[Percyball]

Bluffing could be the most known word in poker. There’s a general idea that it is not possible to bluff during an online poker game. Most people believe this is impossible and although it is true that online bluffing may be more difficult and not quite as effective, it does not mean you cannot make it happen.

In order to master the online bluffing art, you must first become aware of the three different types of bluffing you can use to your advantage during an online poker game.

First of all there’s the semi-bluff. It consists on betting on a hand that is worthless at the time but has the potential to turn into something better. It is considered a bluff because the hand is currently worthless but at the same time you can foresee its real potential when it turns into something you can use later on the game. As you gain experience with online poker, you will become better at picking the right moments to semi-bluff your competition.

Then there’s the straight bluff, this is when you lay it all on the line without hesitation. To put it in other words, is when you bet a large amount of money all the time when you know your hand is absolutely worthless or doesn’t have no chance of winning. Once again, as you get better you will learn when is the best moments to pull this one off.

You also have to possibility to bet in two parts. This can be quite effective and if you master this technique it can generate you a lot of winnings. To do this, you will want to raise your competition in the initial round of bets. The purpose of this is to make your competition believe that you have a hand that could turn into a winner. You must raise enough so that you can trick some of the players at the table into folding, this will eliminate some of your competition right away. After getting your new cards, toss a lot of money in so that the other players think that you pulled what you need. It takes a lot of skill, but mastering this technique will make you a better online poker player.

The only way to get good at bluffing is to practice. At first it may seem hard but over time you will learn when to bluff as well as how to read bluffs. Both aspects will make you more successful and hopefully wealthier as well.

See you at the tables,

P-ball

[ablack_la]

The last one you refer to is called a continuation bet. We all know being dealt AK preflop, raising 3-4 times the blind, 1 or 2 callers and flop comes 6-7-2 offsuit. I would at this point make a continuation bet IF I have first action OR if it is checked to me. If the flop comes Q 10 8 w/2 suited cards, you may want to hold your fire if you are first to act. The less players going to the flop, and the more ragged to flop, the more successful a continuation bet can be. Bluffing is much more difficult online, especially at lower limits, because of all the bad players that will play back at you with nothing, or call you down with the most marginal of holdings. For example:

The other day I was playing a 20$SNG and we were 4 handed.utg folded, and I raised 3 1/2 times the blind w/K10s and was called by BB. Flop came Q J 6 rainbow. I fired about 3/4 of the pot and was called. Turn came a 4. I decided I was going to try and bluff the guy all in, as we both had big stacks(he had me covered by a little)and moved in on him. He INSTACALLED with 6-7 offsuit. I was in total shock by this call! This was not a great call, but a call by someone who would rather lose with the worst hand than give me credit for something better than a pair of 6's. With that call, I was out, and missed the money(NO I had not been moving in alot, and was playing pretty tightly most of the game.)

So if you bluff at a pot on the flop and are called, be VERY careful about firing a second bullet. Don't try to do your best Stu Ungar impression! Alot of online players WILL CALL YOU DOWN WITH ANYTHING. If you have been at the table for awhile, and the player you are going to attempt to bluff has played well and made some decent laydowns, it might be worth the effort. Mike Matusow poker 101-NEVER BLUFF TO AN IDIOT!