Table Position,
Bluffing
June 8 2008
If you’re going to bluff in poker, you’ve got to be smart about it. You can’t just decide “I’m going to bluff this hand” as the cards are being dealt. Deciding when to bluff has to be determined by what’s happened in the hands so far. It’s not just gut instinct without relevant information, despite what TV and movies would have you believe.
One of the more basic ways to bluff is by position. The best place at the table from which to make a successful bluff attempt is a late position. The reasoning behind this should be quite obvious. Namely, it’s because in a late position you have gained a lot of information from your opponents’ plays, and can use it to decide whether or not it is a good time to attempt a bluff.
If you’re on the button and a scare card like an ace or a king just hit the board, and the entire table just checked ahead of you, it may be a good time to bluff. You have to be cautious of a check-raiser, but you should have a feeling about that from what you already know about your opponents and how the betting has gone so far in the hand.
Remember, winning poker is all about shrewd decision making, and making the right decision is all about having information. The better your position, the better your information should be, and the better your bluff attempts should be as result.
Want to try out your
bluffing skills? Sign up for an online tournament!
