Bluffing in poker games is over-rated and often overused. A player who bluffs a lot is going to get caught and pay off observant players who know not to get fooled.
To execute a successful bluff in a poker game, you have to plan it and follow through strategically. Bluffing is an art and skill that should be treated as a special tool for a few occasions when conditions are right. Be selective, don’t try if often, and when you do, bet like you mean it.
Look for these opportunities to bluff when you play poker online:
* When you have a strong drawing hand pre-flop, such as suited connected faces or Aces, then make a semi-bluff raise to narrow the field of opponents.
* Any time you have a lot of outs that can improve to a made hand, it is worth making a semi-bluff raise. You will narrow the field and if called, could win a bigger pot if your hand completes. .
* If there are tight players betting behind you, then an occasional bluff is apt to work for stealing blinds and pots.
* When a scare card appears on board – pairing the board or creating a straight or flush possibility — a minimum bet bluff behind checkers could win the pot or at least give you information about another player’s hand.
* To counteract what appears to be a bluff from an aggressive player. Re-raising the raiser will put that player on notice not to mess with you.