Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:03 pm GMT by Far East
Anyone care to give any tips about the art of bluffing in No Limit Hold'em. I mean when to bluff, when not to, or when to realize that your bluff wont work. I guess this can also include reading your opponent.
Please Respond.
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Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:17 pm GMT by Dr_Pablo
situational aside, i'll answer the statistical part of when a bluff is correct.
You should always be putting your opponent on two cards, and when you have him, you think pretty well pinned, measure your odds of getting called vs. how much is in the pot, for example if there is 6$ in the pot in a.25/.5 (25 max) at pp. you get the feeling that your opponents has been chasing a strait or a flush, if you bet 3$, your bluff has to work 50% of the time to break even in the long run, assuming if your called you will lose, as if you are called you lose 3$, and if you take down the pot you win 6$
i think the best bluffing situations are different between games, and situations, but i wouldnt bluff without a reasonable number of outs. Alot of players will play there ace king to the turn or river, (having missed) and then just because ace king is such a good hand, and they deserve to win because they have ace king, they will bluff, and if called, they have ace high, this is a bad situation. Make your bluffs with at worst a mid pair, Flush draws, Gut shot straits with an over, open ended straits (turn or flop) then if called you have some real outs, and if you arent called, you take down a pot where if you missed, you would have to fold. I think bluffing in no limit should be rare, as you should be able to wait for the big hands, but sometimes its a neccesity, be prepared to lose your bluff, so dont bluff your whole stack, and have an at least reasonable idea of what your opponent has.
Also, when an opponent comes over the top of your bluff, it is never a good idea to just call to save face, or go all in because you think your being bullies, because these are most definatley long term losers, if the raise is min, and you still have a reasonable number of outs though id call.
These are just my feelings on bluffing, i know the gus hansen any two cards theory is a bit sexy'r, but i think this is alot safer. I bluff a whole lot at the 25 max tables, because the players are generaly pretty passive, but i wouldnt recomend bluffing alot anywhere.
my thoughts.
Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:30 pm GMT by suitedaces84
Probably the most important thing is bluffing the right players. Some players are unbluffable. They will call just about anything. If someone won't fold don't bluff, wait 'til you've got something you want to be called with then nail them.
A good time to bluff would be when the board pairs or when when the third or forth suit hits. These are times when you will have the best chance of making oppoents believe that you have them beat. Don't bluff big at small pots, it will work more often then not, but it's not profitable. Also don't bluff if you've recently been caught bluffing.
Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:57 pm GMT by flafishy
I tend to do most of my bluffing when I'm on the button, or maybe UTG.
I'll play a lot more cards (low suited connectors, low pocket pairs, even one-gap connectors) with the button if there is no real action preflop. I'll even throw a raise out there with crap now and again just to see if I can buy the blinds and the limpers preflop or at least get it down to heads-up against a timid hand or two.
Then, you'll have the advantage of seeing what everyone else thinks of the flop before you have to decide what you want to do.
Also, I'll buy a lot of small pots bluffing out of one of the blinds. Pretty much the same story as I just described, the only difference being you have to act first after the flop. But if you only have one or two limpers preflop and you show some muscle out of the blind, you can take down the pot fairly easily a lot of times if the flop comes up garbage.
As suitedaces84 implied, it's not something you want to do all the time. But if you pick your spots well and don't let yourself get caught unless you want to be caught -- and if you can walk away gracefully at the first sign of trouble -- bluffing can be a very effective tool.
Posted Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:33 pm GMT by Jauron
Position is critical to bluffing IMHO. You want to bluff in late position most of the time. I will occasionally bluff out of position but normally I have to at least be semi bluffing to do that.
As others have said reading the players is important, will this guy lay down for me if I take a stab at this pot? If he won't don't bother. If you find a guy who prides himself on making good laydowns, this is the guy you want to come after most often. Passive players in general are key to bluffing.
I will also consider bluffing if they guy shows weakness and it's the only shot I have at the pot. I've been in hands with no draw or hand on the flop and called another bet just because I felt it was a follow up and I felt I could take the pot away from him on the turn or river. You have to be pretty sure about this though, it can be costly to be wrong.
And finally the size of the bluff is important, post oak bluffs are fine once in a blue moon but most of the time your bluff has to be big enough to knock him off the fence if he wants to call, but not badly.
As Doyle says don't waste bluffs on players who are not good and not willing to lay down hands.
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