How to Master the Art of Bluffing
Do you know it is usually said if the evolutionary biology is to be believed, those who can deceive, have more chances to survive? The same theory applies to poker. When you start believing in something, it no longer remains a lie. In poker, bluffing is an art that needs to be learned to become a successful poker player.
In this piece of blog, let’s find out how self-deception helps your bluff work.
When Bluffing comes Automatically
When you increase in the frequency of deceptions, you become unaware of your self-deception and this is the most successful bluffing. Say for instance a novice poker player who believes that his two middle pairs are the best hand, where Flushed and Straights are possible, hence he raises. A player with a non-nut Flush and Straight is in dicey potions. And he tries to find any weakness of his opponent but fails, finally, he has to fold. The winner takes the pot, without having remotest of the idea that he just compelled his opponent to fold with a stronger hand.
The Art of Self-Deception
You should imagine that you are playing a favorable hand. You need to make the right efforts to prevent these thoughts and emotions on your face which can easily be read by your opponents. This task is difficult because you have something in your mind but you have to pretend something else on your face. You need to seem calm and relaxed but inside you are shaking and feeling nervous. Hence instead of being fully aware of the bluff, try to convince yourself that you have that Straight or Flush that you emulate. It is about deceiving yourself. When you repeat this scenario to yourself, you do not have to do it consciously. After some practice, these thoughts will become natural and real to you. This will help you become a smart bluffer effortlessly.
Bet Size
In no-limit poker, you must give a thought to the size of your bet when bluffing. Mostly, you will bet the least amount needed to get your opponent to fold. But what could be that amount? It seems that the more you bet the more likely your opponent will be to fold. Practically this is rarely true. You should think of thresholds beyond which opponents will not call and try you get as close to the threshold as you can.
When you are aware that your opponent is especially tight, a smaller bet might be sufficient. Say way, if your opponent is a calling station, no matter how large you bet you may not encourage him to fold – meaning you shouldn’t attempt a bluff at any cost.
Your Position
The position you are in compare to your remaining player or players in the hand is an important aspect. You need to understand how your opponents react to the board before you decide to bluff. Making a late position is always beneficial than early position when bluffing. When you pretend to be weak and allow him to bet you can see his reaction but instead when you have to bet or check first, you won’t be able to see his reaction to the board.
Often, it may be better to bluff from early position. If you are against a rather delicate opponent, who understands the benefit of bluffing from late position, you would be able to fool him into folding a superior hand by betting in early position.
Synopsis
Above-listed is some of the tips that you can imply to bluff successfully which is necessary an art if you want to be a successful poker player.