Many poker players, including myself, crave the opportunity to push another player off their hand with a well timed bluff. Whether we are playing free poker online games or pay poker in the casinos, the goal is always to win the hand, or take down the pot in the showdown. However, what many players lack is bluffing skills. In order to become a well rounded poker player, you must have the ability to bluff and know when to bluff.
In order to learn poker bluffing, you must first learn why you are trying to bluff your opponents during a hand. A well timed bluff is most effective when you pick the right time to throw in a well timed bluff. For example, if you are holding a pair of twos and your opponent is holding a set of Kings, if you throw in a bluff and your opponent calls, you will take down the pot. On the other hand, if you are holding a pair of Aces and your opponent has a two pair, the bluff will not work because your opponent is more likely to have a three, or a two pair of Kings or a Queen.
Another example of a well timed bluff would be when you are on the button, since you are the dealer, and everyone before you folds. If you bet enough, you will most likely force a player to fold, even if they may have a monster. Your bluff is better when the pot is low, for example, the flop is three of a kind and your opponents are more likely to be scared of busting.
Bluffing can also be used for free poker games, or in cash games. When playing free poker games, you should pick a playing style that allows you to bluff. Your bluff should be enough to push other players off their hands, but you should not be so obvious that others will call simply for your bluff. If you are not the type of player who likes to bluff at games, you can be semi-bluffing, meaning betting with a drawing hand that is weeks away from becoming a great hand.
Forces and Kings are the best cards for a bluff, since players are less likely to call if they have a good hand. A pair of Eights or Threes is also a good hand to bluff with. When you have a good hand like this, it is safe to say you have a strong drawing hand, one that will likely make the final hand.
However, the best cards for a bluff are not necessarily cards that will make you win the hand. You want to make your bluff believable and hopefully your opponents will believe you when you bet. If you think your hand is weak, you should not bet, but rather sit back and wait for the right cards to bet against your opponents.
Paying attention to your opponents is very important, as well as knowing when they may be bluffing. If you follow your opponents’ bets and actions during a game, you can tell if they are bluffing or not. For instance, if you are playing with a player who always bets even when they have a bad hand, you can know when they are bluffing.
Of course, you can not always wait for your opponents to make a move and you have to be always on the alert. While you may be sitting in a comfortable chair and playing at your computer, always keep your eye on the players, especially those who are usually at your table. Some players, especially those who play multiple tables are experts at observed their opponents’ actions and would bet even when they have no hand.
When playing at a table, if you spot an opponent giving or folding their hand, you can safely assume they are bluffing. This action can tip you off as to the possible strength of their hand, which in turn tips you off as to the possible hand they are holding.
Other tells to lookout for when playing at a table include:
- Straights (Unlike Flush, if a player has their straight on the board and you are in the hand, you can decide whether to bet or not as if it were a strong hand)
- Predictable Betting patterns (Some players will predictable their betting patterns, so studies must be made to determine the opponents hand strength. You can either check, fold or raise, depending on what you believe the opponents are holding)
- Machine Vision (Some players who lose all their money to machines lose their concentration and check patterns, turning their legit hands into threes or sevens, thus leading you to think they are holding weak hands)
- Pocket protectors (When a player tosses their cards in the direction of the Rtp Live Slot Pragmatic button and declare they have a strong hand)
Although you won’t be able to see your opponents, you can see things that they may be looking at or may be missing while they are focusing on their own hands.