Bluffs are most effective against just one opponent. You may even be able to bluff two players. The more players in the pot, however, the greater the chances are that at least one player will call the bet. With three or more players in the pot, there are too many possibilities for the bluff to fail. First, you now need to fool too many players.

Second, perhaps one of those players you're trying to fool just has too strong a hand to go out with. Every time you add an additional opponent into the mix, the chances of that bluff's working go down considerably, and your bluff, simply by the law of averages, is much less likely to work. Avoid bluffing when more than two players remain in the game.

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It's easier to bluff a good player than a weak one, and it's smarter to bluff a player who will likely bow out than one who won't. It's simply percentages. When targeting a bluff, choose situations that give you the best opportunity of success. It's common sense, but still worth stating.

Many players seem to bluff indiscriminately; apparently they don't care about their target. That is a mistake. If you get a good scare card, say an ace, don't try to power out an opponent who will likely call anyway. There is no sense trying to bluff a player who won't be bluffed, unless you want to increase the pot for other reasons. Always choose your situations with potential success in mind.

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In limit poker, bluffing is more effective in smaller pots than in large pots for the simple reason that, in large pots, there is simply too much money at stake for players to fold against the cost of a few more bets. With good pot odds and a lot of money at stake, it is hard to force savvy players from the sweet corn in the fields.

If an opponent is looking at a 1 in 3 chance of winning, and a bet to play would cost but 1/15 of the pot, it would be foolish not to play with such good odds. Of course, bluffing opportunities may present themselves in any type of situation. Generally speaking, though, bluffs are much more effective in small pots for the reason given above.

With small pots, on the other hand, the thinking is the opposite: opponents will feel it is not worth playing for a small pot at the cost of a big bet unless they either think they have you beat with what you may be representing, they have good pot odds, or they don't buy your representation of a strong hand. Otherwise, the pot odds simply aren't favorable to challenge for the pot with an inferior hand.

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Unlike in a low stakes casino game, a bluff in medium to high limit games may register from the opening bell right down to the final round. With more money at stake, players are less subject to the "friendly game syndrome" of staying in the pot a few rounds. They may immediately fold if the betting is too large for the value of their hand.

In casino and club poker games, a rule of thumb is that the higher the stakes, the better the level of player. As you play in higher stake games, your effectiveness in chasing opponents out of the pot will improve. The simple fact is that good players respect situational betting and can be bluffed.

Of course, you have to pick your spots. Every game has its mix of strong and weak players, and you'll need to learn as the game goes on who you can bluff, and who just won't understand he should be exiting the action. Poor players don't see the table well and, as we discussed earlier, don't realize that their hands can't support the action there. Players who cannot be bluffed are players who play too many pots. If you find opponents like that in your game, that's good anyway.

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In many low limit games, players simply cannot be chased from a pot. For one thing, the action is cheap, and the thinking goes, "What's one or two more bets?" For another thing, low limit games attract players who can't be chased out of a pot with anything short of an elephant stampede. They'll call bet after bet with terrible hands in losing situations and hope for the longshot draw that just might give them the winner. They get those cards now and then, but in between, they get bled unmercifully.

If you're in a low limit game where players are not getting chased out of pots with maximum bets, there's no point in bluffing. If you can't bluff out an opponent, you need to redirect your strategy toward more basic play, working the cards a little more than working the opponents.

Some players claim that you can't ever bluff players out of the pot in low limit games. That's certainly true for some games, but not for all. You'll find low limit casino games, say $l-$3, where players respect bets and can be bluffed. After all, to many people, money is money. The stakes may be small, but they would sooner save their bets for situations with better prospects. However, as each game has its own mix of players and particular temperament, you'll see what can and can't be done on a game by game basis.

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poker lies in the bluff. It's an integral part of poker and an art that matures with experience. There are several advantages to bluffing. The first and most obvious advantage is that you can "steal pots" from better hands and win money you otherwise would not have seen. There is nothing more beautiful than chasing out a better hand and taking the pot for your own.

Players who are known not to bluff will, on average, win smaller pots than players who are known to bluff.

The second advantage to bluffing is that when you're caught, you have put doubt in your opponents' minds. They will suspect you for possible garbage every time you contest the pot. This powerful weapon makes your play more difficult to predict, and it will win you bigger pots when you do have strong hands. Players with weaker hands will feel compelled to call your position more often thinking that their hands may be better. While they are keeping you "honest," your winning pot sizes get larger.

Predictable play is costly in poker, whether in the home game, casino game, or club game. Players who are known not to bluff will, on average, win smaller pots than players who are known to bluff. That is a fact. Opponents with mediocre hands will know that it is senseless to compete against the rock, because the rock only plays strong hands. On one hand, players are saving a bundle by folding with hands that likely won't come in first, on the other hand, the rock is not getting as much value on his good hands as he should.

To be successful at poker, you must make bluffing an integral part of your game. You'll not only win pots where your hand is not the best one, you'll also win larger pots because opponents will contest your winning hands more often. There's no exact formula for successfully bluffing at poker. Each game is its own ball of wax, tied up in the unique dynamics of the game itself, the psychology of the setting, the venue where it's played, and the players comprising the game.

Let's go over some important bluffing concepts.

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The very best poker players excel in every aspect of the game. They're super aggressive, and they have no fear of any bet thrown their way. They also have the uncanny ability to read opponents based on the action and play of the table, and this talent allows them to play poker at a championship level.

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