You’ve
seen and heard how professional players are able to calculate their
odds in mere seconds and emerge as victors. But as we all know and
as the same players are quick to point out, poker is not just a game
of who can add one plus one the fastest.
Poker is also a mental game. A psychological warfare where what’s
false can be true and what’s true can be false. In other words,
poker is also a game of bluffing.
If you want to improve your poker skills, you have to understand
when it’s right to bluff and when it’s better to fold.
This article provides you several tips when it comes to deceiving
your opponents.
No Bluffing In Low Limit Games.
Trying to deceive your opponents with a bluff in a low limit game
is rather pointless as players usually have no qualms on calling
things to a showdown in this type of game. Bluff when there’s
a higher limit or more preferably, on no-limit games as it’s
easier and more logical to scare people away into folding when there’s
more to lose. It’s also advisable to bluff when you’re
truly representing something than nothing.
The Famous Poker Face
Practice makes perfect is certainly true in this case. How else can
you improve your poker face unless you consistently use it when
playing and doing so till it improves? Perfecting the right touch
of indifference – it shouldn’t seem forced or contrived
but just natural – is quite an arduous task to achieve but
rest assured that it’s well worth the time, especially when
you’re playing live poker games. If it helps, try practicing
it on a mirror while watching your favorite Mr. Bean episode. If
that doesn’t make you laugh, then you certainly got what
it takes.
Like Identifies Like
If you know how to bluff then you may able to recognize similar indications
on other poker players’ faces that tell you they’re
also bluffing.
Semi-bluffing
You’re still bluffing your way to victory, even though you
have a strong chance on winning already. This is better suited for
no-limit games.
Slowplaying
You’ve hit the jackpot. The initial reaction of inexperienced
players – calling stations if you will – is to immediately
go for the win, never mind that there’s a chance of the pot
growing bigger than it already is. As the more experienced player,
however, you see the logic in waiting until the stakes are high and
victory becomes sweeter.
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