Factors to Account for in Bluffing
The concept of the Poker bluff- calling when you are holding weak or trash hands to get your opponent to fold- is so simple that most new players seem to think that there is nothing to it. Yet the fact that a lot of bluffs get called online shows how poorly most play it.
The reality is that as with any other Poker strategy, bluffing takes time to understand, let alone master. There are a lot of nuisances and subtleties involved in it that most do not understand.
For example, you will often see a player try to bluff several opponents at once. This is simply poor Poker strategy; it can be hard enough to try and get one player to fold, but to try to pull it off against another will make it more difficult. Why?
Because it increases the chance that one of the two actually has a strong hand. If you are only bluffing one, and he has a marginal hand, then he might fold. But what if the other one has a strong hand? Therefore, you should attempt a Poker bluff only when you have isolated your opponent.
Another important aspect of bluffing that is required is good player reading. Pro Poker players are very good at this, because they know who on the table is susceptible to it. This is one of the mistakes that new players make; they just bluff at a random player. The fact is that there will be always players who will not be bluffed, and those that will fall for it.
For this reason, acquiring the ability to read players is needed to make the bluff work. The fact that most new players do not possess the skill is one of the reasons why it often fails.
Position is also something that needs to be considered. You should never bluff under the gun, unless you are in truly dire straits. Being in middle or late position is more advisable, because you will have made an appraisal of the situation, and know if the strategy is possible. Finally, remember to use bluffing sparingly, and if at all possible, the semi bluff is a much better alternative.
Also, remember that even if you get caught, it is all right, as it happens to everyone. Just work on it, and avoid the common mistakes and you will, sooner than later, make bluffing an integral part of your Poker strategy.
