Tips on BluffingHand of the Week XXVII
By the PokerStrategyKing
In my office, there is a painting on the wall. Mind you, I’ve sat in this office for about a year. The painting is pretty nice, colorful and scenic. Every day I look at this painting and it wasn’t until this week that I noticed the name of it. Over in the bottom right corner, it’s written, the word “Bluff”. When I realized it, I thought it was just hilarious. But it also got me thinking. Do I maximize my winning chances by bluffing as often as I should. Also, do I get bluffed out of too many pots when I still have the best of a hand.
All players, if they’re serious about their games, ask themselves questions in trying to analyze their games and find areas of improvement. Ultimately I decided that I would be more cognizant of potential bluffing situations and take advantage of them.
Without bluffing, a poker players game can never be complete. If you constantly are waiting for the nuts, you will find yourself waiting for a very long time and by waiting, you will be building a tighter and tighter table image and keep yourself from getting any action of your monster hands.
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I do not mean to imply that you should bluff every other hand. Just to do it every once in a while, especially when it’s a nice sized pot and there is no other way for you to win the hand.
I recently played a hand which I was able to utilize a well-timed bluff. I was at my local $1-$2 no-limit game. I was on the button when I looked down to see the 10c-Jc, nice suited connectors. A middle-position player made a raise to $12 and I called as did the big blind. There was $37 in the pot and 3 players. Before anything else happened, I tried to get a read on what was going on. The initial raiser is a player who had earlier identified himself as strictly an internet player with very little live experience. Because he had mentioned this, I realized that he could be a player that I could make a move on later in the game. By giving me this piece of information, he unwittingly gave me ammunition I could use against him.
The flop came and it was the 9c-2c-7d giving me a backdoor straight draw and a flush draw. I’m not sure if this helped my young opponent but after the Big Blind checked, the initial raiser bet out $25. I noticed his facial expression and he didn’t look too happy. His inexperience made him quite easy to read. I thought about raising in hopes of getting a free card but decided to just call. His eyes widened when I did so which told me he was hoping for a fold in that spot. Now I’m guessing he’s on a medium pocket pair or possibly A-Q or A-K. The Big Blind folded.
The turn card was the Kh and my opponent looked even more uncomfortable. He checked quickly and I looked at him and said, “I’ll give you a free card.” The river was the 5d and again he quickly checked. I paused and pushed $75 in chips forward, a stone cold bluff. I knew the 5 didn’t help him and I knew the King scared him on the turn. He thought and thought and thought and finally folded and I took my $87 pot. Not a huge win, but a win I wouldn’t have had without the bluff.
If I didn’t have the ability to bluff, I basically would have just thrown my money away by being involved in this hand. By reading my opponent and seizing the opportunity to bluff, I was able to take money I would have otherwise given up had I been more passive. Learn to bluff and scoop up more pots.
Until next time, may the chips fall your way.
(For more poker strategy and tips, please visit the PokerStrategyKing’s website at www.pokerstrategyking.com)
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