How to Bluff Effectively in Poker

Bluffing is the key to victory in many a game of poker. If you want to have long-term success at the game, your opponents must never be sure whether you have a strong hand or are simply bluffing.

However, that doesn’t mean you should bluff blindly. Spinia, considered by many to be the best online casino in Holland [3], offers some tips on when to bluff and how to convince your opponents that you have a stronger hand than it appears.

Make Your Bluffs Realistic

Your opponents probably have their eyes on all the showing cards and are doing math in their head as to the possible hands that others at the table have. If the cards people can see don’t suggest a high mathematical probability of a good hand, your bluff won’t work. On the other hand, if it seems reasonable that you might be able to put together three of a kind, a straight, or another strong hand, your bluff becomes much more effective.

Leave Yourself an Out

If somebody calls your bluff, it’s best to have something to fall back on. Even if you only have a high pair, you at least have a chance of winning against somebody who is also bluffing. Don’t bluff with nothing unless you are confident that you can sell that bluff. If your opponents have already seen you bluff with nothing early, you’ll have a harder time trying to convince them that you aren’t bluffing later on.

Consider the Odds

Even if your bluff works, certain strong hands dictate that a person won’t drop out. If somebody has a full house, for example, the odds are so strongly in their favor that they can’t realistically fold. Consider what your opponents might be able to put together and what you could potentially convince them you have. If it’s very likely that they have a strong hand, it’s probably not the time to push your luck. A successful bluff is one of the great joys of poker, as long as you’re the one executing it. And, obviously, this joy is stripped from the player when playing online poker [4]. Keep the advice above in mind and make sure that you time your bluffs well in order to catch your opponents off-guard and win as much money as possible.