When to Bluff with Texas Holdem Cards
by: jreidergp@gmail.com
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Word Count: 767
Learn the most important tricks to bluffing. Learn when to bluff, when not to bluff and even when to bluff that you are bluffing.
When playing any poker game and especially Texas Holdem, bluffing to win is a required tactic but a dangerous one. If you perform it well, you win, if you perform it badly, you will lose. At first glance, it seems that it is worth the chance, but no. Unless you can bluff like an expert and unless the conditions are right, do not bluff. Remember that if caught bluffing at Texas Holdem, you will not only lose, but you will lose a big amount of money.
a) Verify that the cash amount of the pot is not very large. Likewise, if there are too many players still in the game desist from bluffing. You can bluff one or two players sometimes, but more than that and you will fail because there will always be either one or two poker players who play aggressively and do not flinch in the face of an aggressive player.
b) This rule applies mostly if you are playing a draw game, but even if you are engaged in one of the stud poker versions such as Texas Holdem only: Bluff (unless you are playing against only one player and you are sure he is a passive poker player) only if your cards sum up at least to a pair. If the double cards you are holding are not strong such as two threes or two fours, it would be wise not to try and bluff. Again, if by previous rounds you have learnt that the players still in the hand are passive or are running scared because they have lost big on one of the previous rounds where they bluffed and lost, you should take advantage and bluff them into losing again.
c) Seating is very important to bluffing. If you are the first player when playing Texas Holdem that has to make a decision, or if you are the last player that has to decide, you have an upper hand on the rest of the players. If seated in the beginning, you can terrorize the rest by placing a large bet when the Holdem Dealer asks you to make your move. Big bets placed in the beginning of a round will scare off those players who have small hands and leave you to go head to head only with a select few. Likewise, if you are the last player in line, you are in the best position of knowing which players are willing to bet and which are not. If players remain in the game without rising the bet, this is your chance. Raise the bet. Most will drop out because their cards are not good enough.
4) The best time for bluffing is just after you have won a big round where someone forced you to expose your cards and you revealed a strong hand. All the players around will start to gaze at you with respect. Exactly this is the time to strike and bluff the next round while they are still weary of confronting you and the cards you hold. If possible, try and play this Texas hold'em round in exactly the same way you did the previous one and this will confuse them completely.
e) Since you are playing Texas Holdem, pay attention to the cards that the dealers places face-up on the poker table. If you find that the cards down make up a weak pair, then start bluffing. Others will think you have the card to make up a triple, and will back off in fright.
f) Just like in other games, you have to memorize the playing patterns of your opponents. Some will hesitate, some will bet always while others will think and then make their move confidently. What you have to do is to look for those particular players that are playing Texas Holdem carefully without taking any risks. These are the ones that you can bluff and make them fold their cards even if your cards amount to a big zero.
Closure:
Bluffing is not very different than lying on a test or to friends. If you are a good liar, you will be able to bluff with a lot more confidence than others. But you need to reduce the amount you lie because whereas in life people tend to believe you, in Texas Hold'em, players tend not to believe you.
About the Author
Examining and reporting on web casinos and internet poker rooms is what Renaldo does for a living. He is also a father of three children.
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