How to Bluff in Poker (basic)

How to Bluff in Poker (basic)

1. Count how many players are in the hand. Your chances of successfully bluffing are greater with fewer opponents because you have fewer people to drive out of the pot. Bluffing one or two players is more profitable than bluffing three or more players.

2. Look at your cards casually, with a face that shows no emotion. You should not look disappointed to see bad cards.

3. Bet, or raise someone else's bet, in the first round of betting, before the flop. Do not bet too much, and don't raise an already large bet. If you think someone else actually has a great hand, fold and live to play another hand.

4. Make a check, if it's available, either after the flop or turn. You should make a reasonable bet in the other round. Consistent betting makes your opponents think you really have a winning hand and are trying to get as many chips out of them as you can. It takes guts to carry out a good bluff, but if it's done right it will work.

5. Remember that the bet following the river card is the most important. This one must be powerful and intimidating. If the check comes to you, place a large bet. If a player bets in front of you, there are two things you can do. If they bet small, a significantly larger bet might push them out. However, if they make a large, bluff-like, bet, your best chance would be to call and go all in. The best feeling in poker is catching someone on a bluff and taking down a large pot with a bluff of your own.

6. The Turn card is very important. If you bet big on the turn when you've been betting moderately earlier, players will be more intimidated. If you think you've won the hand on the turn card, you may even want to check and then bet like crazy on the River. People are more likely to call a big bet if you checked before, thinking you might be bluffing. This works even better if you've been (accidently?) caught bluffing earlier.

7. Tell a story with your bet! This is key. Despite the above advise, an ill-timed river bet will not tell a cohesive story on its own.



* Example: Let's say you raise preflop, and bet hard again on a flop of 9-3-J. With no available draws, your opponent might put you on a pair of jacks or pocket pair. If the turn brings a 3 and you bet again, your opponent will certainly not put you on a real hand, as you couldn't have raised hard preflop with any hand containing a 3 only to bet bottom pair hard on the flop. A savvy opponent will simply call your bets and rake in the pot with any made hand. Pay attention to the texture of the flop and watch how the hand unfolds. Represent a certain specific hand consistently with your betting pattern.