify opponents who are more likely to fold to a bluff?

 

[dannystanks]

You are looking for mostly good players at the table so you have to pay attention. Calling stations have a hard time folding, as does new players. Watch and see who is folding too much and go after those players. Good luck!

 

[ObbleeXY]

You have to assume that all players are capable of a bluff. They are also capable of playing any two cards and hitting anything randomly.
So your job is to figure out if the story makes sense.
Is the action, pre- and post-flop consistent with your opponents range? Does the bet sizing make sense?
Do you have any stats on C-Betting, Bluffs or steals on this villain?
For example, if a player has a 3bet stat of zero and they three bet me, I'm inclined to believe it. But if their 3bet rate if 90%, Might be more inclined to just see it as nonsense.
I'm in a situation now where my home game crew think I'm such a bluffer that I can no longer get a bluff through....(so I rarely even try with them...just enough, early on, to get them assuming I'm lying....then I get those extra chips, or an extra street or two from them.
My CC games are different as you gotta play conservatively in CC Team League, for example, if you want to make it to FT.

 

[Amanda A]

Some people overfold in general, others overfold certain streets eg they overfold preflop to 3bets, others overfold to flop c-bets when they are out of position or maybe they overfold the turn, then you may need to fire more than one street.

 

[Rost]

What signs or behaviors do you look for to identify opponents who are more likely to fold to a bluff?

I closely follow the game of my opponents, and make appropriate notes about their game. In particular, I often notice players who play with junk or play too aggressively. My notes often help me make the right decision.

 

[Cooking]

Usually I try to bluff against tight players that I know won't call with a weak hand.