by Aaron Bushue

Created on: May 11, 2008   Last Updated: January 11, 2011

Poker is one of the few card games were an individual does not necessarily need the best hand to win. Bluffing is a skill that takes a lifetime to master and even accomplished poker pros will tell you that you can never totally master the fine art of bluffing. A player must remain calm and collected and act as if they are in total control. The players that can act as if they know what the next card will bring do the best bluffing. The slightest hint of nervousness or the look of uncertainty could be the dragger that loses that game changing pot. Bluffing is risky business, however it can be and has been a magnificent tool to use and to win at a poker game.

The art of bluffing can be used to a variety of different ways. For example, just plain aggressive betting round after round may be enough for your opponent to cower away and fold their three kings while you can sit back and rake in the winnings with say, eight high. However, it has been to my experience that while yes this method does occasionally work, it will eventually fail and you will be left to suffer the losses. At other times a player will set up a bluff over many hands. This requires a great deal of luck to make the system work without a flaw. If a player can bet aggressively over a great time while having great hands, it will open the door to be able to play with nothing later. Let me explain. If I am playing against you and you are betting big and having the cards to win the hand every time. Then down the road I am going to remember that and me second-guessing myself will allow you to bet big with nothing and I will probably get out of the hand. Yes I say probably, that is the great peril of bluffing you never know truly if the other player will fold. However, at a major tournament, a player will have to bluff many times and be successful to win. These are the major ways I have seen bluffing work in actual poker games.

Poker is a great game that requires a great deal of skills. Not showing emotions is the major one that will help a player be successful at bluffing. If a player can mask his emotions the chances of bluffing successfully, greatly increase. Great players such was Doyle Brunson and Scotty Nguyen have been some of the best at bluffing that I have seen play. Poker professionals have been trying to master the terrific art of bluffing for years and will be doing so for many more years.

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