How to Bluff in Poker

Taking down a big pot at poker night does not require the best hand at the table. These tips are specialized for "Texas Hold 'Em," but can be applied to any type of poker game.

-Know your game. Can you predict when one player is going to take the pot without showing his hand? Bluffing involves recognizing that situation and exploiting it.

-Don't bluff too much. It is essential that the other players think you only play good hands.

-The basic bluff goes like this: You have nothing. Your opponents have nothing. You bet. They fold. Sometimes it's difficult even to make people throw away an inside straight. Know your opponents. Watch for signs of disgust with their hand.

-Bluffing is best with a very small pot because no one really wants to vie for it with you. They think to themselves, "alright, if he has something good, he'll win.

-If he doesn't, I might win but it's not worth the risk." Although it doesn't seem like much money, it can be your edge if you do it well.

-It is a mistake to think that there are no mathematics involved in bluffing. It is mathematically a good idea to bluff if you are in late position against one or two opponents going into the flop. The small pool guarantees that no one has a very good idea of what the other person has. In other words it's a high risk bet for everyone.

-Betting into a high risk pot is bad poker strategy, so if a young/inexperienced player bets, he is probably bluffing (raise him) and if the player is older and better, you can trust his bet is backed up with at least something (fold). Keep in mind that the early position player might try to draw a bluff by checking if he has a good hand. That's part of the game.

-Conversely, it's generally not a good idea to bluff if a lot of people saw the flop. There is a very good chance that someone made at least a two pair or trips (the average winning hand in 10-handed holdem). It will take a very strong bet and strong reputation to scare away someone with a real hand.

-Some flops (three of a kind for example) lend themselves towards bluffing (betting with nothing) or semi-bluffing (overbetting your hand). For a flop to be "bluffable" it must be rare and there must be a small number of ways to win. Three queens on the flop is a perfect example. There is anxiety about who has the pocket pair. Fear and risk are a bluffer's best friends because good poker players look for easy money. In this case it is best to bluff in early position because if someone in early position has the nuts, they are likely to check and call the bluff.

-One fundamental requirement for successful bluffing is a table with other players who are thinking about what cards YOU have. In many low stakes (so called "No Fold'em) Hold'em games, players think only about their own hands; in these games, a bluff will rarely work.

-And most importantly: You don't have to show your cards if everyone else folds. You can take the pot and leave everyone to wonder what you had. This is almost always advisable.