How to bluff in poker. Game strategy. The art of bluffing: how to bluff most plausibly How to tell if a person is bluffing in poker

Everyone knows very well that poker is not an ordinary card game. During the game, we have to make rather difficult decisions, the difficulty is often due to the fact that we do not have the opportunity to know the cards of our opponent, as well as he is ours. In order to use all the features of the game, get not only unimaginable pleasure, but also earn good money at the same time, you need to use all the various situations that can lead you to victory. Bluffing is one of the most interesting features of a poker player, but you should only start bluffing in the right situation at the table. There can be many reasons for bluffing, but the most effective ones are not so many. Consider the main reasons for a successful bluff - these tips will help you not only correctly calculate your game strategy, but also avoid many mistakes.

In fact, a bluff is a kind of deception in poker, when a player shows with all his appearance (by his actions, bets) that he has the strongest possible combination in his hands, forcing the opponent to fold his cards.

How to bluff in poker - look at the position

The main reason for bluffing may be your position. In a no-limit game, the position occupies one of the key moments - the player who owns the position controls the entire situation at the gaming table. You have probably noticed that the players who are in the button position most often bluff and this is no coincidence. In this position, there is a good opportunity to evaluate the actions of all opponents. If the opponents are passive enough, it is possible to steal the pot, which consists of blinds and limper bets, and antes are added to it in the later stages of tournaments. A good raise can knock out not only weak hands, but also fairly good average hands. Such an attack is often interrupted by reraises from the player who posted the blind, so it will not be out of place to carefully monitor the conduct of your opponents in the blinds. From the button, you can safely attack in a post-flop game if your opponent check-raises - your bluff has failed.

However, a bluff in early position can also be quite effective. You need to have a strong starting hand to get into the game, so a big enough raise right after the blinds can knock out almost everyone and you can easily take over later.

We must not forget that bluffing is a psychological struggle, so you must definitely believe in your victory. However, this reason is most often fatal for beginners. It takes patience and talent to use this reason for bluffing - you have to convince your opponent that you have the nuts not only with your bets, but also with your general behavior at the table.

A fairly good reason to bluff are tight opponents at the gaming table. If you are playing at a tight table, then it is best to choose an aggressive style, if a loose table, your style of play should be tight. If you play opposite the table, you will have a fairly high chance of success. At a tight table, you have a great opportunity to accumulate a stack in small parts - use post-flop aggression, steal the blinds. In any case, the key to success is a good sense of the opponent - put the opponent in his place and if you notice excessive activity from the player opposite, most likely you need to think about folding your cards.

A good reason to bluff is the small number of players post-flop. Try to squeeze the players preflop, then play your bluff - be sure to take into account the reaction of opponents after the flop. The main condition for a successful bluff is your position. An equally attractive reason for a bluff is a semi-bluff. Semi-bluffing is a rather complicated technique, so for a beginner it may not be entirely optimal. In addition to the fact that you must consider who you are playing against, you must be able to quickly and accurately make all the necessary calculations, and of course you must be lucky. Try to seize the initiative at the gaming table, beware of the passive play of opponents - this can turn out to be a common trap. There are a lot of reasons for bluffing, but in each individual case, you must be extremely careful and be able to play a bluff in your favor or refuse it in time.

At the same time, cheating in online poker can only be depicted with the help of your actions and aggressive bets, while there are much more opportunities for bluffing in offline tournaments. Surely you have repeatedly noticed how the behavior of professional players changes depending on what cards they have in their hands. And this is not accidental, because opponents constantly pay attention to the player’s behavior, trying to guess the strength of his hand from him. Therefore, a well-built poker cheat should include both constant threats to the opponent with bets, and calmly confident behavior at the table so that no one could even think that you have nothing in your hands.

However, bluffing in poker without any combination is also wrong. It is best to practice bluffing when you have at least a few outs in your gutshot deck. And, of course, you should not resort to bluffing too often, otherwise your opponents at the table will quickly understand what's what, and will call you with all hands.

Bluff in poker plays an important role and it is also necessary to use it in order to get more profit from the game. And poker itself would not be so interesting if no one was bluffing. Of course, you should not abuse it in any case, otherwise you will be left with nothing.

How to bluff in online poker

The first thing that will allow you to successfully bluff in online poker is your style as a tight player. If you have developed the style of a tight player at the table, you will be much more likely to make a profitable bluff than a loose player. When you play tight, your opponents become afraid of your bets and fold their cards, knowing that you have a strong hand. Therefore, with a large pot, if you do not have a strong combination or none at all, then in this case it will be beneficial for you to try to use a bluff bet to break the bank. If you play loose, then opponents tend to show you more often, so bluffing with this style of play is very dangerous, and you should use it very rarely and carefully. But if you unsuccessfully used a bluff and were opened, then on the next hand, if you have a strong hand, you can bet much more than usual, since opponents will probably think that you are bluffing and will open you.

The second thing you need to pay attention to when bluffing is the number of players who have entered the game. A bluff can work against one or two opponents. With more of them, you run the risk of being caught, so you should be more careful.

The third thing that makes bluffing successful in poker is your position at the game table. If everyone has checked in front of you and your word is the last, then you can use a bluff here. For example, you entered with a raise and two players called you. Everyone checked on the flop, and the ace fell on the turn and everyone checked to you again. It will be profitable to make a bet here, as the opponents will think that you have an ace and fold. The blinds are also a good position for bluffing - if there was no raise preflop and only small cards came out on the flop, you can bet. Since opponents may think that you hit top pair or two pair and will most likely fold.

The fourth thing to pay attention to when trying to bluff in online poker is the playing style of your opponents. It is best to bluff against tight players or strong players at high and medium stakes. It's very risky to bluff against beginners because they will most likely show you with any hand (both weak and strong). Against beginners, it is best to make a regular bet, if he has nothing, then he will fold to a regular bet.

Fifth, in order to profitably use a bluff, you need to pay attention to the cards on the table. The best flops for bluffing are one high card and two small cards, a made pair (high), three suited cards, three cards in order (small). The worst prerequisites for a bluff are when the flop is all high cards, cards in a row (allowing you to make a straight, but not conspicuous - for example, 8, 10, Q) or three cards of the same value. Also, let me remind you once again that such flops are beneficial against tight players.

When is the best time to bluff in online poker?

It is best to use a bluff in online poker on the flop or turn. Especially on the turn, if everyone checks on the flop and turn, then the bluff will be more successful, because the players will not risk and wait for one card.

It is more useless to bluff preflop, since the pot is still very small and there is no point in risking. The exceptions are in the later stages of tournaments and SnGs, when the blinds and antes are quite high, it becomes profitable to try to steal the blinds.

It's also a very risky bluff on the river, because you're only one bet away from hiding.

semi-bluff

A semi-bluff is when you don't have a strong hand, but you can make it on the turn or river. The main difference between a semi-bluff and a bluff is that it can be used against multiple opponents. For example, if you have an open-ended straight draw or a flush draw in your hand, it will be profitable for you to bet on the flop. If you skip the move and wait until the river, then if you manage to catch a straight or a flush, the pot will be small enough and you won't be able to win much. And if you bet on the flop, your opponents will either fold or call you. But even if you call the bet, you can significantly improve your hand on the following streets - and hit a big pot.

Output: as you can see, bluffing can bring quite good profits in poker, you just need to use it in the right situations and not abuse it. Personally, I always try to use a bluff if there are good reasons for that. But do not forget that the main role in the bluff is still occupied by the manner of play of your opponents, so first of all be guided by this. You can quickly learn to understand the playing styles of opponents by playing heads-up.

And most importantly, if you play at micro limits or freerolls, then you should not try to use a bluff here. Bluffing in poker is more profitable at medium and high stakes against strong and tight players. Also, don't bluff if there's not enough money in the pot - it's pointless.

How to be smart in poker? How to use the bluff technique? Many novice players ask this question, trying to understand the essence of the game and the basics of the behavioral reactions of opponents. Bluffing is one of the brightest and most effective techniques that allows a player to stay afloat and inspire others that he is doing much better than he really is. Also, if you have a difficult situation with the help of a bluff, you can convince your opponent that everything is fine with you. After all, poker is played with a live person, not slot machines. Perhaps that is why many people prefer slot machines to poker, as it is necessary to be able to bluff looking into the eyes. At the same time, one must be able not only to bluff, but also to recognize the bluffer.

It is important to be able not only to make certain actions in the game but also read your rivals to better navigate the situation. Once you learn how to bluff, your game will be much better, and you will be able to achieve your goal faster. The psychology of bluffing is theory and practice, the basics of how you can control the people around you and get information about their activities and plans.

What is a bluff in poker?

Bluff- this is psychology in its purest form, when a person tries to influence an opponent with the help of certain behavioral features. In poker, a lot depends on how the players act and how well they know each other. Someone plays, repels from the basic rules, without using tricky techniques, and someone tries to cheat in every way and constantly studies a huge number of books and articles on the topic of poker psychology. There are two types of bluffs in poker: "clean" and "semi-bluff".

clean bluff they call the player’s activity when he realizes that he won’t be able to collect a hand, so he tries to give out true facts and convince the opponent of the opposite. It is also a good technique for those cases where it is almost impossible to even improve the hand. If we talk about a semi-bluff, then the player understands that in principle it is possible to improve the hand, but by bluffing, he is trying to buy time or mislead the opponent.

Experts claim that bluff only necessary if you are playing with beginners who are still poorly versed in this and are not strong opponents for you. You can also bluff with semi-professionals who are often indecisive. Bluffing against professionals will be ineffective, and you will rather ruin your reputation and become famous for your inability to correctly apply tricky poker techniques.

When should you bluff?

1. You have a fairly good situation, but no one has shown a strong hand before.
2. You are playing with two players, and the opponent is carefully trying to read you.
3. The players around you are used to the fact that you win only if you have a strong hand, and the cards that are on the table indicate just that.
4. Opponents know you as a player who only enters the hand if he has a strong hand.

When should you not bluff?

1. There are a lot of opponents at the table
2. There are those people in the game who do not throw cards under any circumstances.
3. Your bet won't matter to a player who has already invested enough in the pot.

When is a bluff most effective?

First of all, you must understand what bluff should be as appropriate as possible, only then it will be effective. Players often talk about how their opponents determine the fact that they are bluffing. This only indicates that you are bluffing inappropriately or doing it too often. If you want to get the most out of this technique, you need to learn how to act correctly during the game. Before you decide to bluff, be sure to study your opponent so that the effectiveness is as high as possible.

Try play for a few hours measuredly and carefully, show everyone your good cards, and only then bluff. Your rivals will make a certain subjective opinion about you, and at the most unexpected moment you will surprise them. If during the game none of the opponents notice that you are bluffing, then you can continue to do this, because there is a high probability that you are doing well. Changing tactics is a real talent that not everyone has, so be sure to try yourself in different directions. If you are playing Omaha, then bluffing will be completely ineffective, so keep this in mind to get out of the game with minimal losses or in a win.

Start with yourself. You can learn how to bluff, but you also need to be aware of what your opponents think and do when playing poker. First of all, you should start with yourself, because a lot depends on your logical thinking and ability to notice what others do not see. You should immediately understand that any opponent can be unraveled if you work on yourself and train your memory. If someone in poker was able to outwit you, then you are primarily to blame for this, because you simply did not notice.

In order to quickly determine bluff you need to develop visual memory. Try to find exercises to train your visual memory and work on yourself well before you sit down at the poker table and make high stakes. Only in this way you can analyze your player most effectively and get maximum information about his further activities.

How to recognize a bluff?

Many psychologists argue that scratching the nose at the moment when a person says something is already a definite sign that he is bluffing. It also means a lot if a person covers his mouth with his hand at the moment of pronouncing a phrase or after it. But you should not take everything so unambiguously, because the percentage of probability in this case is minimal.

World Professionals poker argue that you can recognize a bluff by changing a person's behavior throughout the game. This means that as soon as a person begins to do something atypical for himself, you should be alert and take a closer look at him. This may be a delusion or some kind of sign for you, so always pay attention to the behavior of your opponent and try to notice any changes.

It's hard to imagine a more popular action in poker than bluffing. Getting your opponent to fold with a worse hand is every beginner's dream and a great way to increase your own win rate. However, you need to understand that in the application of such deception, you should be as careful as possible, because an inappropriately executed adventure can turn into a real disaster. Bluffing in online poker is not a toy at all, but a serious and deep tool for improving your own game.

What is a bluff in poker?

A bluff in poker is called a special action with which a player misleads an opponent. The purpose of cheating is to make your opponent believe that he is playing against a stronger hand than you actually have. In essence, in online poker, bluffing is implemented through the poker player's bets and his behavior, which should make other players fold their cards before the showdown.

In more precise terms, a bluff is a poker player betting and raising a hand when they don't have a hand or it's too weak to win the hand at showdown. A bluffing player tends to take the pot before the showdown, because playing to the end and showing his cards does not make sense: opponents will see the open cards and make the appropriate adjustment.

The most important concept is showdown equity". Showdown equity expresses the mathematical probability of showing the best hand at showdown. For example, an A-High on the river has a chance to take the pot from open draws, while a 7-High does not. Using bluffs in poker is primarily with those hands that do not have a chance to win the distribution at showdown, and only after that add stronger hands to the range.

It must be understood that poker is a game of incomplete information. In practice, this means that in most cases it is impossible to know for sure whether a player is cheating or getting chips with a strong hand. The only way to somehow navigate in this situation is to read the opponent's range.

In every situation, Villain's range is part bluff and part value hands. Very few players are able to properly balance their range: in most cases, it will be skewed in one direction or another. Thus, in order to make the right decision, it is necessary to quickly analyze the available information on the player, and then estimate the approximate ratio of bluff and value in his range, correlate this data with the pot odds - and click on the "call" or "fold" button. It sounds quite complicated, but with experience you will be able to do all these actions in a few seconds.

What types of bluffs are there in poker?

There are two main types of cheating in poker: semi-bluffs and pure bluffs. And if the semi-bluff is a regular tool of a professional player, then pure in most cases can be successfully used only as an exploitation of frequently passing opponents.

Pure bluff - this is such a deception with which the chances of winning the hand at a showdown tend to zero. This technique depicts a strong hand, while the poker player does not have a pair, a gutshot, or any other draw. An example is a bet with 5-6o on a T-J-A board.

semi-bluff - this is the name of the situation in which the player does not have full “air” in his hands, but a more or less promising drawing hand that has a chance to improve by the river. Using a semi-bluff is much more preferable than pure cheating, since to win the hand you can not only bluff your opponent and knock him out of the game, but also buy the necessary outs and show the best hand at showdown. Another clear benefit is balancing the ratio of value bluffs in your range. Regularly betting with total empty hands will allow your opponents to profitably call down with any bluffcatcher in hand, while moderate use of semi-bluffs will not shift your range to the weak side.

Turning into a bluff - an interesting technique that is most often used in their game by professional poker players. In some situations, the board develops in such a way that a strong hand on the flop turns into garbage by the river, which, although it has a chance to win a showdown, is much more appropriate for a bluff. In this situation, the opponents switch roles, and the player who was going to catch bluffs on the early streets decides to turn the hand into a bluff himself with a big bet on the river. The successful use of this game technique requires serious experience, so we do not recommend it for beginners.

The success of the reception depends not only on what type of reception you use, but also on what tool you use. There are several types of it, which should be used depending on the situation at the table:

Steele - pre-flop raise from late position in order to force opponents to fold and take the blinds. Competent and appropriate theft of blinds is the key to a high win rate and a successful game.
Resteel - "theft of theft." 3-bet from the blinds against a raise from a player in late position. Against poker players who fold more than 70% of their range to resteal, this technique can be used advantageously with any two cards.
squeeze - a type of situational cheating, when a player makes a big raise in response to a raise and a call from other opponents at the table. The standard squeeze size is three initial raises + one raise per call. Squeezing is one of the most effective pre-flop poker tricks, as it puts the players at the table in an extremely difficult position. The preflop raiser can't defend wide due to bad pot odds, and the preflop caller often has too weak a range and is also forced to fold.
Bluff 3bet and above - a kind of preflop bluff, which consists in re-raising the previous raise at the table. A popular technique that should be used with great care. In a hand with an effective stack of 100bb, a 5bet shove bluff option is available, A2s-A5s hands and small pocket pairs are best suited for this.
CBet - a continuation bet on the flop, which is executed by the preflop aggressor. Because on most boards the raiser's range hits better than the caller's range, the player can successfully put pressure on his opponent and force him to fold.
float - equalizing the bet in order to knock out the player on the next rounds of betting. It is best to float with a hand that has some potential to improve, such as a gutshot, an overcard, or a backdoor flush draw.
Overbet - a rate that exceeds the size of the bank, most often one and a half or two times. Overbet can be used with both value and bluff hands. It can be effective because it gives your opponent very poor calling odds and your opponent is forced to fold more often than usual. But in most situations, you don't need to overbet a bluff, because you're just risking extra money: your opponent will fold about the same range to a regular-sized bet.
Triple barrel - one of the most expensive ways to mislead the opponent, which consists in three large consecutive bets from the preflop aggressor. Triple barreling should be done with great care, as many players only have very strong hands in their range by the river that are not ready to fold to any size bet.

What are the best playing situations for bluffing?

The idea that you can bluff in any hand is a common misconception for beginners. If you cheat too often, then your opponents will be able to profitably open you with any made hand. If you do this too rarely, then they will pay you less strong combinations. As in life, in poker it is very important to find a balance in order to learn how to use the optimal strategy.

From the point of view of mathematics, the idea of a successful application of this technique can be formulated as follows: a positive mathematical expectation for a bluff can only be when the pot odds are lower than the probability of opponents folding.

How to bluff in poker so that the circumstances are the most suitable for this? For this, it is worth remembering the following favorable game situations:

There is only one player in the hand. The more players have cards in their hand, the more likely it is that at least one of them will have a hand too strong to fold;
Your line of play looks plausible, and your opponent may well assume you have a strong hand;
The laid out board suits your range better than your opponent's range. This means that you can have strong made hands while opponent's larger range consists of garbage and weak/medium made hands;
Your bet creates bad pot odds for the other player to call;
You're up against a tight poker player with low pass to showdown and high fold to bet on all streets.

A bluff should never be used just for the sake of cheating. The habit of frequently and recklessly bluffing will make you a welcome guest at the poker tables. The right motivation to cheat in poker will allow you to bluff only when it's really appropriate.

Depending on the goals pursued, the following main tasks of using this game tool can be distinguished:

Bluff to win - if you understand that your hand will not be able to win a showdown, but at the same time you have a good chance to squeeze your opponents out of the pot, feel free to use it and immediately take the chips into your stack.
Bluff to create an image - if your opponents perceive you as an inveterate "bluffer", this is not necessarily detrimental to your results. Because of your aggressive image, they will be more likely to bring marginal hands to showdown, making it much easier to collect value. The most important thing is to follow the dynamics of the game and switch gears in time.
Bluff as a way of pressure - with the help of a bluff, you can put opponents in front of a difficult decision and bring them out of psychological balance. The opponent is forced to guess what cards you have in your hand, and he will not always be able to find the correct answer. It is worth showing him the air after a minute of painful reflection and a pass, as tilt and the loss of the A-game from the opponent will be provided to you.

Understanding which game situations are best for bluffing is not yet able to give you complete confidence in the actions you take at the table. To answer the question “how to bluff in poker?” to yourself, you need to remember three basic rules:

Draw specific hands. To make your bluff more likely to succeed, you must be clear about the story you are telling. Combinatorics is an integral part of the theory of bluffs. If your lane is suitable for playing only two or three combinations, then the temptation to test your legend for strength will be too great. If you have 30-40 value combos in your range, your opponent will fold more readily. It is especially effective to represent value on cards that close the draw, especially if such combinations are discounted from the opponent's range.
Choose weak opponents. To follow this rule, you need to follow the poker players and carefully collect statistical data on them. In this context, “weak” refers to tight regulars who fold a lot and rarely go to showdown. Fish are very bad at pulling expensive bluffs because these players have unpredictable motives and can call all three barrels of K-high just because they feel like it.
Use standard draw lines. This rule implies that bluffs should be played in exactly the same way as value hands. Some players do not understand this, which is why they increase the size of the bets, believing that in this way they increase the likelihood of a fold. In some cases, this may be true, but as soon as a regular player notices such a trend and writes a note on you, it will become easier to read your game with an open book. As they say, when using deception in poker, the main thing is not to deceive yourself.

Bluffing in online poker is a complex and multi-stage action that requires careful and careful attitude. Betting with full air in poker is rarely a good idea, to put pressure on your opponent it is better to choose semi-bluff hands that can go to strong showdown value on the later streets. Do not despair if the opponent revealed your deception - it is quite possible that he simply could not play differently with his hand, and at a distance you will still find yourself in a decent plus. The most important thing in these situations is to keep working on your game and always look for the optimal balance in the ratio of bluffs and value in your range.

The word "bluff" is familiar not only to every player, but also to people who are far from poker. Literally translated, "bluff" means "cheating," but in the context of poker, the word has a more specific meaning.

Bluff is a trick with elements of art and staging, and therefore it breeds legends. Each of us must have watched westerns or adventurous comedies, where the hero or his opponent is trying to take over a big pot with the help of a bluff. However, for many it will be a revelation that in reality, professional players do not bluff very often.

What is a bluff

A bluff is a special technique designed to make an opponent believe that your combination is stronger than it really is. Bluffing is characterized by specific behavior and bets that force opponents to fold.
In other words, a bluff is betting and raising, not supported by the cards in hand, and aimed at knocking opponents out of the game and taking over the pot without leading to a showdown.

Separately, it is worth noting that a bluff has nothing to do with a draw bet, although it is similar to it. If the goal in the second case is to increase the size of the pot, then in the first case you are trying to force your opponent to fold, because at showdown, most likely, your combination will be too weak.

Beginners often make the mistake of believing that bluffing will help them win regularly at poker. But you need to bluff delicately and subtly so that you are not exposed in the same hand and in the future you do not earn a reputation as a person who constantly bluffs.

For a successful bluff in poker at a real table and online, many factors must be taken into account, which are not always obvious to a beginner. If you do not learn to understand them, all game sessions will end in a deep minus.

Bluff Varieties

First of all, there are two main varieties - pure bluff and semi-bluff. However, these are not the only varieties and methods of classification. For example, according to the situation where a bluff is used, the following can be distinguished: steal, resteal, squeeze, 3-bet (and higher), overbet, c-bet and float, but these subtleties are unlikely to be useful for beginners.

Pure bluff

A "pure" bluff is used with a combination that has almost no chance of success at a showdown. In this case, the poker player pretends to have strong cards without having a pair, gutshot or draw to improve in the later stages of the game.

For example, if you have a deuce and a seven offsuit, and there was nothing on the board after the flop that could improve the combination to a straight or a flush. Even if another deuce or seven falls out in the later stages of the game, the pair will turn out to be too weak and almost certainly losing.

Pure bluffing with a helpless hand is rarely used even by famous professionals, let alone beginners. Fortunately, this is not the only form of bluffing. You can also do the opposite: having a strong combination, pretend that the hand is weak, and thereby lure opponents into a trap.

Another type of pure bluffing is betting or raising early in the game when the stakes are still low. Then later, when the stakes have doubled, there is an opportunity to get the missing card.

semi-bluff

The term "semi-bluff" was introduced by the famous poker theorist David Sklansky. This is a situation where the hand is not completely helpless. For example, it can be a not very strong made combination on the hand, as well as a gutshot or a draw. In this case, you also have the opportunity to win the hand by misleading your opponent and forcing him to fold.

However, there are other ways to win here. For example, your hand might still be the strongest (if your opponent was bluffing too), or you might get the outs you need to win. For this reason, semi-bluffs are used more often than pure bluffs, even by beginner poker players.

Bluffcatcher

A bluffcatcher (literally, “bluff catcher”) is a type of bluff (usually “clean”), in which you can win only when your opponent is also bluffing. Therefore, it is necessary not only to learn how to bluff, but also to notice the bluff of other poker players. To do this, you can use the skills of poker psychology.

The Importance of Bluffing

There are poker players who never bluff. But it is almost impossible to name them with certainty. If such a player is discovered, it will become very easy to play against him. If he bets when all the cards are on the board, fold without hesitation - unless you have one of the strongest possible combinations. But if you got a "monster" - raise the bet.

Among poker players there are also big fans of bluffing. When they bet, you are forced to call on any hand that is even slightly valid. However, those who often bluff sometimes also manage to collect really strong hands. Knowing that they bluff regularly will make it easier for you to decide whether or not to play. By calling, you will win far more in the long run than you can save by folding your hand.

What is a bluff for?

Never bluff aimlessly: this will almost always lead you to lose both in this hand and in the future. Think of your own strategy when this technique is appropriate, and use it only for its intended purpose.

Bluff can be aimed at achieving the following goals:

Win. Knowing that your combination will be weak at the showdown, you simply have to knock your opponents out of the game, making it clear that your cards are stronger.
Confusing the enemy. Opponents are watching your actions, and if you sometimes bluff, it will be more difficult for them to make a decision. Even if you are caught bluffing, this can have its advantages. Opponents will realize that you are ready to bluff with bad cards, and will raise the bets with your strong hand, hoping to catch you hot again.
Pressure on opponents. Bluffing can not only complicate the calculations of your opponents, but also upset their emotional balance. They will have to be nervous, wondering if you have strong cards. If the opponent succumbed to pressure, he can throw off even quite good cards.

In terms of poker mathematics, a bluff is only justified when the odds of your opponents folding are higher than the odds of the pot. This technique works best if:

there are few participants in the game (then the chance that no one will have a winning combination is much higher);
there are outs on the board for strong combinations that you will imitate;
by your actions before the bluff starts, opponents may decide that you have good cards;
the chances of breaking the bank with opponents are low;
among your opponents there are tight poker players who are ready to fold average cards.

3 bluffing rules for beginners

Mimic a certain hand. Be clear about the strong hand you could have in this hand. Use the algorithm of actions that you would really use with such a hand. If there is a straight draw on the board - pretend that you have a straight, if there is an ace - pretend that you have hit a set, etc.
Look for weak opponents. Constantly analyze how your opponents are playing. Even if bluffing was not your original plan, if you notice on the flop that your opponent is hesitant to bet or calls, try to force him to fold by pressing him with a bluff. When playing poker online, you can be helped by statistics obtained with the help of appropriate programs for the poker player. It will let you know which opponent is playing cautiously and is more likely to fold to your raise.
Try to direct the bluff at one of the opponents, and not at all at once. Keep in mind that bluffing works best against those who play tight, and try not to bluff against callers.

Don't bluff too much. Then opponents will think that you play the hand only with a strong hand.
Do not open your cards if the opponents have passed. Take the pot and let everyone guess what cards you played with. Otherwise, other players will find out that you were bluffing and will not believe you next time (which, however, an experienced player can also turn to their advantage).
Study your opponents to see which of them is capable of discarding medium-strength cards.
When playing poker at a live table, watch how the chips are placed. Someone carefully counts them out, someone throws them sharply on the table, pushes them forward, etc. A sharp push far away from him may indicate that he is subconsciously parting with chips, and this may be a sign of a bluff. If he puts the chips next to him, he can be sure that they will return to him.
Watch for non-verbal cues: Eye twitching, lip movement, scratching, flaring nostrils, holding your breath, covering part of your face with your hands can be signs of bluffing. On the contrary, trembling often indicates the strength of the hand.
Learn the poker math and learn how to calculate the odds of winning.
Some combinations on the flop (such as three of a kind) are great for bluffing or semi-bluffing. Their probability should be low and cause alarm in opponents with frankly weak combinations.
Remember how other players bet. Everyone has their own tendencies and patterns based on what kind of hand they have and what they think of the hand you have. The easiest way to do this is when you have folded your cards.
Bluffing is most reliable with a small pot, for which few people want to fight to the end.
Stick to the golden mean when placing your bets. If it is too small, other players will invest money without hesitation. If it is too high, it will be easier to suspect you of a bluff.
Try not to add a bet after every flop or turn. Better make a moderate bet in another round. This will make the opponent think that you have a winning combination.
Remember that the most important bet is after the river. If the other players bet small, your big bet can knock them out. If they bet too big, like a bluff, try to go all-in.
To get to know an experienced player, follow their betting chart. They try to confuse you, and therefore, oddly enough, it is better to bluff with an experienced player, and not with a beginner. A beginner, having seen enough films and programs about poker, is inclined to consider any bet as a bluff, and therefore will not trust you.
Look for tables where players have a poker mindset and try to think about the strength of your hand, not just their own.
Improve the notorious poker face. Learn to hide your emotions, look at the cards at ease in any situation. Avoid expressing disappointment with bad cards (especially heads-up), as well as excessive joy with good ones.

Bluff online

It would seem that bluffing in poker via the Internet is much easier: it is enough to show your opponent that you managed to collect the strongest hand. However, beginners, whose actions an experienced opponent can easily reveal, rarely succeed.

Many of the tricks available online are the same as when playing in real life. But, of course, it also has its own specifics, because when playing from a computer or smartphone, you cannot see the facial expressions and gestures of your opponent. We bring to your attention a few tips that are most relevant for beginners when playing poker online.

1. Analyze the opponent's game

Learn to analyze your opponent's game. If you can keep track of his thinking and the reasons for his actions in different situations, this will help you win poker more often. Analyze the range of hands your opponent is playing. This and other information can be obtained using special software for processing poker game statistics.

Keep in mind that bluffing tight poker players often works even when they have good enough cards. But if the opponent plays aggressively, then when you try to intimidate him with a high bet, he can raise, and you simply lose what you managed to put.

2. Pay attention to your position at the table

Many beginners do not pay attention to their position, although this is one of the key points with or without a bluff. For example, if you're on the button or in the cut-off and no one has made a convincing bet before you, feel free to bluff to steal the blinds. If you are sitting in the first or second position, try to play only strong hands, and we strongly do not recommend bluffing, because you have no information about the opponents hand.

Do the same on the flop. If the opponents in front of you have checked or made minimum bets, try to bluff by betting 1/2 or 2/3 of the pot. If you were called to such a bet, try to calculate further steps as carefully as possible.

3. Don't bluff at the micros

Most beginners play poker at the micro limits, where bluffing doesn't pay much. Inexperienced opponents will take your bets to the winner, hoping to improve the hand. As a result, it comes to showdown, where both you and your opponents with a weak hand will have an equal chance.

On the other hand, at high limits with large stakes, bluffing can be very useful. Seeing your aggressive play, opponents will not want to risk all the money, but will give you a specific draw.

4. Use your bluff to the full

It is possible that your bluff will be called and you will lose the hand. This is not a reason to go on tilt, because a bluff is an attempt to break the pot in a particular game, and not a confident winning strategy.

Try to play on your reputation as a bluffer. If you manage to make a strong hand, proceed in the same way as with an open bluff. Many beginners, seeing the similarity of your behavior in two hands, will think that you are on your own again, but will meet a strong hand.

Conclusion

Misleading an opponent helps not only to bring down their mathematical calculations, but also to bring them out of their mental balance. However, this technique must be used with the utmost care. Consider the playing style of your opponents and the limit you are playing at. This will help you bluff more successfully, and therefore increase your profits from playing poker. After all, who does not bluff - he does not drink champagne.