I'm a bad bluffer

[gjpure]

I have got into a real bad habit lately of being a horrible bluffer. I don't put any thought into it, but instead just try to buy pots with no logic. I ignore the fact that someone showed preflop strength or whatever. Maybe I'm sadistic because I get a certain kind of pleasure out of getting lucky on someone or pushing someone out of a pot with next to nothing.

The problem is that is is costing me a lot of money. I know bluffing is part of the game, but if close to 100% of my bluffs are unprofitable and in fact -EV then why bother?

How can get back to being better bluffer and picking my spots? How can I avoid loosing big pots when I do bluff? I think my table image is shot, in that I have lost a lot of respect.

I don't know what is going on, but this is a real bad habit I need to correct in the ring games. I see all that money in there and I get tunnel vision and try to win it any way I can.

It is very frusterating because I tell myself everytime I won't do it and I still do.

Thoughts?

[gedanken]

what level are you playing at. I've discovered a pretty good rule of thumb for 10NL: never bluff. ever.

this was standard form of tilt for me. I lost enough money that I realized it was a dumb strategy. Now I only bluff when I'm reaching for the fold button and I realize that some really unusual set of circumstances has the opponent nervous.

Remember that a bluff has to tell a story. If this one bet seems to come from nowhere, it will likely get called. Look at your whole line, and make a bet consistent with this card helping you.

Contrary to appearances, your opponents are sentient humans, and can sense your absurd overbet on an offsuit 2 is probably a bluff.

[Rek]

"Remember that a bluff has to tell a story. If this one bet seems to come from nowhere, it will likely get called. Look at your whole line, and make a bet consistent with this card helping you."

+1

[rockstar626]

Don't be afraid to take a little time. Taking time, is very important, so your opponents will not read you as good. I.E., most players on a "made hand" will have to think about how much to raise, where someone with a draw is usually apt to "quick call" This is a huge tell, so take time on all of you decisions, whether you raise,call, or reraise.

You usually do not want to bluff into players uncapable of making a fold. But I almost always make a bluff if I think the card is a "scare card".

One more thing.... make notes on your players, this is essential to picking out the calling stations.

[ayurice]

I used to bluff too much, but then i started forcing myself to look at opponents' stats before bluffing. PAHUD and smart decisions definitely go a long way.

[Soncy]

Watching Jamie Gold, I started wondering if some people just have something wrong with them...like they just can't help themselves. They bluff, everyone knows they bluff, and yet, they continue to bluff. The problem seems to be rampant at the micro/low limit games online. Players will bluff like fiends even after they've been outed (or my favorite, have outed themselves by showing their hand) and the entire table is laying in wait for them. They just bluff and bluff till they have nothing left. It is so contrary to rational logic that I suspect there is some sort of compulsion involved. Take GJ for instance. He knows he has a problem, he knows it's costing him $, yet he admits he still has diffculty stopping. GJ is surely on the right track in attempting to identify the motive behind his bluffing. Says he gets a thrill out of sucking out on someone or pushing them off a hand. Perhaps the problem is that the thrill of trying to win with an inferior hand is more important to him than winning $. {Shrug}

Anyway, GJ, I love you just the way you are, but if you really do want to make some adjustments, I'll put in my two cents. I'll prally never see you at the micro limits anyway. If you are playing online...people most likely have you tagged as a bluffer. You need to watch out for people you've already played with. Once you get caught at a table, if you truly can't stop...change tables. ...Oh and even if you don't get busted...you should probably go ahead and change tables once you get up as a result of your tactics. Your frequency of activity will have your opponents hunkering down in the grass waiting on you, leave before they spring the trap. If you CAN stop, you are in a great position because people think you are a donk. Just show up at the river with a better hand than them.

[JKratzer]

i don't know what limit/game you're playing but i'm pretty confident if you NEVER bluffed you would still win.

[Albert Moulton]

[ QUOTE ]
"Remember that a bluff has to tell a story. If this one bet seems to come from nowhere, it will likely get called. Look at your whole line, and make a bet consistent with this card helping you."

+1

[/ QUOTE ]

Additionally, the opponent not only has to fear the bluff, but fear the potential of another pot-sized, stack-committing bet if he calls the bluff. NLHETAP has a section on the "Hammer of Future Betting." Read it carefully. When you set up a bluff vs a guy who feels pot-committed, then he'll call anyway. But if you have position, and you raise on the turn enough so that if villain calls he'll be facing another stack-committing, pot-sized bet on the river, then he'll fold more often as long as your play is telling a convincing story.

So, plan your bluffs based not only on the cards and the action, but on effective stack sizes relative to the pot size.