A Poker Newbie’s Guide to Bluffing Successfully in Texas Holdem Č If you are a new poker player and you still want to be a master bluffer, it’s helpful to first know how to play the game, so you can learn how to bluff successfully. Bluffing is the technique of making another player believe you have a strong hand when in fact your hand is very weak. A poker newbie may not be sure how to bluff and may have a difficult time doing so. But with some simple strategies and a little bit of study, you can learn how to bluff and use it to win pots you should be winning, and avoid bluffs that will likely lose.
Luck often plays a big role when players get pairs they should not have, or an ace they shouldn’t have. A poker newbie may not be sure how to bluff and lose when in fact a straight draw is good and will likely win the poker game. It’s also beneficial to protect your hand when possible. How? If you have a flush draw, you can try to get an opponent to think that you have several outs to improve your hand, thus potentially giving you away. How can you do this? Simple, make a bet that is within a similar range as your opponent’s raise. If you hit your draw, you should probably bet they odds, since you are giving your hand away. If you just want to get your opponent to raise, and not have to meet his bet, you can simply back off and let him bet.
When you have a good hand pre-flop, it’s a good idea to mix up your play and be somewhat unpredictable. However, don’t do this too much. Mixing up your play and varying your cards can sometimes be an effective strategy, especially when playing at a cash table, but it can also draw scrutiny. It’s best to keep your opponents in the dark with regards to your hand.
Although you’re looking to get your opponents to raise, sometimes it’s best to just call. This is especially true if your opponent tends to be very aggressive. If you have a reasonably strong hand, you don’t want to take a chance at it. Calling, thus, may seem to be a lesser of a risk, but unless you have a very strong hand, it may not reap a return. Mixing up your play can help here.
As the blinds fold and the number of active players in your game lessens, it’s a good idea to play a more aggressive game. Pace yourself, so you don’t become too predictable. If you’re able to pick up a hand from time to time, at least in holdem ring games, you’ll be able to hold your own. This is especially important as the blinds rise.
woods of Texas Holdem strategy is an excellent guide to all of the possible strategies for a range of situations. Because of the nature of poker, no strategy is foolproof. Although you can’t predict cards, a strong starting hand can still lose. Bluffing, as opposed to simply calling, is a more dangerous course. Don’t become predictable, otherwise you’ll find yourself being picked off by a better hand.
Even with all of the above mentioned Texas Holdem strategies, playing winning poker doesn’t have to be a challenge. It can be accomplished relatively easily. Just remember, practice makes perfect. Study the above Texas Holdem strategies and be certain that they’re a valuable gift; that they’ll help you win some hands and ultimately win the big money.
Glen Chircian is a jewelry salesman from Vegas. He read about poker in the sidewalkconservative weekly, the only magazine he had access to, and decided he needed to learn how to win. He’s read hundred of pages, and knows dozens of strategies. He Coins The House with both hands. He has made some money, sure, but math and statistics dominate his life. He claims to make anywhere from $50,000 to $1 million each year, though he says his current employement is about 8 months, 5 weeks, and 2 hours per week.
He has 3 children, and was married for awhile. He attended Duke University, and feels he would have been a better there, though he attended a “much better” school. He has no children and seems to have been redeemed by his children.
He has said that the NCAA Tournament introduced him to poker, and that he’s learned from the experience. He’s apparently not as smart as he used to be, though. He thinks he would have done better in a different class. He claims never to have had a job, and was discouraged from having a career by his father.