Playing the Perfect Bluff in Poker

Trey Killian

February 7th, 2019

If you’ve just started playing poker, you may have already felt the urge to try to bluff your opponents. After all, there’s nothing better than raking in a big pot using the art of deception alone. But your luck can soon run out if you overplay this tactic, especially if the player across the table recognizes your tell. Here are a few tips on playing the perfect bluff, and turning a poker face into profit.

Pick Your Moment

Timing is key when pulling off the perfect bluff. Ultimately, you should only do it if it gives you a better chance of winning the pot than you’d have playing the cards as they’re dealt.

You should never enter a round of betting with a preconceived plan to bluff; knowing when to employ this strategy comes with experience. You’ll need to work out whether your opponent is likely to fold, based on the way they've played over the last few rounds. However, there are certain situations in which a bluff is statistically more likely to pay:

If your position is last in the round of betting, you’re in a perfect position to determine the strength of your opponents’ hands. If everyone has checked, there’s a good chance they’re holding mediocre cards, or are unwilling to take risks – now would be a good time to raise the stakes with a bluff.
If you’re playing against a small stack (i.e. an opponent with few chips remaining), then playing a bluff early in the round may convince them to cut their losses. It could go the other way, of course – players with little to lose are just as likely to raise as to fold.

Think About Image

Your table image is more important in poker than in any other card game. After all, it’s your opponents who will ultimately decide whether your bluff is successful or not. Players who consistently avoid risk will be perceived as "tight" – when they do make big bets they're more likely to be believed.

Conversely, a "loose" image is gained by playing recklessly with your chips. Eventually, opponents will try to catch you out on your bluffs, but they’re also more likely to bet into you when you’re finally dealt a strong hand.

The Potential of Your Hand

Bluffing when your cards have no chance of taking the pot can be useful, but good poker players will also bluff to keep them in the game while they wait for a better hand on the Turn or River (the fourth and fifth community cards).

So, if you only need one card to complete a Flush, let’s say, you could bet heavily into your opponent in the previous round, in the hope of either scaring them off or securing a winning hand. This is a semi-bluff, and having a plan B often pays at the poker table.