Semi-bluffs
You will find that pure bluffs are not too common, because the only way to win is for
your opponents to fold. Semi-bluffs on the other hand give you two ways to win. A
semi-bluff is a bet or raise in which, if called, you probably do not have the best
hand, but you could improve to the best hand. For example, you hold A5 on a flop
of QT5. If you bet and are called, you probably beaten; however, you have five outs
that could possibly improve your hand to the winning hand. Another example of a
semi-bluff is to bet or raise a flush draw. You hope to win the pot immediately, but if
you are called, you still have outs to improve your hand.
Semi-bluffs become profitable by the combination of the probability that your
opponents will fold and the probability that you could improve to the best hand. In
many cases, if you have enough outs for calling a bet anyway, it is best to go ahead
and try to win the pot with a semi-bluff bet.
Let's look at a few examples of possible semi-bluffs:
- You are in the big blind with 6 ♣ 7 ♦. There is one early caller and one late
caller. The flop is K ♦ 5 ♠ 4 ♥. This is a good time to try a semi-bluff and bet
out. If they call or raise, you still have eight outs to a straight.
-
You open for a raise with K ♣ Q ♣ from early position. Two players in late
position call as well as the big blind. Four players see the flop of A ♣ T ♦ 5 ♣.
This flop is relatively scary as there are two high cards including an ace that
many opponents will play. Usually it is difficult to get three opponents to fold;
however, you are going to play this hand to the river in any case with so
many outs, so go ahead and bet to try and win the pot immediately.
Strong opponents may fold their gut-shot draws and even a pair of aces with a weak
kicker, so there is some chance of success. The only risk in betting out is the
risk of a raise, especially if the raise drives out the remaining opponents.
By betting, you either want everyone to fold or everyone to call.
-
You call in early position with A ♦ T ♦ and the button and big blind call.
The flop is Q ♣ T ♥ 4 ♠. The big blind checks. A semi-bluff bet is usually correct in
this situation. You should bet hoping that your opponents fold, but if they call
or raise, you still have five outs that could improve your hand. Note that even
if one opponent calls, you still might have the best hand as they could
have a straight draw or a pair of tens with a weak kicker.
-
You call in early position with Q ♦ J ♦ and the next opponent raises. There are
two late callers along with the big blind for five total players. The flop is A ♦ 8 ♦
5 ♣. The big blind checks. What should you do? You should just check in this
case. It is very difficult to yet four opponents to fold on the flop,especially in
a large pot due to the raise preflop and the A ♦ on the flop. The problem with
betting here is that the preflop raiser acts next and could raise, driving out
the remaining opponents. Checking keeps as many players in the hand as
possible, which improves your implied odds. Check-raising becomes an
option once three players have already called the flop bet.
One important note about bluffing. Bluffing is a strategy that is not very successful
in loose low-limit games. First, you generally need a good hand to showdown since
there are many players playing each hand. Second, a lot of weak players at the low
limit call too often with poor hands, so it is difficult to get them to fold.
At higher limits, there usually are better players who will sometimes fold their medium
holdings when faced with a bet or raise. If you insist on bluffing a lot, low-limit
Hold'em games are probably not the game for you.
Most of the money you cam at the lower limits against weak players comes from
playing better starting cards than your opponents and understanding when to
continue your hand on the flop. Be careful not to give away your chips to weak
opponents on unsuccessful bluff attempts.
In tight high-limit games, bluffing becomes an essential arsenal against your
opponents. If you never bluff, your opponents will take notice and back off on their
hands when you bet or raise. Bluffing can increase your pro winning pots when you
don't have the best hand, and by the advertising value you get when your
opponents call your good hands more often in the future. Balancing your bluffs with
your strong hands is important to becoming an advanced player at the higher limits.
NEXT...
Bluffing on the Internet
