Bluffing
This section is all about one of the main parts of playing any gambling game of cards, bluffing.
Bluffing is the term used when you think you have the losing hand but try to fool the other person into folding (quitting the hand) usually by putting in quite a few chips. The easiest way to do this is with an example in Texas Hold Em All.
Let’s say the table starts with 8 players and you are about the fifth player to bet, the rest having folded. You only have a nine of diamonds and 3 of clubs, rubbish cards. Of the three players after you two have bet small and big blind so haven’t seen their cards so you really only have two options, bet high or fold. You could call but if you do that the others will know you haven’t got much and will probably raise and then you will fold having thrown away the extra chips on the call.
A bluff is also a risk. If you raise high and put half your chips in then the people behind you would need a really good hand to stay in and risk losing all their chips. On the other hand if they do have a good hand and stay in then you have a lot in the pot to lose. Usually if this happens though you will have to fold.
Some people say its best to be one of the first to bet as this gives you the chance to bluff first but in my opinion it’s best to be near the end of the betting. By this time you know what hand you’ve got and whether it’s worth risking the chips. Also if someone has bet high and you think it’s a bluff you can then re-raise and bluff your way into getting all his chips.
I personally usually only bluff if I think there is a chance I can get a winning hand. For instance a seven and ten of clubs would seem a weak hand and most people wouldn’t bet much on it but it’s a good hand to bluff with. If it gets to the point where you think the other person is bluffing then this hand is worth a try with a re-raise. If he calls then you can carry on because there is a chance of a straight or a flush. Even two more tens would be good.
As with all games of chance you have to take some risks to win, the best thing about poker is bluffing and it’s even better if you can work out odds which we will look at next. A quick intro to that though is that most people would say getting dealt two tens is a good hand but if you look at it there are only two cards in the deck out of the other fifty to improve that hand. Someone with an ace king of same suit has three aces and three kings to help plus chances of a straight or flush, his odds are a lot higher than yours of winning.
The easiest way to judge if someone is bluffing is to look for a tell. A tell is something that someone does that lets you know they are bluffing, an example is that someone may start playing with their chips every time they bluff or look purposely happy trying to fool you into thinking they have a great hand. All the best players can see tells from other players early on in a game and use it to their advantage. Good luck for the future and hopefully soon you will learn to read other players tells.
