The bluff is one of the most powerful poker strategies. Learning
when and how to bluff takes experience. However, there are aspects of
this skill which are learnable, without time at the table. The bluff
comprises a large part of the psychology of poker as well. In our section
on The Psychology of Poker, you can find specifics about “tells,” which
are invaluable in accessing the bluffing of others.
The actual function of the bluff is simple enough, it is betting on a
weak hand. This has two implications in most games of poker. For starters,
most poker betting rounds give the player some chance to modify their
hand. The hand you currently have may not be worth much, but you may get
lucky and get the card you need to complete your hand. This specific tactic
is a subdivision of bluffing, known as semi-bluffing. While a pure- bluff
hopes the other players fold, causing you to win without the need for
a showdown.
Strategically, the most important aspect of the bluff is: when to bluff,
and when to fold. Bluffing too often will lead your competitors to call
your bluffs more often, and bluffing to little will cause them to fold
when you’re not bluffing. To keep you’re opponents guessing,
keep your bluffs random. In other words don’t bluff every time you
are dealt a weak hand. Try to keep it about fifty percent bluff and fifty
percent straight. Do not however make it a simple pattern of bluff one
time, and fold the next. Instead pick something random; like, “I’ll
bluff if the last card I was dealt was a spade or club.”
