» When is the best time to bluff?
In no other version of poker does bluffing play such an important role as in No Limit Hold'em. With the ability to bet your entire stack at any turn, the temptation is to apply as much pressure as possible on your opponents. That brings up the important question of when is the best time to bluff?
In the simplest possible terms, the best time to bluff is when you think your opponent will fold when you do bluff. Bluffing is representing a stronger hand than you actually have. The reality is in most hands, each player will have weak hands, so those that show the most aggression will likely win the hand, regardless of their holdings. By betting regularly, you can apply pressure with your good and bad hands. But there are numerous reasons that your opponent might not believe you and call your bluff.
When determining when is the best time to bluff, it is important to consider several factors. If your bluff is to be successful, you want your opponent to believe you. So you need to weave a good believable story. You want your actions and bets to be consistent as if you really did have a strong hand. It is often recommended that you play your bluffs as you would if you actually did have the hand you are representing. Unexpected bets out of nowhere are usually not believed.
Your table image is important. If your opponents have seen you betting and bluffing a lot, they are more likely to call you down lightly. So your choice is either to play tight and throw in the occasional bluff that they will likely assume is a strong hand, or to play more loosely and try to keep them guessing as to when your have a strong hand or bluff.
Another factor to take into account is the number of people playing. The more people you are trying to bluff the increased level of difficulty in accomplishing your objective. The more people that are in the hand, the more likely the percentages are that they may have hit their hand and call your bluff. Also newer players tend to me more curious and stubborn with mediocre hands so they will also often call you down. Against those types of players its much better to not bluff them, but value bet them with your stronger hands. "You can't bluff an idiot," warns T.J. Cloutier.
Another consideration of when to bluff is reading the cards that fall on the flop. Some players like to bluff scary cards that most likely have not hit the pre-flop raiser. For instance, you might bluff if a third flush card hits, or if the flop is all low cards and you suspect he has a hand like A,K. Also many players will bluff on later streets if their opponent shows weakness on later streets, essentially giving up. If you pay attention to players who bluff a lot, you can often very effectively bluff a bluffer.
Even if a bluff fails, it can work for you. It can help you get paid off in future hands when you have a strong holding. It makes you unpredictable and that's always a good thing in poker if your opponents are guessing what you are doing. If you're not getting caught bluffing ever, you are not bluffing enough. Choose wisely those times that you bluff, so you catch your opponents by surprise, but don't be afraid to try it occasionally to mix up your game. Focusing on individual players with certain playing patterns is often the way to go. Skilled players are often more likely to give you credit and lay down a hand than a more novice player. "Bluff the best player at the table," offers Mike Sexton. "He's the one who will lay down a hand."
Bluffing is one of the most fun and scary parts of poker. When it works, you feel like king of the world and on top of your game. When it fails, you can feel quite silly and foolish in wasting your money. Use it sparingly as a tool in your arsenal, but don't fall in love with that one tool. Bluffing plays an important part of making you a good poker player.
