Posted Fri May 12, 2006 1:46 pm GMT by tame_deuces
We can debate over how important the bluff is in poker, but that isn't really what I'm after.
If you were to rate yourself on a scale from 1-10, where 1 means you hate to bluff and 10 means you love to bluff...where would you be?
And if you were to rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 on the quality of your bluffs, where 1 is that you are horrible at bluffing and 10 means you bluff perfectly, where would you be?
And if you rate yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 on how often you bluff, where 1 is never and 10 is much too often?
Also if you have any good stories about a bluff you pulled, or even better...a big bluff someone pulled on you, please share. :D
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Posted Fri May 12, 2006 1:47 pm GMT by greathuskie
youre question is how much do we bluff, but the poll is whether or not its important?
yes its important, no i dont bluff cuz i suck at it
revise something...
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 1:51 pm GMT by Skribbles
I rarely bluff in online play. I have found that I can make consistent enough money by just playing straight forward that I dont' find it necessary. I people will say that I am leaving money on the table but thats fine by me.
The times I do bluff is when I sense weakness. When I know a player is weak/tight or is making a continuation bet I will re-raise or check/raise.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 2:05 pm GMT by UrAteUp
I would have to rate myself a 3. I rarely bluff. Never had a need to really. Either I have a good hand or I don't. The main time I do bluff is online. If I notice a player getting worried (stalling or about any erratic behavior) then I will often bluff like I made a drawing hand and bet out big when the 3 card flush hits the board. It usually works every time.
My best bluff was playing a ring game. Player previous to me bets 5xBB. I was bored and out of stupidity I played the hand with a 103o. The flop came out xx3o. Villian makes a pot size bet and I call. Turn brings nothing and I push. Villian laid it down then types into the chat "You could beat JJ?". I respond..."possibly...next time call and find out." I have NEVER attempted this type of bluff before and probably never will again. Too dangerous on the bankroll... 
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 2:14 pm GMT by arras
I'm probably around an 8, 4, 6 to answer your secondary questions. Maybe an 8, 4, 7. Most of my bluffs are semi-bluffs though, I hate bluffs with no outs.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 2:30 pm GMT by snoogins47
I'm basically bluffing constantly.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 2:52 pm GMT by BeerWench13
Live:
1 means you hate to bluff and 10 means you love to bluff... 4
1 is that you are horrible at bluffing and 10 means you bluff perfectly... 9
how often you bluff, where 1 is never and 10 is much too often... 4
Online:
1 means you hate to bluff and 10 means you love to bluff... 2
1 is that you are horrible at bluffing and 10 means you bluff perfectly... 6
how often you bluff, where 1 is never and 10 is much too often... 2
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 3:08 pm GMT by Ryan231
I dont bluff often but when I do its usually when I feel the person is stealing or is fairly weak. I've found online in the lower buy-ins (10$ SnG and lower) bluffing will cost you more in the long run than it will profit IMO. In the bigger games it pays off because I play very tight and against better players it works better, say the flop comes Q-4-4 and its blind vs blind and I check on the SB and he bets the pot I'll often make a nice bluff here because I feel that unless he has a Q or 4 he cannot call.
I really only bluff when I feel that the person cannot call and want to test to see if they have it. I'd say I do it fairly well, sometimes I get going though and run into a monster and the guy is slow playing me so I keep firing thinking hes on a draw or weak that can be very costly. I find at the higher levels people won't slow play as much because they understand the suckout factor and like to secure the pot on the flop or turn so if I'm running a bluff I'll usually get spiked on the flop or turn.
I'd say bluffing is important in certain situations because I find changing gears to be important if your in a longer tournament setting or long session.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 3:27 pm GMT by supafrey
so I'm the only one that's voted against so far?
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 3:33 pm GMT by BeerWench13
Wow!! You were the one who said bluffing wasn't important?!? 
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 3:37 pm GMT by Johny
Stealing pots is important in tourneys, not so much for cash games. There's a difference between reading someone as weak and taking a stab at the pot and just trying to pull off amazing bluffs.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 3:50 pm GMT by Dave B
I bluff all the time. I creates action when I am ahead and can pick up some pots when behind. If I am firing a $10 bet at a $50 pot, I only need to win one it 5 to break even. If you read correctly, you can do much better than that.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 4:35 pm GMT by xDiamond_CutteRx
I bluff so often that sometimes I bluff with the best hand.
If you don't learn to bluff well, you will leave a lot of money on the table. By the same token, if you bluff poorly, you're going to lose a lot more.
Desire to bluff? 10. I love bluffing. It's so much funner than having the best hand. Except in live limit Hold'em. I never bluff there. Almost never anyway.
Quality of bluffs? Somewhere around 7 I'd say.
Frequency of bluffs? At least a 6. I like to mix it up a lot though to prevent players from reading me. I'll usually tighten up significantly if I've been bluffing a lot recently.
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 7:19 pm GMT by kainARGH
| xDiamond_CutteRx wrote: | | I bluff so often that sometimes I bluff with the best hand. |
Me and a friend of mine would often get into disputes at homegames over this.
me: I cant believe you rivered me
him: I knew you were bluffing
me: I knew my hand was good
Him: well I was calling cause I knew you had nothing , i was gonna bet big on the river
Me: I knew queen high was good ..... thats why I bet.
back and forth
On topic , I think not bluffing can work to , if you know how to use it. Like others have pointed out , if you NEVER bluff , this gives you the easyest oppertunities TO bluff - IE you bluff..... oh he must have the nuts , he never bluffs. This allows you to pay scare cards with remarkable ease. Flush card hit the turn ? bet it like you got it! why not , you never bluff , so how can they call ? 
Posted Fri May 12, 2006 8:54 pm GMT by ScanX
| supafrey wrote: | | so I'm the only one that's voted against so far? |
I just voted against and was surprised I only was the 2nd.
I always thought that bluffing online was overrated and mostly stupid.
It doesnt mean I never do it cause I have to win some pots and not be too predictable when I dont hit the flop, but making huge bluffs risking half your stack or all of it is retarded imo.
However semi-bluffing is way more interesting.
But overall I believe you can never bluff and still be a winning player.
Posted Sat May 13, 2006 2:44 am GMT by supafrey
you're such a copycat scan.
Posted Sat May 13, 2006 3:54 am GMT by snoogins47
| ScanX wrote: | | But overall I believe you can never bluff and still be a winning player. |
This is almost definitely true. That doesn't mean bluffing isn't important. Do you see why? I'll let UrAteUp elaborate.
Posted Sat May 13, 2006 3:08 pm GMT by zeroswarm
| supafrey wrote: | | you're such a copycat scan. |
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 8:30 am GMT by ScanX
| snoogins47 wrote: | | ScanX wrote: | | But overall I believe you can never bluff and still be a winning player. |
This is almost definitely true. That doesn't mean bluffing isn't important. Do you see why? |
I knew I would get a comment for that one :)
indeed what I said isnt directly related to the question and indeed bluffing is important for the reasons we all know.
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 9:51 am GMT by supafrey
it's overrated =)
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 11:29 am GMT by kingetje
Its amazing how many pots i take down in these 6 handed low stakes NL tables... its very easy.. check check check bet its yours. it makes them fear/respect you and might give you action when you have a big hand
40% of pots won are as "last player standing"... pots picked up on the flop that noone wanted
also, when they suck out on you later you can afford with the money youve stolen out of these pots
you know what kind of situations i love too? say the flops K-8-5 and you have a 5 but you know the other guy doesnt have the K.... probably an 8.. you just make it expensive and put him off the best hand.. happens alot too. all this is common ground for me at the online tables i play. only cash games though, i dont really do this much in tournaments.
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 12:05 pm GMT by xDiamond_CutteRx
Wait, are we counting basic continuation bets as "bluffs"? If not, I don't bluff nearly as much as I claimed previously.
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 4:16 pm GMT by Cricket_Fire
What constitutes a bluff? Trying to put people off a decent hand, or are we counting picking up the pots noone else seems to want?
Posted Sun May 14, 2006 5:10 pm GMT by snoogins47
The rule is: we define "bluff" however we feel like it, and then vote accordingly... duh!
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