Bluffing is an art. It is an essential element of the game. All poker players bluff. You decrease your win chances significantly if you try to avoid bluffing. Playing poker without bluffing means only playing half the game. A good player should always be looking to make a profit whenever an opportunity presents itself, and bluffing will help you achieve this.
Bluffing is a method of persuading an opponent to believe in something that is not real. If you have a perfect hand – it is a good idea not to show it to everyone else. Traditional bluffing works two basic ways – expressing positive emotions when you are losing and negative emotions when you are winning. Yet it only sounds simple. In practice experienced poker players are not only good actors, but also good psychologists.
Theory of bluffing divides bluff into 4 main categories: opportunistic bluff, continuation bluff, semi-bluff and stone-cold bluff. Choosing your bluffing style depends on the situation you got yourself into during the game. However, all types of bluff have one main objective – get a profitable bet. By understanding this it will be easier to use all your “acting skills” to reach positive results. It is also a good idea to never believe your opponents, even if you think that they are “easy to read”. And don’t forget to practise your bluffing skills before important games. It is as essential as learning poker theory and mathematical strategies.
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