Poker bluffing is a very important aspect of the game of poker.
- Best Poker Bluffs Ever Wanted
- When To Bluff In Poker
- Bluff Magazine Poker
- Best Poker Bluffs Ever Recorded
- Best Poker Bluffs Ever High
Poker is a game of bluffs and deceptions; constantly 'telling stories' about your hand and forcing players out of pots they are probably ahead in. While beginners can struggle with pulling off successful bluffs and making them seem natural, with a few tips anyone can force anyone else out of a big pot. Would you have the stomach to pull the trigger?
In basic terms bluffing in poker is when a player fakes a move and also fakes his face against his desired or real motives, luring his opponents to act in a desired way.
- Making good bluffs in poker is all about the mathematics. It’s all about the EV of your play. To work out whether a bluff is going to be profitable (or “a good one”), you need to try and accurately estimate how often your opponent will fold to your bluff.
- Many of the most famous and talked about poker hands involve gutsy high stakes bluffs. A well timed and perfectly executed bluff really highlights just how complex the game is and just how talented the players can be. Here we take a look at some of the best, worst and most questionable poker bluffs ever.
To be successful in poker bluffing, the bluffer must know the thoughts of the other players so as to create a game plan for winning.
The understanding and awareness of certain factors are very important in poker bluffing.
Some of which are the types of poker players at the table, the number of the opponents on the table, the ability of the bluffer to read the plays of his opponents, the cards on the board post-flop, the image already created by the bluffer for himself at the table, the size of the pot already on the table and his position in the hand.
Before I begin with my list I would like to share you my favorite bluffing video featuring Chris Moneymaker in the 2003 WSOP for some inspiration. He really shows us how to bluff in poker.
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Top 10 Poker Bluffing Tips
So there are many tips and how to guide on how to master the art of poker bluffing. Here is my very own top 10 of different ways to bluff in poker. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.
Winning with poker bluffing requires you to not play every hand, and you should always reserve your bluffing for the moments of better chances of winning.
Most people can’t skip a round even when they are given a lousy starting hand because they get bored when they fold.
They cannot stand to wait for the next hand and play anyway, leading to loss of money to them.
However, it will eventually be discovered by people if you never put any money on the table without having four of a kind first, leading to smaller pots on your winning hands because your opponents will definitely fold.
You should always bluff a maximum of 2 players at a time if you want to be successful at poker bluffing.
With many active players at the poker table, you are not likely to scare more than 2 away.
Going against this rule causes one of the unmoved players to call your bluff if he has a really good hand.
In most cases, pots with more than 2 players are not profitable for bluffing because the more the opponents you are betting into, the less willing a player would be to call.
You should not bluff when playing against bad or newbie players, as these people frequently call bets regardless of the strength of their hand.
They do this because they still don’t know what the game is all about, and are thus happy to call down bets with mediocre hands.
Inexperienced or bad players do not have the ability to fold, while a good player first tries to understand the strength represented by you.
This rule should be followed even if you feel you have a stronger hand.
Your bluffing should always be based on the pot odds, which means you should always display the attitude of a person with a winning hand each time you bluff.
In most cases, a player anticipates folding of a minimum of one hand when he bluffs.
But, you will be exposed if your bluff fails because there is no fold.
A player is not likely to fold if there is more money in the pot because he has more to gain by playing while your bluff will fold more hands with a small pot.
Therefore, a bluff should not be wasted on a large pot.
Bluffing is a good strategy which can be done when you actually hold aces full of kings.
It could even be done if you had low bets and a good hand, as that is a tactic which engages your opponents, forcing them to add to the pot for you to end up with a bigger pot when the hope of winning is lost.
You should also pay attention to the opponents who have folded already, because a player who is out of a hand tends to register more emotion on his face.
If a person folds an eight, it is easier for you to know before two eights are on the board.
In addition, if you notice that a player is upset, there are more chances of you being able to bluff the remaining opponents in the hand and take the pot.
Though bluffing is a common poker strategy, a long time is needed to really be good at it.
You should know when to bluff, making it a strategy that should be launched by experienced players.
Most inexperienced players think that to really become a winning poker player, they need to bluff.
This is not true, because it is possible to be a winning poker player without even bluffing once.
Thus, your bluffs should be limited as much as possible.
They are to be used only in situations where you are sure your opponent will be forced to fold.
Best Poker Bluffs Ever Wanted
You should never be compelled to bluff because you have not done that for a long time.
If all signs indicate that your opponent has a strong hand, you should not bluff.
If you cannot just sit without doing anything, using a semi-bluff is a good idea. This is the type of bluff backed up by a decent poker hand.
The semi-bluff works if you are both having the same hand, and though it is an aggressive move, it is not as risky as a true bluff.
It is a large bet that is being made by you to avoid a showdown, but you would not be helpless even if the showdown were to still occur.
If your betting shows a consistent trend, you should bluff.
For instance, if you had a pre-flop raised in a game holding 6-6, and the flop produced A Q 5 after getting a caller, it would be an indication of the best time to bluff because of the consistent trend.
At the same time, this should be done carefully and not too frequently during the course of the entire game, or you would be caught by the other players that you were just bluffing.
The secret of an effective bluff here is not making the others to be aware that you are following a specific trend or that you are bluffing or not during the game.
When To Bluff In Poker
If you completely missed the flop after pre-flopping with a good hand, it could be a good idea to repeat that bet.
In some cases, this is a good time to bluff because a better hand could still be made with subsequent cards.
Now, many of the other players are aware that your bet pre-flopped the last time, and don’t know that you missed it.
If you represent your bet, pressure will be put on the other players because they will have the suspicion that you now have something better than you have actually.
Bluffing also works when there is a pair on the board.
The reason is that the chances of a person hitting a hand are reduced.
When you have 2 cards, and they are the same cards on the board, it means they are less of a flush possibility (not the same suit), less of a straight possibility (not ordered), and that out there, there are only 2 other cards which could match them to make a set.
It could be that those 2 cards had not yet come, or were either buried (especially in a low pair, would people often fold lower cards pre-flop).
In this situation, it is like having 2 cards coming on the flop, and statistically, this means only a few people would have a drawing hand or have hit their hand.
Therefore, you have a good opportunity for bluffing.
final thoughts
Poker bluffing is an art because the player needs to consider a lot of factors.
At the same time, the paradox of bluffing is that if nobody has ever caught you bluffing, you are either not bluffing enough or you are one of the best bluffers.
You would be bluffing too frequently if you were caught almost every time you bluff.
Late positioning and sensing weaknesses should form part of your bluffing strategies and though they do not usually win a pot, they narrow it down to a few people.
Now you should go and practice your newly learned poker bluffing skills by playing some real poker.
Bluffing is a huge part of poker. In fact, it’s an essential weapon in every player’s arsenal. Oh, my god. [INAUDIBLE] Um– Here’s the top five who’ve transformed the skill of bluffing into an art form. Is this real life?
At number five, it’s Vanessa Selbst. No one folds lightly to Vanessa, because everyone knows the Vanessa is aggressor. On the big game, she tangled with Antonio Esfandiari. In this hand, she’s bet the flop and the turn, and Antonio isn’t a believer. Can Vanessa sell her story on the river? Vanessa could have been semi-bluffing a five on the turn just as easily as she semi-bluffed her diamonds.
She’s met adequate resistance from Antonio the whole way, so I’m fairly certain she knows she can’t win this pot by checking. So the question is, surrender, or fire one last bullet? She’s loading up. And Vanessa fires $59,700 on a stone bluff.
There it is, the over-bet. We’ve been here before. This bet is supposed to polarize Vanessa’s hand, nuts or air. And Antonio can pretty much only beat air.
This will be an absolutely sick call. Vanessa could very easily have played a huge hand the same way. $59,700. $59,700. By overbetting, she’s given him really tough odds to make the call, not even getting 2 to 1.
Is a pair of 6’s going to win enough to justify those odds? Not likely. Antonio with $119,000 behind. He’s probably still thinking about that check raise on the turn. If she had a big hand, would she really have given him the chance to check behind?
Finally– and people discount this more than they should– Vanessa has the stupidity factor in her favor.If Antonio calls these wrong, he feels stupid. I think– What’s happening? I think Antonio turned a straight with a 5 or 7, suited. Yeah? What does she have?
And I think she has a flush. I think she has it. Worst read ever. Well, that’s what [INAUDIBLE] the couch cannon thinks, but it’s Antonio’s read that counts here. And Antonio folds.
What is going on? Antonio folds. Little bit dirty on the pump fake by Antonio, but Vanessa– wow, what a sick bluff. Bye, [INAUDIBLE]. Antonio may not have thought that one through, but at number four, we find Johnny Lodden thinking long and hard about a very difficult decision at the final table of the EPT 11 grand final. Unless he snaps off a 5, he’s going to have to check.
Well, he went full way to the flop, heads up to the turn, which is a 4. That gives him extra outs. Now he can catch a deuce for a straight. The question is, he’s got to say, what is this guy calling with? Did he really just have a 7 suited, and not 3 bet?
Well, now Mateos has to bet. By betting now, now Johnny’s got to say, OK, if I call this one, I’ve got to call from the rest on the river. So, it’s not just like, hm, we’ll see what he’s got. Now Johnny’s got to think about, well, the bet is only $650,000. There’s $3 million in the pot.
I have 6 outs. Sure, I’m not the favorite, but it’s close. He’s not getting the right price, but it’s not that far off.
If Johnny’s right– that he’s up against the bluff– his fives are good. Johnny calls. Great call. Great call from Johnny. He’s getting slightly the worst price to draw, but he’s also got the possibility of having the best hand. So, the bet sizing for Mateos allowed him to play this hand.
OK, another ace on the river. That’s a good card for Johnny Lodden. It wouldn’t seem like it, but it’s one less ace that Mateos could have. Actually, it’s been checked to the Spaniard. This is a really exciting hand. This is going to get replayed over and over.
Oh, my goodness. He does it. He goes for it. Wow. This is gutsy.
Johnny wants to play so bad. His read is right. The question is, sometimes– you can tell, Johnny’s first instinct– call.
I got this guy beat. He’s messing with me. A lot to learn about some high-level poker here, where it’s like, you just go with your gut, and you trust your read. And both of these guys have virtually nothing, but are playing a massive pot here. What he may end up doing is talking himself out of his read. Oh, man.
I hope Johnny makes this call. It would be epic. One of the greatest– if he makes this call, one of the best reads we’ve ever seen in a final table. One of the greatest played hands we’ve ever seen.
I mean, this instantly goes on many lists as just one of the all-time greatest calls. This is one of the greatest hands I’ve ever seen– if he makes the call. If he makes the fold, it still is a great hand, but it’s so much more epic if Johnny makes this call. There goes the fold. And he shows the bluff. And Lodden’s playing so good.
When she calls, he doesn’t call. Get showed the bluff. [INAUDIBLE] Put in so much money in that hand, with the right read, and then changed his mind. [NON-ENGLISH] Vaya con Dios. Back in the day, before Adrian Mateos was born, a three bet mean business, a four bet was always aces, and a five bet didn’t exist.
Then along came the internet, and button clicking became a thing. At number three, a German [INAUDIBLE] with an interesting haircut takes pre-flop leveling to a new level. Contrary to what Benny might think, this isn’t a mandatory three bet, or even a mandatory call to an early position raiser.
Did you really think he’d fold? Benny Spindler three bets. Story checks out.
Now $20,000 to play, and hello, Paul Fulton is going to fall back with A6 off. OK, so I know I would be an advocate of re-raising Benny Spindler if you have any sort of hand, but– a– Benny’s not the only player in the hand, b– cold four betting with A6 is not a winning play overall, and c– no– just no. Action back on Benny, with Bergstrom giving up his pair of fours. Boy, Fulton doesn’t look very comfortable, does he? Oh wait, that could just be because he’s British.
Now, now. Those are not calling chips. Benny Spindler is going to five bet to $90,000. I guess either King Jack is too weak to call with and Benny wants to turn into a bluff, or we’re just seeing a good old fashioned stack swinging contest, which– by the way– doesn’t necessarily equate to good poker, though it is awesome to watch.
Fulton has an auto marked. He does have the best hand, got to wonder if he knows it, though. Oh, my word. It’s a six bet. There is some serious button clicking going on here. I’m not even going to pretend like I know what these guys should or are going to do anymore.
Bluff Magazine Poker
I’m out. All right, now I know a lot of you kids out there are spitting up your energy drinks and fist pumping in your hoodies like mad, but to me, this is more like a game of chicken than poker. Who will blink first? Not Benny Spindler.
It’s a seven bet jam. Fulton has now invested half his chips on this hand. Got to wonder if he’s regretting it now. Oh, my word.
This is the sickest hand ever. Benny Spindler shows the king jack at the end as he rakes in that pot. Benny Spindler went on to win the EPT 8 London title. The year before that, Daniel Negreanu stunned the table with one of his favorite party tricks.
Daniel is determined. Angel small river bet is a value hand that kid poker can’t beat. Although it’s hard for him to rep a hand, he’s bumping it up. Figure you got aces or kings.
Can I say that, or is that illegal? [INAUDIBLE] I can say what he has, but not what I have? Yep. OK. I’m thinking aces or kings.
You think right. Daniel really pulled the trigger correctly on that one. And Shlome is now thinking, if you read me for aces or kings, surely you can beat aces or kings. I have to fold. If I show one, do I have to show all? No.
OK. I can show one? Yep. I can show one if I want to? I don’t feel like it.
I don’t have a good one the show. Aces or kings are good, right? Of course. Just saying, that’s what I thought he had. Not that I can beat it. Daniel knows how to entertain the table, but for max entertainment, you have to show the bluff.
At number one, from [INAUDIBLE], Miss Finland, Sara Chafak, pulls off the best block of all time– on the very first hand. Hi. Hi. Ronnie, if you bust her on the first hand– He bets. $30,000. And Sara raises with a straight draw.
You have something? Yes, I do. I believe you. I believe you. $30,000? Yeah.
That’s the way all my relationships start– with lies. So, Ronnie has called the raise and improves to trips on the turn. Oh, boy. Why are you checking?
You raised me on the flop. Um– num, num. She bets just over half the pot. Ronnie, do not bust her before the swimsuit portion. Ronnie’s clock is running.
Remember, every player has 30 seconds per decision. If he thinks she’s bluffing, he’ll call. If not, he could raise. The shot clock.
Best Poker Bluffs Ever Recorded
Oh, yeah. i forgot that. Raise.
Best Poker Bluffs Ever High
$155,000. $155,000. She really should not be calling this. $255,000.
She re-raises. What? Just [INAUDIBLE]. Oh, OK.
I’m not used to those yet. Really, huh? $255,000. Yes.
Ronnie calls, which means we’re going to the river, and that means the cage is coming into play. The board bricks out for Sara. She has just ace high. Check. She’s bluffed every straight so far. All in.
And she shops. [INAUDIBLE] please slide what you’re card is. She slides out the bluff card. Oh, my god. How is this happening?
I thought it would be– I wanted to stay and play with you, Miss Finland. I understand. I know, I am. 10 seconds, Ronnie. Wow, like that.
He’s playing a time bank chip. He gets an extra 30 seconds. There’s a reason why the Finnish reputation, right? I have a four. He shows her his hand.
You know, I have trips. I don’t if I can fold this hand. I don’t know how you play, I’ve never played with you before. What is going on here?
If I fold this hand, and they see this fold, and you have like king queen or something, it’s going to be the most embarrassing thing ever for me. You understand this, right? I don’t have any time to think over this hand.
I’m like nervous. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s nice over there. $300,000. $500,000. Oh, my goodness.
$600,000. Five seconds. And Ronnie’s folded. Holy schnikeys. [INAUDIBLE] Come on.
It’s a bluff. Show. She has ace high. Ronnie, you’re going to the cage.
He cannot believe it. I was really scared. Oh, my god. You were really scary. Is this real life?
Did this happen to me? I almost had a heart attack. That was awesome. Thank you. Wow, that was fantastic.
You’ve got some balls, girl. I could have two million chips. Oh, my god. Good lay down.
Oh, my god. Rumor has it, Ronnie is still in that cage crying. So, those are the poker stars top five bluffs.
Keep an eye out for more countdowns on pokerstars.tv. Holy [BLEEP]. Would you have folded my hand?