100% Honest Poker
 

This is a question about Texas Holdem but I thought it best to put it in the poker theory section.

I was wondering if you were to play poker 100% Honest in Fixed Limit can you be profitable? If you eliminate all the bluffing but still incorporate check raising and slow playing, in aggressive tables, and also Raise every hand that is top pair or better and only call draws with the correct odds...... How much of an impact does eliminating the bluff out of the equation effect the profit?

This would be assumming a tight preflop style.

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

What counts as a bluff? Are you counting making a semi-bluff continuation bet with two overcards to the board as a bluff? Betting a draw?

Even once you clarify this it depends on where you're playing. In the micro limit games, a no bluffing strategy is actually pretty close to the best you can do because most people rarely fold to a bluff. At mid and high stakes short handed games you'd get destroyed without bluffing.

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

Bluff. Just BLUFF!

I play micro-limits and I win most of my pots by bluffing.

-HoldemPokerPlyr

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

so what happens when 2 players flop middle pair? a check down?

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

to the OP

at the lower limits, the best way to win often is just to play ABC poker or "honest poker" as you put it. The money comes from the players that play worse than you. (i.e. playing too many hands and going too far with them)

Once you move up and play better opponents you can't play that predictably and have to start bluffing/semi bluffing or you'll get destroyed.

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
Bluff. Just BLUFF!

I play micro-limits and I win most of my pots by bluffing.

-HoldemPokerPlyr

[/ QUOTE ]

This tells us absolutely nothing about the efficacy of bluffing in these games. You don't get paid in this game based on the number of pots won. Aside from that, if you're playing in micro limit games where bluffing is a big money maker, you REALLY need to work on your game selection.

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
What counts as a bluff? Are you counting making a semi-bluff continuation bet with two overcards to the board as a bluff? Betting a draw?

Even once you clarify this it depends on where you're playing. In the micro limit games, a no bluffing strategy is actually pretty close to the best you can do because most people rarely fold to a bluff. At mid and high stakes short handed games you'd get destroyed without bluffing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it is a touchy subject but lets say we only play drawing hands in position where we can get the odds post flop to call the draws. So lets say we only open in the hand if there is already a certain number of bets in. This way we have odds going in. As far as betting draws or the semi bluffing is concerned I would say bet and Raise the best draws only and the rest strickly go by the odds for calling oportunities. Basically I'm not asking for my personal use of this information, I am asking if it is possible to play a tight agressive style but eliminate bluffs and still show a profit? (or break even for that matter)

I know 10/20 isn't really consider big in these forums but for me I consider it fairly large at least at this time. I found the 6 max games to be extremely agressive but unbelievably loose. I really didn't hang out there much but was able to stomp some very large pots out when I was playing in them just from picking my spots. I played so tight that when I bluffed they mostly laid it down. 6 max is nothing but bluffing.

I started to wonder what would it take to play basically break even Poker or turn a slight profit if I was never to bluff? I'm not sure if it is possible? This is probably what makes poker so difficult to learn. Is there Poker life without bluffing? Is there a mathmatical approach to beat the limit games?

I feel I can usually get extra bets into a pot by adjusting my betting to the enviroment and somewhat predicting my opponents next move however I'm not to sure on how much I make or lose from bluffing and wonder what would happen if I tried to cut it out completely?

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

I wouldn't think it would be possible to play tight aggressive poker, without bluffing because of the times when we are sometimes bluffing with the best hand. Or do you just check down and take the pot, when your unimproved hands hold up?

If you are asking could a robot essentially be programmed to play only percentages and strong hands only, then yes, you can play poker honestly and only bet when you have the best hand. Unfortunately you can't always know when you have the best hand. Opponnents are not always going to make the same play to allow you to read them that easily, and if you only bet in situations where the strength of your hand is the guideline used to decide whether to bet, and raise, rather than the strenghth of your hand in relation to your opponnents, than you probably will not be profitable, but may break even if the lineup you presented this plan too was weak enough.

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bluff. Just BLUFF!

I play micro-limits and I win most of my pots by bluffing.

-HoldemPokerPlyr

[/ QUOTE ]

This tells us absolutely nothing about the efficacy of bluffing in these games. You don't get paid in this game based on the number of pots won. Aside from that, if you're playing in micro limit games where bluffing is a big money maker, you REALLY need to work on your game selection.

[/ QUOTE ]

"You don't get paid in this game based on the number of pots won."

Correct, I never said I play in every pot, I stated that I win alot of my pots bluffing. Why? Because you can't sit there all day waiting for good cards.

Why would I need to work on my game selection if I'm winning? It's called being agressive and it works against the fish. You should be looking to bluff every hand if you are under the right circumstances. Unless of course you have a bunch of calling stations.

You have to adjust your game according to your players. People can argue that there are some games you can't bluff in. I disagree, you may not be able to bluff as much in a particular game, but under the right circumstances you'll be able to pull one off. For instance, you'll be able to bluff alot more in a tight game than in a loose game.

-HoldemPokerPlyr

Re: 100% Honest Poker
 

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Because you can't sit there all day waiting for good cards.

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I disagree.