There’s a lot of talk about bluffing in poker. But do you know what the most common poker bluffs are? Or how to spot them? A lot of people don’t.
Well, this is what this poker bluff guide is here for! We’re going to show you the most popular and best bluffs in poker. We will also outline the signs of a bluff. By the end, you’ll know how to spot one for yourself!
Contents
What is a Bluff in Poker?
First things first, what is a bluff? A bluff is a type of deception in poker.
You are deceiving the other players in a poker game into thinking that your hand is stronger than it really is. You can do this with your behaviour or the moves you make.
The goal here is to get other players to fold before you.
Why Do Players Bluff?
The answer to this question is simple enough. You bluff in poker because you want to win. Not only that, but you want to win with a weaker hand.
The reality is that strong hands don’t come along all that often in poker. This means that for most of the time, you’ve got to make the best of a weaker hand.
This is where bluffing comes in. It helps to create doubt in the minds of your opponents. If you do it right, you trick them into thinking that you have an advantage in the game.
Common Poker Bluffs: The Top Types
There are four most common types of bluffs. Here is a brief description of each one:
Pure Bluff
This is also known as a stone-cold bluff. This is when you bet or raise when you don’t have a good hand. Also, there is no chance for you to improve the hand you have.
Here are the pros to this hand:
Do you spot a nervous player who you think might have a stronger hand? Well, a pure bluff could get them to fold!
If you can do this with enough players, you can win the pot without having to fight your way to the showdown.
Of course, there are some risks as well. If called, you lose.
You must also avoid overusing this bluff. Remember, if your opponents catch on, you don’t have a strong enough hand to hold them off.
Semi Bluff
With this bluff, you raise when you have a hand that isn’t great, but has the chance to improve. This means that if the right cards come along, you can build a stronger hand.
The plus side of this bluff is that if you get called, you can still have a chance to win later on.
You can use this bluff when:
- On the flop or turn in community-card games like Texas Hold’em.
- When you hold a draw: e.g., a flush draw or straight draw
One of the perks of this bluff is that it puts pressure on other players in the game. And all the while, you still get to keep your equity.
There are some issues that you need to know about the semi-bluff. For one thing, if your draws miss, you lose your bet.
If the other players feel like you’re using this bluff, they may call or raise. If this happens, they will cut into your fold equity.
Continuation Bluff
Some people also call this the C-Bet. It is when you raise before the flop. And then, bet on the flop again. You do this regardless of whether or not the flop helped your hand.
Raising pre-flop makes you look like you’ve got a strong hand. Raising after does the same thing, too. This is because many flops aren’t very helpful. The other players may not have made anything and may choose to fold!
Opportunistic Bluff
This is a good bluff to try when you think that other players in the game aren’t very interested in trying to win the pot.
For instance, you’ve noticed that your opponents aren’t betting or they are checking. Of course, in this example, your hand isn’t very strong either!
It is important only to use this bluff for some small or medium-sized bluffs.
There is less risk with this bluff, but it is still possible for some of the other players to catch on to what you’re doing.
How to Identify the Most Common Poker Bluffs in Online Games
There are two avenues you can use to spot a bluff in poker. These can improve your online betting strategies.
The Poker Game and Betting Patterns
- Check the board’s community cards against the strength of a player’s bet. If it seems to be a mismatch, there’s a good chance it’s a bluff.
- Is there a missed draw along with a large bet? Your opponent is likely bluffing.
- Is a player making an unusually high bet? Or, do they seem to be acting very quickly? It is possible that they are bluffing by acting like their hand is stronger than it actually is.
- A player’s actions should be in line with their moves earlier on in the hand. If they seem to be switching things up, it could be a bluff.
Physical and Verbal Tells
- Check for changes in body language. These tells may be obvious soon after a community card is laid down or maybe after the flop.
- A change in behavior that occurs when the player makes a move, such as placing a big bet.
- Talking excessively during the game
- Anxious behaviors that include shifting around and avoiding eye contact
How to Counter Common Poker Bluffs
OK, so you know how to spot a bluffer. Here is what you can do once you find them out:
- Have the confidence to call: Call the player down if there’s a good chance the player is bluffing. And if the bet size and odds are in your favor.
- Raise to scare the bluffers: This is only something you should do if you’re in a good position to beat the player. And, if you want to test someone whom you think is bluffing.
- Call lighter with frequent bluffers: This tactic may get the player to bluff again. This only really works with players who bluff often, though.
- Weigh the cost of big bluffs: Before you call, consider the outcome. If you’re likely to win more than you will lose by calling, go ahead.
- Call when you have a reasonably good hand: This gets your opponent to add in more money. You can then win a bigger pot.
How to Use Common Poker Bluffs in Online Poker
For the most part, real-world game bluffs work just as well with online poker. But, this does depend on the type of poker you’re playing!
The thing about a live casino platform like Yolo247 is that you have so many poker options.
In a physical casino, you would only have a couple of games like Texas Hold ‘Em. But at Yolo247, the choice is incredible.
You have so many poker games to choose from. But bluffing doesn’t work with all these games.
Bluffing will be most effective when you’re playing traditional live poker by TVBet.
You may also be able to use it with some success for Bet on Poker by Bet Games.
When Will Bluffing Not Work?
Now let’s talk about some of the games that bluffing won’t work on.
There are a lot of poker-related instant games online on our site. These games can seem like the real deal. But there’s no live dealer or other players.
This means that bluffing will not work. Here are two instant games where bluffing will have no effect:
Here is another category where bluffing won’t work: casino slot games. For one thing, these games are quite different from a traditional poker game. For another, players usually don’t have much control over these types of games.
Here are some games to watch out for:
Key Considerations When Using Common Poker Bluffs
Here are the dos and don’ts of bluffing in poker:
- Only bluff when the situation is in your favor. For example, when there are fewer players in the pot. Or you think a player will fold.
- Don’t bluff against players who don’t fold easily.
- Always create a story so that your bluffs make sense.
- Mix it up with bets and positions when bluffing.
- Don’t bluff when the game creates a situation for lots of calling.
- Don’t bluff too often.
- Don’t bluff for the sake of bluffing.
- Use semi-bluffs whenever you can.
Do Common Poker Bluffs Work on Other Card Games?
OK, so we’ve covered poker, but what about other card games? For instance, what about Dragon Tiger by 7Mojos?
In these games, you are playing against the dealer. As a result, bluffing won’t help you as much as some other playing strategies.
The Bottom Line: Most Common Poker Bluffs
Well, there you go – all you need to know about bluffing in poker! You are now aware of the top bluffs in the game. And how to spot them.
What will you do with your newfound skills? Will you use them to spot bluffers? Or will you start bluffing yourself? Or, are you going to try a bit of both? The options are endless!
Just remember to always follow responsible gambling protocol to stay safe while playing.
FAQs
There are four main types of bluffs in poker. These are the pure bluff, semi-bluff, continuation bluff, and opportunistic bluff.
There are several ways you can do this. This includes if they’re new moves don’t match their earlier ones. Or, if they seem to be acting anxious.
The best way to do this is by paying attention. Focus on how others are playing and their behaviour as they are doing so.
It is important to only bluff on occasion and when it makes sense. Otherwise, your opponents will be able to pick up on it.
