bluff tips please

[anilka]

Playing no limit poker online, texas hold-em,
has been my hobbie for the last 2 months, but
i only bet when i get good hands, cause im not really good at bluffing, my way of bluff is betting hard pre-flop when i have at least one high card and
when more than three players had call
so they fold an i get the blinds, i think is a really bad way of bluffing, but i would like to know if it is actually
bad, and what other ways can i bluff...?

:spades: :clubs: :diamonds: :hearts:

[sandalwood]

I don't play online but I would imagine it is the same as if you were playing in a live game. It seems to me you have set your table persona by being very predictable, e.g. betting the same way time after time.

Have you tried changing your style at all? Go from tight to loose to medium loose, etc.

Give it a try and see what happens.

Tom:)

Playing no limit poker online, texas hold-em,
has been my hobbie for the last 2 months, but
i only bet when i get good hands, cause im not really good at bluffing, my way of bluff is betting hard pre-flop when i have at least one high card and
when more than three players had call
so they fold an i get the blinds, i think is a really bad way of bluffing, but i would like to know if it is actually
bad, and what other ways can i bluff...?

:spades: :clubs: :diamonds: :hearts:

[somelittlehobo]

From all my experience online and live, online bluffing is the easiest because it isnt necessarily possible to give it away with body language. But it is also more difficult online b/c some people play in wreckless ways online just to have fun. Basically the best way to bluff is what sandalwood said, set a "pattern" of what you do. Make everyone think they know what you have and then change it up. As long as you catch people off guard it was a good bluff!

[OsiriX]

The tips from sandalwood are very good.
I'm not bluffing a lot, but when I try the most of the time it works.
They think I wont bluff because I win if I raise.

[chewyshoe]

In all honesty - I wouldn't bother bluffing online - from the sounds of it you are playing small tables (Prob $10 N/L maybe $25) - most people will chase hands on those tables so it isn't worth whiled bluffing.

Just keep playing the strong hands and eventually you will hit a set/trips and suck somebody out.

[De51DaWG]

if your playing small stakes like NL2-NL10, i really would just stick to playing ABC Poker.

Don't Bluff unless you have a good tell on your opponents.

[MJPerry]

But, Desi, ABC poker includes some bluffing.

At NL10 I find betting scary cards + PFR/cbetting to be very +EV

[TJericho]

Playing no limit poker online, texas hold-em,
has been my hobbie for the last 2 months, but
i only bet when i get good hands, cause im not really good at bluffing, my way of bluff is betting hard pre-flop when i have at least one high card and
when more than three players had call
so they fold an i get the blinds, i think is a really bad way of bluffing, but i would like to know if it is actually
bad, and what other ways can i bluff...?

:spades: :clubs: :diamonds: :hearts:

It seems like your way of 'bluffing' is taking place pre-flop - which only really means that you're going to get called only by better cards. I'd need more info I think to give you better tips on bluffing, as you say - though sandalwood's suggestion of changing up your play style is an important one.

Just remember that a bluff is more than just an overbet. A bluff is a way to make money from a pot that you otherwise probably wouldn't be. Save the bluffing, especially in smaller limit tables, for post-flop. You'll have more information about both your hand and your opponents'.

And, my best advice, is to keep changing it up and reading some about pre and post-flop play. Figure out your odds and see if betting so big pre-flop (without much to back it up) is really worth taking down the blinds every few plays.

[MJPerry]

I think people generally bluff far more than they should.

Firstly, there should be no such thing as bluffing preflop- that is, playing crap like J9o and trying to pass it off as AA. Sure, you can be playing 45s off the button but that's taking advantage of position and not bluffing.

On the flop, be selective with the bluffs. You can c-bet for example.

If you want to bluff sucessfully 100% of the time then just don't bluff.

[TJericho]

I think people generally bluff far more than they should.

Firstly, there should be no such thing as bluffing preflop- that is, playing crap like J9o and trying to pass it off as AA. Sure, you can be playing 45s off the button but that's taking advantage of position and not bluffing.

On the flop, be selective with the bluffs. You can c-bet for example.

If you want to bluff sucessfully 100% of the time then just don't bluff.

I don't think that simply "don't bluff" is the best advice here.

The fact of the matter is, especially at the limits that the original poster is likely playing at, most people honestly don't care if you're bluffing. Not that you can't do it, it's just that much of the time it's not going to be truly effective - so do it selectively. Pre-flop, probably not the best time.

[MJPerry]

Thanks for repeating what I said in a less detailed way.

[Clay]

I like to bluff after I have few hot hands almost always works
Bluffing is easier after a winning streak