Bluffing 101 – Guidelines for Beginners

Bluffing is one of the things that make no limit texas holdem such a great game to play. It’s a primary weapon of any good player, and therefore must be mastered if you expect to have any measure of success at the game. Many players who are just starting out aren’t quite sure how often they should be bluffing. This article takes a look at some general bluffing guidelines for beginners.

How often should I bluff?

Like many things in life, bluffing in poker should be done in moderation. Don’t do it enough, and you won’t win more than your fair share of pots. Do it too much, and your bluffs will become less effective. So how do you know if you’re doing it enough? Follow the old poker adage…

If you’re never caught bluffing, you’re not doing it enough.

What this means is that a theoretical "perfect" amount of bluffing exists. However, since you can never really be sure where you’re at in relation to that amount, you should cross the line periodically to make sure that you’re close enough to it.

Being called down on a bluff from time to time means that you’re bluffing plenty. If it’s been a while since you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar, you should really assess your game to see if you’re playing too tightly.

Good bluffing conditions – always check the weather first

Before you bluff, you should check to make sure that the conditions are right for one. Many new players (especially ones that watch excessive amounts of TV poker) see the pros making big bluffs, and mistakenly assume that they’re viewing random acts of aggression. In reality, pros make sure that the conditions are right before pushing too hard with a weak hand.

Here are some good bluffing guidelines for newer players:

• Number of players in the pot
  Bluffs work most often against one player, less often against two players, and hardly at all against more than 2. As a beginner, it’s probably a good idea to only attempt bluffs against a single player until you become more adept at reading your opponents.
  
  
• Has my opponent shown a lot of strength up to this point?
  If your opponent has shown nothing but strength up to this point in the hand, it’s not likely they will fold to a bluff. Save your bluff attempt for a better spot. If your opponent has been checking and/or calling, they are far more likely to be weak than if they are raising and betting.
  
  
• Pot size in relation to your opponent’s stack size
  If the pot has 5000 chips in it, and your opponent has already put in a decent amount, it’s not likely that they will fold to any bluff. Make sure that they still have a fair amount of chips if they fold. Many opponents with mediocre hands and a monster pot will just throw their hands up and say "oh well… if I’m beat, I’m beat", and call you anyway.

Make sure your bluffs tell a good story

For a bluff to be a good one, it must tell a believable story. You simply cannot make random bets and expect that people will lay down their hands. Things like betting when a meaningless card hits, or over-betting the pot are more likely to be interpreted as a bluff. Your bets should say "I have a strong hand, so I don’t mind a call", not "please go away".

The most successful bluffs are the ones that look like normal bets. Representing top pair with a good kicker and betting a reasonable amount is far more likely to be interpreted as a value bet rather than a bluff.

In order for your bluff to work, you must think about the hand you’re trying to represent and figure out if you’ve played it like you’ve had that hand all along. Pretending to have pocket aces on the river isn’t likely going to work if you haven’t played it like pocket aces up to that point. If you want to represent a strong hand, you have to do so from the very start. All of sudden "waking up" with a strong hand on a nothing board isn’t likely to be believable.

Final Thoughts

Bluffing is an essential part of any good player’s arsenal. Learning the conditions under which bluffs are typically successful, as well as telling a good story with your bluff are keys to winning more than your fair share of pots. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t seem to get it right at first. Bluffing is a dance that must be perfected over time. Also, remember that getting caught periodically is a good thing, as it reminds you that you’re bluffing enough.