Poker Tip

>> Click HERE to play at Americas Cardroom <<

Poker Bluffing

Bluffing can be a useful strategy consideration when employed correctly. The astute player will always consider the reasons for bluffing and make sure that his or her reason for bluffing in a particular situation are valid.  Some of the reasons for bluffing include, but are not limited to, wanting to provide deception to disguise the true value of a particular poker hand, the desire to force out another player, or simply to mix up one's play and throw opponents off.  Remember, bluffing will NOT be effective if the opponents you are attempting to bluff are NOT capable of folding.

In the case of using bluffing as a deceptive tool, this is most often done when the intent of the bluffing player is to disguise a weak hand so that it appears strong. Bluffing implies that the player is betting and betting is generally done to portray a hand that is powerful. Bluffing, when done correctly, may force another player to fold their hand, as the bet, or bluff, cannot be called by another player whose holding is weak.

Bluffing can also set-up other plays later in the session. For instance, suppose a player is caught bluffing (by betting with a weak hand and being called by an opponent). If this happens one or more times during a poker session, the bluffing player can use the fact that he or she is probably going to get their bets called in the future, to then make some large bets with solid hands and get paid off.

Some considerations when deciding whether to bluff are: Bluffing is usually over-used when playing low limit poker because the players in these games will typically call the bets because the bets are usually small and the players are usually inexperienced. Remember, bluffing can not be effective if the opponents you are bluffing are NOT capable of folding. Online poker players typically call more often than brick and mortar casino players and, thus, may be more difficult to bluff. Also, always consider the tendencies of your opponents before you decide whether to bluff or not. Bluffing can be effective when used correctly, but there are certain times when bluffing may not be effective so make sure you consider all of the variables when deciding whether or not to employ this technique.