Bluffing is often considered one of the most difficult skills to master in poker, largely due to the fact that there are so many different estimations that are required to get right to have a successful bluff.
This is especially true when playing online as there are no live tells to rely on. However, there is information that can be used to make an educated decision when bluffing or not, even when playing in the toughest of games. Although we do advise players to find soft games, which might run on either various legally permitted online casino platforms, sportsbooks, or dedicated poker sites.
What is a bluff?
A bluff is you telling a story that you have a hand stronger than your actual cards are, aside from something like timing tells, when talking about online things that can be looked at whether to bluff or not are mostly derived from assessing your opponents range that would come from strong understanding of GTO.
Regardless, bluffing is still a key factor in a winning player’s success at the tables as winning a pot without actually going to the showdown can be a big part of your winrate. You must analyse your opponents betting patterns, timings, their range based on previous actions and player profile to know when a bluff could be more successful than not.
How to bluff successfully
Let’s look at the key factors more in depth:
- Knowing your customer – Is our villain sticky or tight?
- Are they more likely to bluffcatch or more likely to fold against the line you take?
- Do we have any reads or notes on them from previous hands or even sessions, especially ones with tankfolds or calldowns?
Knowing their tendencies will help assessing whether a bluff would work or not. While conviction can be key in any bluff, especially when it’s executed over multiple streets, naively continuing in the face of steadfast opposition can lead to significant losses. So, gambling responsibly and keeping a cool head is just as vital.
Betting pattern
Stay consistent with your betting patterns regardless whether you are bluffing or not to give your opponents the most difficult time making a decision. A good sizing is incredibly more effective than a poorly used one.
Position
There is a lot of truth in the saying “Position is power” in poker. The difference between acting first and acting last is insurmountable, therefore if you are playing a hand with some devious intentions to bluff on future streets depending on factors, it’s best to do it when in position.
When to bluff in poker (and when not to)?
Poker is as much about timing as it is about opportunity. If you are playing in a game where people hate folding it would be smart to bluff way less (or even never), whereas if vice versa is true then you might want to bluff like a maniac and shoot three barrels all the way to the river all day long!
Regardless, when bluffing do it with confidence and try to radiate that whilst doing it, you might find higher success rates at the tables! Just remember to keep it calm when playing as bluffing might lead to some bigger swings than no bluffing.
How to use blockers and pot-odds when bluffing
Since we don’t have any live reads on our opponent and notes could be sparse we have to look into pot odds and blockers when bluffing. Estimating how often you need to win the hand for a bluff to be profitable can be very beneficial for your bottom line.
For those of you who like maths and the theory side of bluffing, let’s look at the numbers:
Break-even calculations for bluffing:
- Bluffing half the pot: You need your opponent to fold 33% of the time to break even. (How to Calculate: BE = Risk/(Risk + Reward) = 0.5P/(0.5P + P) = 1/3)
- Bluffing the full pot: You need your opponent to fold 50% of the time to break even. (How to Calculate: BE = Risk/(Risk + Reward) = P/(P + P) = 1/2)
If you have some equity like a gutshot straight draw to back up your plan in case the bluff doesn’t go through, even better. You don’t to succeed that often after all!
What about blockers? Well, having cards that block the absolute nuts (a good example is if there is a flush possible, but you hold the Ace of that suit and the board is not paired) will decrease the chance of you getting called massively since it is impossible for you to be bluffing into the nuts. Flush and straight blockers are the most common examples players might use when deciding whether to fire the bluff or not.
Last thoughts
Bluffing in online poker is just as important of a skill to have in your arsenal as any, if not more. Victory is based on sharp timing and crisp betting patterns, however we should not forget to adjust to the game and circumstances that might appear.
Regardless whether you are a hobbyist player or a professional, getting a big bluff through on the river is one of the best feelings in poker without a doubt!
