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natelearnspoker
Rock Star
Silver Level
It's really hard to gauge whether an online opponent is bluffing, but I've proudly called people on their huge bluffs. First look for clues of a bluff. Any suspicious changes in behavior stand out to me as a bluff. For instance, if the villain checks, checks, then shoves all in on a dry board (no possibility of flush or straight), then I usually suspect that it's an ace high bluff. I also look at bet size. If the bet is pot-sized or bigger than the pot, I usually get suspicious and then evaluate the equity of my hand. If I think I'm ahead, I'll just call.
Beyond bet sizing, study your opponent's behavior before hand. A lot of online players are stupid donks and just raise/bet for no reason. Wait until you get the absolute nuts like top set or top pair and then call/re-raise villain.
One of my proudest moments was when a player in a tournament shoved on the flop on a dry board, J37 rainbow. I had ace high and judging by how the player often just made big bets for no reason, I sensed that the player was bluffing and probably missed the flop. I had Ax so I also missed the flop, but I figured my ace high would be good enough. The villain shoved and I called instantly and my instincts were correct - villain had Q10 off and I got an Ace on the turn, winning the hand and essentially doubling my stack.
All in all, keep an eye out for weird bets and watch to catch your opponent making a mistake.
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fortescue1
Enthusiast
Silver Level
Read
You must learn to read players you play with . You can use holdem manager to help you with
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LSTBrand
Rock Star
Silver Level
if you are
long eneught with a player at the table you feel it.
Somethimes it's not a head dessision, trust your stomek...
Live it's more easyer to dedicate a bluffing player...
Online only after 5 mins ore little bit more I think.
long eneught with a player at the table you feel it.
Somethimes it's not a head dessision, trust your stomek...
Live it's more easyer to dedicate a bluffing player...
Online only after 5 mins ore little bit more I think.
thehangdude
Visionary
Platinum Level
Bluffing is mandatory, but never without reason. You (and they) may bluff preflop because you have good position. The bet needs to be the same from the button if you have 25o or AKs, so they never know when you are bluffing.
Post flop bluffing is often best when you make a small pair or have some outs. If you were original raiser and the board has an Ace, you might try a bluff even if you opened with KQ. Or if you called from the blind, and the board is rags like 457, a bluff might work. I like betting flop from 1/4 to 3/4 whether a bluff or nuts.
Turn bluffs are rare unless as continuing a flop bet, and you sometimes need to bluff all three streets. You'll be surprised how often villain will call, call, fold. Rarely when an over card or third (or fourth) connector comes you can bluff. You need to bet as if you hit what you're selling.
Bluffing just the river has to make sense. Like as a continuation bluff, or when the board has four of a suit or one card to a straight. River bluffs need to be bigger, because the pot size is bigger.
You need bluffs to win, but only bluff for a reason, and have a plan if they call you out. Then you can put yourself in Villain's shoes and decide if they might be bluffing.
Post flop bluffing is often best when you make a small pair or have some outs. If you were original raiser and the board has an Ace, you might try a bluff even if you opened with KQ. Or if you called from the blind, and the board is rags like 457, a bluff might work. I like betting flop from 1/4 to 3/4 whether a bluff or nuts.
Turn bluffs are rare unless as continuing a flop bet, and you sometimes need to bluff all three streets. You'll be surprised how often villain will call, call, fold. Rarely when an over card or third (or fourth) connector comes you can bluff. You need to bet as if you hit what you're selling.
Bluffing just the river has to make sense. Like as a continuation bluff, or when the board has four of a suit or one card to a straight. River bluffs need to be bigger, because the pot size is bigger.
You need bluffs to win, but only bluff for a reason, and have a plan if they call you out. Then you can put yourself in Villain's shoes and decide if they might be bluffing.
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gryphon3005
Rock Star
Silver Level
If you don't have a HUD it is often difficult to get a 'read' on a player. If that is your situation the, in a specific hand, look at how the player's actions compare to the board.....does the story he is telling by his betting make sense. The information you have to go on is the size of his bets, the amount of time he took to act when it was his turn, his position and the board. If something doesn't ring true then it is quite possible he either has a monster or he is bluffing. You have to ask yourself did the board hit your opponents opening range and, if it did, would you expect him to bet the way he did.
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Alberto Martinez
Rock Star
Silver Level
Yes, it is sometimes difficult to know a bluff when it faces you. Sometimes, you can fire back with a raise and they run. Other times they charge forward. Study player's Tendencies. Many times they raise preflop, even when they are low on chips. Tendencies are to take that preflop for granted and cause you to lose consideably. GOD bless you. Now, go get'em!You must learn to read players you play with . You can use holdem manager to help you with
Cam54
Rock Star
Silver Level
I agree very much with these comments especially ( does it make sense ) and ( have a reason) you should actually have a reason for everything you do at the table online or live.
Couple other things to consider ... did a better hand than yours get there .... does this person play consistently and make it easy by raising only his or her good hands or are they playing really wide ranges and in a maniac type of play .. what kind of range does someone play from that position , are they capable of playing those crappy cards so when the crappy board falls it's possible they have the goods .. how do they see your play, are you going to fold if scare cards come, I mean if you are only playing the top 10 % then they know you don't have that low straight that got there and are liable to fire .... they honestly don't need a hand to do so either ... some of those things give me clues ...
Others have mentioned a HUD I use one and it is truly indispensable, as long as it is allowed ( more and more sites seem to be going away from those, I'm sure to attract less serious players, and hopefully increase their bottom line ... so that may go away at some point, I hope not ) it will improve your game play and it will track starts for your opponents and you, so after time ( a fair sample size of hands ) it will help you make reasonable assumptions about someone else's play .. so I would say take advantage of it while you can ??
I see a lot of comments about aggression ... it is my preferred play style and it does not mean I am always bluffing .. I am learning to tone it down some and add calls and checks for balance and maybe be a little more trappy ... but in general I believe aggression is a winning style of play, and has no indication of a bluff by itself ... now you get somebody shoving on every hand .... we've all seen it ... and you know they can't have a hand every time , then I like to call more with lesser hands , someone did this to me the other night with 2-9 off and I stacked him with a pair of fives, he was shoving every hand and he built a nice little stack very quick he also lost it very quick.... one other thought if you are playing the micros to low stakes I think bluffing a lot is a mistake, you honestly have no need to balance your range ... at this level people just aren't thinking that deep, some will do it but you will see them picked off easy by everyone paying attention ...
I don't know when someone is bluffing all the time, but if they don't tell a good consistent story from the deal to the river, something isn't right, as time goes by and you increase the volume of hands you play you will get a feel when something is amiss, even then you won't always be correct ....
ok sorry for making all of your eyes bleed with my little book .. guess I had a lot I wanted to say there
ventrolloquist
Visionary
Silver Level
I totally agree with the above post, get a HUD if only to build up a database of the people you'll be playing with (even if you don't use it yet). There's certainly a lot of value in learning how to play exploitatively without a HUD. But later, you will be happy you did this because you will have lots of stats on everyone.
carlosnuno
Rock Star
Silver Level
online it is impossible to know when a bluff player, in fact the problem is not bluffing you but when. Live if there is the possibility of knowing when they cheat you, why the players cover their faces and eyes. Determine that an online poker player is cheating on you, it is a matter of luck, my recommendation is to go with good cards and having a good hand, let him take the baton of the bets.
Glaucopone
Rock Star
Silver Level
Online is more difficult, but an indication is the size of the bet in relation to the equity of his hand vs the size of the pot, in addition to the behavior in other hands. Like everything in poker, there are no rules, but to carefully observe each game because each one is different from the other.
gl!
gl!
FastEddie777
Rock Star
Silver Level
izmoroc
Rock Star
Silver Level
1) Speed of betting.
If the player raises (mostly) or calls usually in 7-10 seconds, but then starts to raise in 3-5... It's a time to think.
2) the size of riase.
Usually if U are sure in Ur card you raise to get as much chips as possible, you don't want the others to fold. But if you have waek cards.... you will raise much more to player do not continue...
3) Bluff usually strarts in flop.
It means you should see his\ber playing in preflop and see What combination exactly this player are show...
If You want to win this bluff You should make the same step as you awlays do, and watch carefully the others playing... cos there are some players who can be bluffed very rare)
If the player raises (mostly) or calls usually in 7-10 seconds, but then starts to raise in 3-5... It's a time to think.
2) the size of riase.
Usually if U are sure in Ur card you raise to get as much chips as possible, you don't want the others to fold. But if you have waek cards.... you will raise much more to player do not continue...
3) Bluff usually strarts in flop.
It means you should see his\ber playing in preflop and see What combination exactly this player are show...
If You want to win this bluff You should make the same step as you awlays do, and watch carefully the others playing... cos there are some players who can be bluffed very rare)
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Gelidmind
Rock Star
Silver Level
Sometimes you can pick up on a players patters or the texture of the board will sometimes give away if a player is bluffing or not. Other than that I don't think there are any other tells that would afford you the ability to know if someone is bluffing or not.
ADRI7HO
On the road...
Loyaler
I also think it’s very important what cards he showed in previous hands and where he raised from for a reason.
In short, what information is there about it.
If there is nothing worth playing tighter with a good hand against. It still turns out he bluffs often.
In short, what information is there about it.
If there is nothing worth playing tighter with a good hand against. It still turns out he bluffs often.
Glaucopone
Rock Star
Silver Level
There are several factors, but the mentors say to be alert when there is a fold on the flop, it is common for the bluffer to take advantage of this fold to induce you that he has the set, as everything in poker is not a rule, stay tuned in the bluff betting pattern , it is best to take notes, follow him on the tables and watch his game.
You have to observe everything, position, size of the pot, and the pattern of it.
Be careful because sometimes the bluff has equity.
PS.: Search the content on youtube and study.
Good luck!!
You have to observe everything, position, size of the pot, and the pattern of it.
Be careful because sometimes the bluff has equity.
PS.: Search the content on youtube and study.
Good luck!!
S
Sebarios59
Rock Star
Silver Level
bluff
I do not think that because he is aggressive, he is bluffing me, rather I try to analyze how he moved around the table before any situation and based on that and the strength of my hand, I draw some conclusions.
I do not think that because he is aggressive, he is bluffing me, rather I try to analyze how he moved around the table before any situation and based on that and the strength of my hand, I draw some conclusions.