Bluffing in Poker Tournaments
In the card game of poker, a bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand [ Wikipedia ]. In other words, bluffing is the art of making other people believe you have a strong hand when in reality you're holding a dud.
Bluffing is an integral part of online poker tournaments which greatly contributes to the excitement of the game - and your bottom line. There is definitely something appealing in having the worst hand and bluffing your way to a pot.
Beginners of tan make a mistake of trying to bluff all the time. After a while they learn that you have to bluff sparingly and only when the conditions are right. But when exactly are the conditions right? There are no firm rules, or bluffing would not be what it is. Experience is important - there is no substitute for experience in knowing when to bluff and when are your opponents bluffing. Still, by following just three simple guidelines even novice players can use bluffing to a great advantage:
- 1. Know the other players
If all the players are new to you, it is impossible to tell how they'll react in any given situation, decreasing your chances of a successful bluff.
The first important step is selecting the online poker tournament that matches your skills, on a platform that lets you take notes on your opponents. Second, play conservatively early on and concentrate on working out the playing styles of other players.
- Bluff only in a late position
Bluffing in an early position increases your risks exponentially - you simply do not have the information on other people's hand that players in late positions do.
- Bluff randomly
A good bluff depends on other players not being able to tell whether you're bluffing or not. Experienced players are very good in recognizing the patterns of behavior and "reading" other players.
Therefore, the best way to avoid your bluffing pattern from being detected is not to have a pattern at all. How do you do that? By hooking your bluffing to a random external event - for example the sum of your hidden cards.For as long as it's unpredictable - it works!
