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The Art of Bluffing in Online Poker
What is a bluff? It's simply trying to scare off the other players, hoping that they will fold and that you can win the game. You can call it a tacky move, but it's one of the most powerful strategies in poker. In fact, it can make you win—or lose—depending on how you do it.
Just to give you some few tips on how to bluff and when to do so, here are a number of scenarios:
1. Make a raise only if you can spare some of your cash. To raise means to add more into the pot—or you bet more than what you did before. When a person raises, it means that he's confident that he's going to win. Other opponents who have bad hands will likely fold. This is because they cannot risk the game anymore. In the end, you win the game. However, there are some unscrupulous players who would raise the bet even if they don't have much money anymore. Worse, they don't have the best cards. This is going to be a difficult situation, because you're not only going to lose the game, but you will go home empty-handed or bankrupt. Be a smart player. Know when the online poker game is going to be worth something or not.
2. Don't bluff when you're losing. This is like committing suicide, only that you allow other players to do the killing for you. You should know that bluffing is to be used only when you have a higher chance of winning. Otherwise, there's no reason for you to bluff. Instead of losing more money, you better fold.
Here's a potential situation to help you understand. Let's suppose that you bluff even if you have a mediocre hand. Your reason is to eliminate as many players as possible. There's a huge chance that you're also against smart players who know you are bluffing and will take the opportunity to pin you down. They're going to make a call or make a raise. Either way, you have to spend more money, even if you're already on the losing end.
3. Bluff when you're confident to do so. If you're going to bluff, make sure that you don't appear like you're doing it. Or else, other opponents can smell your tension, and they can gnaw your insides alive (kidding!). Seriously, they can take advantage of you, most especially if you're sitting together with the veterans. Nevertheless, don't bluff to the point of becoming arrogant. You don't do it for no reason at all. Avoid at all costs calling other players names. You don't only lose the game, but you will make an enemy.
There are plenty more tips on how to bluff, and you can get them by checking out online. You can also hit on the message boards, where you can meet other players who have bluffed their way to winning or losing. You can definitely get a lot of pointers from their stories.
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