by Boris3

Created on: June 10, 2010   Last Updated: June 22, 2010

I was out right shocked when I read some of the articles written by my peers on this subject! They are trying to tell you bluffing is a crucial part of the game, one of the most important and you can not win without it. False, false, false, this is some of the worst advice I've read in ages.

Very rarely is an outright bluff a good or effective play. It can be used effectively in no limit hold-em much more often than limit hold-em, where very rarely do you get a good opportunity to bluff. When playing limit hold em the pot is often laying your opponent huge odds, which means for him to call he may be getting 15 to 1, that means to call profitably he only has to win a mere 8% of the time or so. It is very difficult to pull a bluff off in this type of situation. He has to be thoroughly convinced that you're not bluffing to fold anything more than the weakest of hands.

Now we'll discuss bluffing in no limit hold em where you will get the chance to do it successfully more often. First off though, we will discuss the most important part of bluffing and this has nothing to do with you and your ability to bluff, but with your opponents. If you are playing against loose-passive opponents who rarely fold, don't bluff under any circumstances. They are not folding! I have heard many a player cry, " How did he call that with just a pair of sevens?"

The better question the player should be asking himself is, "Why did I try to bluff a player who never folds a pair?" Winning against these players is rather easy but you have to have patience and wait for big hands. Bet the whole way and this time they will be paying you off with their pair of sevens. Bluffing is only effective against tight opponents who fold the majority of the time. Against them feel free to steal their blinds and pull large bluffs when you think they have a had like middle pair, or top pair weak kicker. These players are tight and thus don't feel comfortable putting in large amounts of money with these types of hands. Also, if you try and pull too many bluffs even the tight players will wise up and realize something funny is going on, bluffing is a good tactic but only if used occasionally and against the right type of opponents.

Just remember, never bluff the donkey, only the tightest of players!

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