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Bluffing and Winning Games

While the strategy rests heavily on the hand you hold, the pot you win and the chips you lose varies directly and inversely with the level of ‘acting’ you as a player actually do.  When you act too strongly, you either scare off people from betting or make other players believe you are holding a weak card.  A poker game, no matter how mathematic and rational the game is, is not complete without the psy-war that makes players use both sides of their brains.

There are common means to act your way to more winnings; they are known as bluffing, semi-bluffing and slowplaying.  While there are certain limits and restriction imposed by the game you are actually playing, it helps to know what type of deception to use, how to use it, and when it is wise to make use of them.

Bluffing

Bluffing means one thing: making your opponents believe you have a kicker hand when you have a puny one. Bluffing aims to scare off other players so you can claim the pot.  Proper timing, however, should be observed when doing a bluff.  Bluff only when there’s a reason and opening on the communal cards.  Don’t bluff when the cards are scattered and no clear patterns can be assumed given the flop or turn.  Also, the efficacy of bluffing is severely compromised by low stakes and low betting range.

Semi-bluffing

Semi-bluffing also follows the definition and rules of bluffing except for one thing: you can actually win given the flop and your hand and you’re drawing on another card. This proves to be useful when playing no-limit poker games and you are dealing with aggressive players who maybe bluffing just like you.

Slowplaying

Slowplaying is a deception technique that is completely different from Bluffing.  Players normally use slowplay when they want to deceive their opponents into thinking that they have a weak hand and to entice them to put more chips into the pot. When using slowplaying technique, make sure that you have a strong hand + flop/turn and the chance to lose with your hand is very low.  Never use this technique when you can see a way other opponents can draw on you.

There are other ways to gain an edge in poker without necessarily having a strong hand. Good poker players can often detect changes in the mood and emotions of their opponents. Emotional tilts resulting from wins and severe losses can also be exploited.  In the rules of deception, always remember to doubt.  If you can deceive your opponents that you have a strong or weak hand, they can always do the same to you.  Be wary of your opponents and be wary of their thoughts and strategies.