i only read the first post because i'm lazy, but in a nl tournament early in a nl tournament i would say that you should only start bluffing if you're getting pretty low. if you've got an average or better stack no need to try and steal this pots. there are probably a few weak players at your table and they'll pay you off as long as you have patience. however later in a tournament i think it's ok to start bluffing more and taking some risks and try to set up your big hands to look like a bluff. the better players might be fooled by this sort of thing. that's how i would usually play it in a ring game too. that is also only when you are around the average stakc or worse though. that's a give yourself a chance to win move but if you have a big stack or just wanna cash, no need to bluff again really. people will pay you off

Position always plays a big role in when you can bluff or not... If you are first to act with 6 people in the hand it is not likely you will have a successfull bluff...but if there are only 2 or 3 people and you are last to act and they check it to you, you will be a lot more successfull.

I bluff for a reason - not for the sake of it.

For example, I have $39m chips, you have $1m chips. I bluff to pick up your chips. Ho ho - you catch me out (I am generous at Xmas) and now you are up to $2m chips. Now when I bet your $2m chips you do not know if I am bluffing or have a good hand. Therefore I stand to pick up your chips when I have a genuine hand.

What is important is to let your opponent know you are bluffing when you need him or her to know - because you have an ulterior purpose.

Steve :good:

A totally off-topic "welcome aboard" to stephen terry...good to see you here man!

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:cool:

To be successful in business, surround yourself with professionals. To be successful in poker, surround yourself with idiots.

i have often found myself in a similar position to Steve-O (in a home game), players at the table talked about how i never bluff and expect me to have a premium hand when i make a largish bet.

i handled this situation in the following ways;

i try to reinforce their opinion that i am very tight and usually have the best hand when i make a large bet by showing good hands when they fold.

i bluff when i get a good opportunity based on how they think i play, e.g. if i raise with A, Q, am called i miss the flop which is King high. in the absense of anyone showing strength i can represent Top pair, good kicker.

in a tournament style game i start by playing tight and showing my good hands, i find that this gives me an opportunity to bluff when the blinds become larger.

IF they know that you "never bluff" it is because you are always showing down hands.

If you are always going to show down the hand, no reason to bluff.

As long as you are getting called on your value bets on the river, not much reason to bluff.

The correct answer here is. "I never bluff."

Certainly in Ring games bluff is very subtle and rarely high volume - but it needs to be built into the game- if you don't strategically over bet then you're in danger of ppl bluffng you.

In tournaments you're really trying to minimise your number of all ins.. small pots.. the type that can be won easily with bluffs aren't worth it. ppl will only put down if they can afford to lose the pot. If you marginally overbet on some pots you will fire off an all in anyway.

I think the TV coverage (yes we do get some over here on poker) over emphasises the bluff plays..thats what ppl want to see. Most money is actually won by having first v's credable second best hand - and you do well to preserve your pot to make the most of these situations and all ins.

I know ring is different.. but my figures have me making a massive percentage made against ppl who are trying to bluff me on volume - whilst defeated str8s. flushes actually take comparatively little to bluff down.

My guess is that in tournaments you never know enough about somones game to decided wheter he's got top pair or its a semi bluff on the str8. Certainly in ring there are players who I will lead on midpair against becasue I know they will try to bluff the flush with an overcard -even if they they've not got a flush on! In tournaments I don't think you have time for this level of sophistication


Bob

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See me playing $10/$20NL like it was play money

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?...405&q=xxdemexx

Doberman: "but Sarge, isn't poker gambling and just luck?"
Sgt. Bilko:" not the way I play it"

"Bluffing" is a weird word to me. Maybe I'm just the resident maniac, but I make bets when I think that a bet is the best way for me to win the pot. I bluff a lot less in full ring than in tournaments. In tournaments, I "underbet" a lot even when I have hands to disguise when I have shit. It gives me permission to make stabs at pots without putting a lot of chips at risk.

I agree, Deme. Tournaments are about avoiding all ins and picking up pots. To play tournaments well, a few well-timed bluffs need to come along. Otherwise, you're letting the cards play the game. In lo blind/high stack/long level tournaments, I do this the most. In online med. blind/med. stack/short levels, you need to be conscious of your stack before you make a lot of moves.

EDIT: [for clarification] In online med. blind/med. stack/short levels, you need to be more conscious of your stack before you make a lot of moves.

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I try to bluff with outs (gutshot straight, overcards etc), so I get possible value if called.

I also try to bluff in late position and usually after the flop (though sometimes on the turn if I sense weakness).

Most common bluff for me is AK AQ bet raised to 3x BB Preflop with a caller or two. Miss the flop completely and then bet (the amount depending on the opponents, sometimes a min bet is more likely to induce a fold).

Technically perhaps not a bluff due to overcards but a good percentage bet, where I may be behind to second pair or a low pocket pair.

Flat out bluffs with nothing I try to save for either very strong or very weak stack positions

Rex