Bluffing Poker: a technique that must be perfectly executed

The possibility of bluffing is one of the essential elements from the poker game. Indeed, it is quite possible to win at poker without showing your hand, even if you have the worst hand at the table. The bluff technique, however, requires a certain technique to work. We explain below how to bluff well in online poker or in land-based casinos.

Definition of the bluff

By definition, bluffing is simply the act of playing a move and betting when you have a weak hand that you should a priori throw away without hesitation. In a bluff situation, your cards don't really matter anymore, you know that your combination is bad. Your goal here is to deceive your opponents about the quality of your hand and to make them throw it during the game. To deceive your opponents and hide appearances, you can bet big, adapt a certain attitude (bet big without hesitation for a second)...

What type of players can you bluff?

The bluff is all the more likely to pass if you face conservative players who are not aggressive and play few hands. Similarly, inexperienced players are easily impressionable, a big bet in a small pot will tend to scare away players who have a small carpet or little experience of this type of situation. It is useless to bluff aggressive players who play every other hand, your bluff will certainly be unmasked and your reputation as a bluffer will not be to be done.

The poker face and reputation at the table, elements of the bluff

When you are at the poker table, it is imperative to adopt the "poker face". This consists of having an impassive facial expression, your opponents here are unable to determine your game. When you bluff, it's a stressful situation, you bet with a bad game, the risk of losing a good part of your stack or being eliminated from the tournament is important. Likewise, we advise you to bluff if you don't have a reputation as a bluffer at the table! Players who perceive you as a cautious player who only plays good hands will be all the easier to bluff. Conversely, if we see you as an overly aggressive player who gets into the shots too often, we advise you not to bluff or to change the table before bluffing.

Don't get stubborn in your bluff

It is quite possible to abandon a bluff during the game. Indeed, if you bet big on the flop to make your opponents throw but one or two opponents decide to follow your bet (call) or outbid (re-raise), it is very likely that your bluff will fail. It is wiser in the latter case to throw away your hand rather than continue betting or outbid. The goal of the bluff is to win without showing your game, it is useless to find yourself on the mat and show your bad hand to lose everything. Good game and good luck on the poker tables!