Bluffing in poker tournaments

In the card game of poker, a bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand [ Wikipedia ]. In other words, bluffing is the art of making other people believe that you have an incredibly strong hand when in reality you’re holding a dud.

Bluffing is the integral and key ingredient of both online and land-based poker tournaments which greatly contributes to the excitement of the game – and your bottom line. There is definitely something appealing in having the worst hand and bluffing your way to a pot.

Beginners often make a mistake of trying to bluff all the time. After a while they learn that you have to bluff sparingly and only when the conditions are right. But when exactly are the conditions right? There are no firm rules, or bluffing would not be what it is. Experience is important – there is no substitute for experience in knowing when to bluff and when are your opponents bluffing. Still, by following just three simple guidelines even novice players can use bluffing to a great advantage:

1. Know the other players
   If all the players are new to you, it is impossible to tell how they’ll react in any given situation, decreasing your chances of a successful bluff. The first important step is selecting the online poker tournament that matches your skills, on a platform that lets you take notes on your opponents. Second, play conservatively early on and concentrate on working out the playing styles of other players.
2. Bluff only in a late position
   Bluffing in an early position increases your risks exponentially – you simply do not have the information on other people’s hand that players in late positions do.
3. Bluff randomly
   A good bluff depends on other players not being able to tell whether you’re bluffing or not. Experienced players are very good in recognizing the patterns of behavior and “reading” other players. Therefore, the best way to avoid your bluffing pattern from being detected is not to have a pattern at all. How do you do that? By hooking your bluffing to a random external event – for example the sum of your hidden for as long as it’s unpredictable – it works!

Poker is a lifetime game and as you gain experience and start playing for higher stakes, being able to bluff effectively becomes more and more important. To help you out, we’ve endeavored to discover what top players have to say on the topic. Read on to find out; by borrowing from best poker players’ practices and mixing it up, you’ll be able to build your own unpredictable money-winning bluffing strategy.

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Bluffing Strategies

By [# Luu

Bluffing is a key strategy in poker. A good bluff can make or break any hand. You can have the worst hand in the world, but with a good bluff, you can come out on top and win the pot. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you make the choice to bluff or not.

1. It is easier to bluff in a late position. Late position is when you are one of the last few to either bet or call in a betting round. If everyone has folded or checked, then it is a good time to bluff. Also, bluffing early is never recommended because you have no idea what the other players have.

2. Learn to read people. Pay close attention to how the other players react to their cards, what they do, and what their cards are if they end up showing. This is the hardest and most effective skill you can learn in poker. Other than luck, which is completely out of your control, reading people will greatly improve your game.

3. If you read that the player wants to fold, betting big will give them a reason to fold. Now this is tricky because players can slow play you and be leading you into a trap. This is where a good read comes in. Base your call on the player’s previous actions and cards.

4. If there’s a possibility of anybody having a good hand based on the flop, turn, or river, then it’s a good time to bluff. Hopefully, this tricks other players into thinking you have a great hand. Be careful when you use this because if you don’t do this in late position, someone else may actually have a better hand that beats yours.

5. If you were caught bluffing in a earlier hand, but now actually have a good hand, use that to your advantage. Other players will think you’re bluffing and bet big to push you out or think they’ll win big if they do, but you know better.

6. Use caution when bluffing a bad player, as they do not know when they are beat. They can keep coming at you so make sure you have something going in with them. If you don’t, you may lose big to someone with a little more luck than you.

7. Bluff in a pattern that no one can catch on to. This will throw off your scent and keep other players guessing.

8. Bluff in high limit games. This works to your advantage by allowing you to bet as big as you want, leaving you in complete control of how much you want to “scare” other players. Low limit games limit your bets, thus limiting your bluffing power.

9. Bluff only when you’ve got a good read on the players that are currently in. If you don’t, then don’t bluff because there’s too much of a chance someone may have a good hand.

10. The best thing you can learn about bluffing is when to not bluff. If you are unsure about the situation and your “gut” tells you that you shouldn’t, then just don’t bluff. Only bluff when you are completely sure you have a good chance of coming out on top.

In basic terms, bluffing is making other players believe you have a great hand, when in reality, you have the worst hand on the table. A good bluff will make even the greatest hands fold to the worst of hands. While there’s no real structured and defined way to bluff, following these tips will help you develop your own method of bluffing. It’s all in your hands.

Written by Duy Luu

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Poker Strategy Tip: When Not To Bluff

By J Finney

Some players have the automated reaction to bluff frequently,
and that is not recommended. They should just pay attention to
the table ad maybe even feel it a little bit before they decide
to bluff. Keep in mind that the other players are probably
looking themselves for an occasion to bluff. You can tell
sometimes when they are bluffing, and the same way they can tell
it too sometimes when you are tring to bluff. It does work when
nobody notices, but if they do it will only cost you money. So,
use it wisely and only after you get some experience.

For reference and help, take a look at these situations when
you must not, under any circumstances, bluff.

when it is obvious that you will.

If the players know you and know your stille, they can tell
when you are bluffing in some situations. Don't make this
mistake because you would give them free money this way.

when you just bluffed and they caught you.

If you are already labeled by the rest of the players as a poor
bluffer, you should let them forget about that and only then try
it again, hoping this time you can do it right.

when you are faced with a dangerous flop.

Look carefully at the flop. if there is an Ace in it, consider
the afact that someone might have a pair of aces. Aces make it
beyond the pre-flop and player usually stick to them and most
likely they will paly them. So, don't bluff when faced to them.
Also, don't bluff against something that might stick to a
straight, like: Q, J, 8. Maybe someone has the missing parts.

when you are playing against many players.

The manyer you are, the greater are the odds that a player has
something and that he will stick with his cards. If you bluff,
that palyer will win and you will lose a lot more. Statistic and
odds forbit bluffing in this situation.

when you are clearly playing against bad players
Bad players don't realize the opportunity bluffing gives. They
like to keep it honest, they don't fear hands. And bluffing is
only effective when it goes hand to hand with fear, fear of
loosing the hand or fear of loosing a tournament or just the
money.

when you have a streak of lost hands going on, or just one
hand, but a big one.

You might be upset, and you are espected to be, you might act
irresponsibly then and others know that. They will call you no
matter what you do, because they know they are big chances that
you are bluffing.

when you have limped in or you are situated in one of the
bind positions.

Can't explain why, but generally the people from blind position
are expected to have a poor hand. And since they already made
that blind bid, they are espected to go on, therefore bluff,
even if the hand is poor. So, don't bluff, others think you will
and will call you in this situatiuation also.

About the Author: Read online poker room reviews at
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tournament news at internet-poker-blog/ today.

Source: isnare

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Poker Bluffing – Ten Winning Tips

By [# Todd

Bluffing is the art of making other players believe you have a better hand than you really have. If used correctly bluffing can help you enhance your profits from poker and win big. Here are ten tips to help you bluff successfully.

Tip 1: Bluff when “someone” might have made a good hand. An example is when the third of a suit hits the board. “Someone” might have a flush. If you bet as if you have the flush, the other players may believe you.

Tip 2: Bluff if you are in a pot with a player that is looking for a reason to fold. By betting, big and making them think you have something they can’t match; you can remove them from the game.

Tip 3: Pay attention to other players – the more you know about your opponent’s habits the better. If a player is a novice, they may bluff too frequently making them easy prey. However, it’s the more experienced players you need to watch.

Tip 4: If players have seen you bluffing recently, they will register it. If you try to bluff again too soon then someone is likely to call you. Of course, this can be used to your advantage. If you find yourself with a good hand after being caught bluffing, odds are players will call your bets.

Tip 5: Bluff tight tables only. As a rule, bluffs have a better chance of working at tight tables rather than loose tables, unless all the “loose players” have already folded.

Tip 6: Bluff high limit tables only. In low limit games, there’s really no advantage in bluffing. When betting only small amounts, you can bet that the majority of the time someone will call your bluff. High limits, and especially no limit games, are ideal for successful bluffing.

Tip 7: Bluff from late position only. If everyone is checking, calling, or folding in front of you, it’s a good time to try to get the pot. It’s not a good idea to bluff from early position, because you have no idea of other player’s hands.

Tip 8: Don’t bluff too often, and try to adopt a pattern other players will find difficult to spot. If you bet with a pattern, they’re sure to spot it. A good bluffing strategy will keep them guessing.

Tip 9: Be careful when bluffing bad players, as they may not know when they are beaten! Even though you may present yourself as having a stronger hand, they simply may not care or not even notice, as they have not perfected a strategy of their own.

Tip 10: Some bluffing situations are ‘typical’, and you need to be able to use them to your advantage. Good players however, may spot this, note the play and use it against you. Here is a typical situation where bluffing can be effective:

You are in the late position pre-flop and after you, there are just two players left. Your cards are not indicating a good hand, but everyone before you have folded. This is an ideal time to bluff and bet big. The remaining players will probably think that you have a big hand and fold.

Bluffing Is an Essential Strategy for All Poker Players

Bluffing is not a science it’s an art. The 10 tips above however, will help you perfect a bluffing strategy that will allow you to bluff your way to bigger profits.

To find out more about poker playing strategies [# and how to win more often visit our web site: win-at-online-poker [#

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Poker Bluffing Techniques

By [# Hayman

Bluffing in poker has always been a key ingredient to the game. The ability to keep your opponents guarded or cautious about your intended play, is extremely useful, and can increase your frequency of winning hands. The keys to bluffing are to determine whether your opponents are bluffing, to be aware of reasons to bluff, and to be aware of reasons not to bluff.

How do you determine if your opponents are bluffing during the course of a poker game? Certainly, understanding the process, is key to maximizing your gains. Some of the reasons another player may bluff including the following:

1) With only 2 players left in a hand, it is usually easier to fool just one person, as opposed to many;
2) If pot odds are in an opponent’s favor, you can expect an increase chance of a bluff;
3) If an opponent comments on the superiority of their hand and he bets, chances are that a bluff is occurring;
4) If an opponent wagers after the Flop, but checks after the Turn, there is a pretty good chance that your opponent is bluffing;
5) If the Flop does not have any draws, this is a scenario where a bluff can be expected;
6) If an opponent bets after both the Flop and the Turn, but decides to check on the River, there is a good chance that a bluff is occurring.

When is a good time to bluff in Poker? Of course, the element of surprise is always a good reason to consider bluffing, but the following scenarios offer especially good times to consider deceiving your opponents:

1) Consider bluffing early in a hand against tight players that tend to fold quickly;
2) If you are in a hand late in a game, and all other players have checked, it may be a good time to consider bluffing;
3) If the Flop is fairly poor, it may be a good time to consider bluffing;
4) Your chances for bluffing success increase, when only a few players are left in a pot, as opposed to many;
5) If you bet pre-flop, and don’t have a good hand after the Flop, you may consider bluffing since your opponents are not aware of the fact that you are not doing well post-flop;
6) Another great time to consider deceiving your opponents, is when there is a pair on the Flop, and it is less than dual 8′s. The rationale here is that odds may be with you that opponents folded already that have low cards;
7) If you are known to be a shrewd poker player, your reputation may be enough to scare people when you stay in a hand;
If you are in the Small or Big blind, and all others have folded by the time the play has reached you, this may offer a great time to bluff.

Just as there are good times to bluff, there are excellent reasons why you should not bluff. Some of these are outlined below:

1) If you have recently been caught with your pants down bluffing, then you should consider not bluffing;
2) If at all possible, avoid bluffing, when your opponents would expect you to bluff;
3) Avoid bluffing against inexperienced players. As much as novices enjoy bluffing, nothing gives them more pleasure than trying to catch a bluffer in action;
4) Avoid bluffing like the plague, when there are lots of players still remaining in a hand, as the odds of one of them being able to beat you is great;
5) Avoid bluffing against a Flop that looks strong. In this scenario, the odds are great that you will get beaten at your own game;
6) Although this may seem to go against a reason to bluff, consider not bluffing if you are at a blind position, since other players may believe that you are bluffing due to your position at the table;
7) If you lose a real tough hand or sequence of hands, do not consider bluffing. In this scenario, your opponents may feel a desperation motive on your part, so it is probably not a good idea to stretch the truth in this instance.

In summary, the aforementioned techniques can certainly be used to enhance your poker game. The judicious use of bluffing and non-bluffing can dramatically increase your winnings over the long haul.

Douglas Hayman, Expert Software Systems’ President, is a database designer and developer, who is a Poker aficionadeo. He has designed several informational Poker websites: [# Poker Sites – A dedicated informational poker website that contains a plethora of information pertinent to the game of Poker, including rules, rankings, Poker Tips, access to Poker calculators, Poker rankings, bluffing techniques, etc.

Review of [# Poker Sites which is an informational website containing a detailed summary of today’s most popular and reputable online Poker websites.

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Bluffing Tips by You Bluff 2 Win

Catching tells to when someone is bluffing will help you win alot of money at the poker table. There are certain behaviors and patterns that people use when they are bluffing. Here are some tips on how to spot them.

1. Watch them when the cards come out.

Watch for facial expressions and body movements. If he looks confident and shows a good or bad hand remember that for later and use it against him. If a player acts differently from any of the other hands that they have won, you can probably safely say that they are trying to bluff you. Be aware players who adopt fake poker face at the earlier part of the game and then use them to bluff you later on.

2. Keep track of their betting patterns.

It’s the easiest way to catch bluffing players. Watch how they bet and get all the info you need to make your moves.

Those are a couple of ways to catch bluffers. Now lets learn how to be the bluffer.

If you bluff pre-flop or the flop against a weak player who does not fold, you should consider not bluffing at this or a later round. An occasion to Bluff is when the board has paired or a 3 card flush is on the board making it look like you hit your flush. If you bet like you have the flush, the other players may believe you. Be cautious from fish who will regularly call bets regardless of the strength of their hand. These new people think any hand is good and are happy to call all the way to the river. Therefore you should avoid trying to make bluffs against these players. They simply may not care or not even notice you strong hand.

When you do bluff, do it confidently. An easy way to tell if you are bluffing is being nervous or scared and showing it. Put you chips out there like you know you have the winning hand. Don’t have a shaky hand when putting the chips down, you probably will get called.

Only put enough chips out there to scare your opponents away. Be careful not to get them the right pot odds to call, but don’t put too much in that you will be pot committed. If you try to bluff someone on a short stack they may just push all-in, so I would only semi- bluff those players with a big hand. Stay away from bluffing larger stacks because they could put you all in without risking too much of their stack. Just try to bluff players with equal stack size as you.

Pay attention to your position at the table. When in an early position you may not want to bluff because you don’t have enough information about the other players cards to effectively bluff. I would wait until after the flop and if everyone limped in i would then try a bluff. In late position if everyone in front of you limps in or folds i would try a bluff there pre-flop to try and steal the pot or represent a good hand on the flop.

Using these bluffing tips successfully will help you win more money and could save you some money also. Good Luck!

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Bluffing in 7 Card Stud

By [# Frost

The concept of bluffing while playing poker has become second nature to a high number of players both on the live poker scene as well as the online poker world. The thought of being able to give the impression that you are holding a strong hand in order to gain to your financial wealth is something that seems to appeal massively to new and weaker players. This situation means that there is a high percentage of hands that are played with the prospect of the players making a play that is not true to their real hand strength.

Bluffing in the 7 card stud poker variant is seen to be one of the hardest games to incorporate bluffing into due to players being able to see a number of exposed cards within your hand, giving them more information into the possible hands that your hand could contain. There are two forms of bluffing that a player has the opportunity to use:

Semi Bluff

A semi bluff is a play that is made by a player who is holding a hand that carries some value but their betting action would credit the hand to hold more strength than it actually has. This type of bluff is considered to be the safest form of bluffing because the player is making a play with a hand that could offer the possibilty of winning the pot should they get a call from an opponent and have the need to fall back on the hands strength. Due to the smaller risk that this form of bluff carries, it is thought that this is the most common bluff used by players of all abilities.

Pure Bluff

This style of bluff is where a player is willing to take a huge risk in making a strong play while they are holding a hand that carries no strength other than a high card, something that 95% of the time will see the player lose the hand. If executed well, a pure bluff can become one of the biggest adrenaline boosts available to a player, knowing that being able to make a player laydown a hand that carried some strength when you are holding a hand that wouldn’t even place offers a great feeling.

This form of bluff is mostly used by either new poker players who are still trying to learn their trade within the game of poker or by strong, tight players who are looking to mix up their playing style in order to remain hard to read. The pure bluff is not recommended when a player is playing the 7 card stud poker variant because opponents that are seated at the table are able to obtain information about possible hands that you could be holding due to the number of cards that are exposed and dealt face up for all to see.

So what should you remember when considering making a bluff in 7 card stud poker?

1. Being hard to read is a key attribute

Is a player falls into a regular pattern of play, their hands can become predictable and so mixing your playing style is highly recommended. This means that players are less likely to know that you are trying to deceive them with your bet.

2. Making a bluff will be more profitable then folding

This speaks for itself, if you are able to successfully able to execute a bluff and are able to scare our opponent out of a hand, you will win more chips than if you fold you hand.

3. Do your opponents show any weaknesses?

Being able to find and expliot an opponents weaknesses is the most profitable way to play poker. This is beacuse if you can locate a situation that your opponents are uncomforatble in, you can place pressure on them and they are more likely to fold due to uncertainty.

4. Playing a bluff reduces other players from doing so

If you are caught playing a bluff, players will see that you are willing to risk your chip stack in order to play your hand in a way that is more powerful than it should be played. This will mean that less players will be willing to play a bluff as they will be looking for ways to counter your play to their benefit.

5. Revealing a successful bluff can prove costly

If you are able to execute a bluff successfully you should keep your cards hidden, keeping your opponents wondering about what cards you could have being holding at the time of your bet. Showing your cards removes the mystery and reveals that you were making a bet with a hand that was of no significant strength and so will lead to more players being willing to call your next bluff.

6. What level of opponent are you playing against

One of the worst traits that a player could fall into is trying to bluff a poor player. A poor player who is either inexperienced or generally bad at playing the game is more likely to call your play due to the inability to fold. This can prove costly if you are trying to make a pure bluff.

7. Remember what poker variant you are playing

Before making a bluff you should always look to remember the poker variant that you are playing. This is because different variants offer a different amount of information that your opponents are able to obtain about your hand.

For example, when playing texas hold’em poker you are dealt two cards that remain face down and hidden from your opponents so playing a bluff will be easier than playing a bluff within 7 card stud.

This is because the level of information that is exposed to your opponents is significantly higher within this variant due to the exposed cards.

8. Do you really need to make a bluff at this moment of play?

The number of players that forget to weigh this factor up is huge and so means that their play can see them losing more chips than if they just laid their hand down.

If you are not holding a hand that carries any strength and the pot only consists of the blinds at a low level, it is advised that you don’t try to play a bluff as the level of chips that are in the central pot is too low to risk being called in this situation.

Learn how to play [# Card Stud poker. This web site also contains a large selection of [# Card Stud strategy articles that will help you become a winning player.

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