Why Bluffing Is Tricky for Me

[FFinesser]

For me, bluffing has always been one of the hardest parts of poker. Sometimes it feels great when it works, but other times I get called and wonder if I chose the wrong spot. I’ve learned that bluffing just for the sake of it usually doesn’t end well.

These days I try to pick my bluffs more carefully, usually when the story I’m telling actually makes sense. It’s still something I’m working on, but little by little I feel more confident about it.

 

[psycodelic1]

Bluffing is art bro try to bluff when make sense for you when flush completes in the river with nut flush blockers straight blockers and also when the pot is big not always work but if you get 30% of youre bluffs folded by the rival you will run the mtts with a huge stack and play for the 1st prize

 

[TeUnit]

I find it works better if the line you take tells a convincing story.

How you play the hand needs to be consistent with cards showing on the board and your perceived range.

 

[dannystanks]

Yeah bluffing for the sake of bluffing usually won’t end well. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do something.
But bluffing is an essential part of the game and the more you do it the more comfortable you will be at it. It’s essential because you need to get action on those big pots when you have the goods. So getting caught bluffing is not a big deal, don’t worry about it, it’s a set up for later. Remember if you never get caught bluffing you are not bluffing enough. Good luck!

 

[aorodrigo]

A tip that anyone gaves you: Avoid bluffing at freerolls/low levels. Calling stations are everywhere

 

[hardongear]

I find I bluff a lot more in MTT's then I do in online cash games. 2nl-50nl cash there really isn't much need to bluff a lot there's still plenty of calling stations so it's best to value bet them to death than bluff them cause they're typically calling. Can't bluff callers.

To successfully pull off a bluff your story has to make sense starting right from your preflop action all the way to the river. If your story doesn't make sense you're more likely to be called down by a decent to good player. This is where a lot of players make there mistake and their bluff ends up being called.

Cheers!!!

 

[Tadi]

Based on what you have written, you roughly know when to bluff, and whether the bluff will succeed also depends on the opponent, his experience and skill.

 

[ScoobyEdu]

For me, bluffing has always been one of the hardest parts of poker. Sometimes it feels great when it works, but other times I get called and wonder if I chose the wrong spot. I’ve learned that bluffing just for the sake of it usually doesn’t end well.

These days I try to pick my bluffs more carefully, usually when the story I’m telling actually makes sense. It’s still something I’m working on, but little by little I feel more confident about it.

It's funny that bluffing, theoretically at the lower stakes, could even be overlooked, because at micro stakes, we have players of all skill levels. Sometimes, when we bluff against a beginner who calls without the slightest idea of what they're doing, it exposes us to smarter players, who play by taking notes and profiling the players at the table.

The bluff not only has to be part of a well-told story, but it's also important that it's not a shot in the dark, Hollywood-style... oh, and we also have to consider the timing of the game... and our reading of the players at the table...