Posts Tagged ‘bluff’

On Revealing Hands

Hi,

I hope you don’t mind but I want to know your thoughts on showing other players your cards if they all fold or if according to the rules you don’t have to show them. I heard some say that showing your cards won’t give you anything good instead would just give other players information about you. But I also heard from some players that if you play tight in the beginning and show those good cards even when you don’t have to, you can later bluff more effectively. What’s on your thoughts?

Thanks a ton!

Best regards,
Franc
Franc,

Showing your cards gives other opponents information that they can use against you. You can also use this to your advantage. Personally, I don’t start showing most hands until later in the tournament to try and give off the illusion that I always have a strong hand when I’m in the pot. That way, I tend to get less action from people with stack equal to mine unless they have a big hand. This in turn allows me to put people on hands easier and allows me sometimes to ease into the money without massive confrontations.

Opponents Getting Mad

Hello,

I was in a certain event the other night. Before the flop, there was no raise and I was in the small blind therefore I called a 8d-4d. Flop then brought Ks-10d-6-d. After a while, my opponent raised a small amount and so I called it. Turn came and brought 7c. He later put me all-in which made me think I already have sufficient outs to call him. Afterwards, I showed my hand and he showed his pair of 10′s. Before he could say anything back then, river came and brought 9h. In the end, I won the pot with the straight. Before we finally called the game over, he said something to me like “How can you call me with an 8 high flush draw?” and I told him I didn’t even need the flush to beat him. Your thoughts on this?

Well, I also got into with this opponent later when he raised me $10 and I came over the top and with an Ace high raised him $40. He then folded and I showed it to him but he said I don’t have to make such act at all. On my part, I did it to let him know I wasn’t afraid to bluff but at some point I don’t know if it’s a bad poker etiquette actually. What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Jason
Jason,

In the first hand, unless the bet on the turn was less than 25% of the pot, you really should not have called that bet. You did not have the odds to draw. You needed to catch a five or your flush to win, but at the turn you had only a 24% chance to win.

It’s not bad etiquette to show your hand, but some people take it as you showing them up or trying to embarrass them.

With Losing Hands

Hi,

I’m here to ask this, how will you know you have the best hand? Recently I played online and had KQs. Well, it was a 1$ big blind table. At the position before the button, there were no raises preflop therefore I just raised 1$. Players who were in the hand called. Flop then came and brought 333. Checks all around followed. After a while turn came and brought Q, it then checked all around. River came and was K. It later checked around to me therefore I decided to place 5$ bet. Everyone else then folded except for one player who re-raised me 15$. I then called with the thought that everything was just a bluff. He then showed me K3 off suit and immediately taken down the pot.

Now as I try to analyze things up I can’t afford not to think that I maybe have misplayed the hand. Also, I’ve read in books and websites that “If the pot is laying you 6:1 and your no worse than that to win it, make the call”. But I don’t know how can I ascertain if I’m 6:1 to win the hand or not.

The other day I’ve seen plenty of examples on your odds of making a draw or improving your hand, but I wonder, what if you’re not drawing to the Nuts, how can you tell what your winning odds are?

Please I need your help. Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Tommy
Tommy,

First, that was a split pot. Both of you had three’s full of kings.

Next to determine whether your worse than 6 to 1 to win, when you 6 to1, you are around 17% to win the hand. If you are on the flop, figure out the number of outs to win the hand. Multiply it by 4. This will give you your percentage to win the hand by the river. If it is greater or equal to 17, then you are better than 6 to 1. On the turn, calculate your outs by 2 to get the percentage. If you are equal or better than 17% to hit your hand, then you are better than 6 to 1.

With Implied Odds

Hello,

I’m here to ask something about pot odds. Say you are playing in a full table, no limit cash game, with blinds of $0.50/$1.00. Then blinds post and three limpers appear. You check and you discover you have Ks Ts in the button. You call and SB folds while BB checks. Pot at such point is $5. Then flop brings As 2s 5c. BB bets $5 and one limper calls. Pot is now $15. To go on to the turn to get 3-1, it would cost you $5.

Now you have 2-1 to hit by the river, but 4-1 to hit by the turn. If you can ascertain if he wouldn’t bet on the turn then you can use the 2-1 method, but you can use 4-1 instead in case you don’t know such.

Well, for your theory of throwing the hand away because your opponent rates to bet the turn, I think you are missing something. For me, I’d still make the call as when you actually make your flush on the turn, you want your opponent to bet into you. In case I hit it on the turn, then more or less they will bet into me and I’ll probably win lots of money. In case I miss, I can get lost or when they grant me a free card, I can try again to make a flush or else bluff them till they are out. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

All the best,
Joey
Joey,

Personally, on the flop, I am sticking with my odds to determine the call in most cases. In the scenario you presented, you have a 36% chance to hit your flush by the river. If my call is 36% or less of the pot, then I will call. In your scenario, the $5 call is only 33% of the pot. I am making the call here.

About Overplaying

Hi,

I’m a newbie and I love to play home games, mainly no limit tourneys. I play regularly with almost the same players all the time. At first, it wasn’t a big deal for me to play with almost the same players every week but later on I discovered some problems. One of the most alarming I guess was something about me knowing and mastering the way some players play and not recognizing any other style of play.

When I play, I am the aggressor, usually stealing pots from tight players. At some point, this had made me unsafe and weak to traps. Whenever I raise before the flop, bet out on the flop and get called and make a stab at it on the turn, I usually put lots of money into the pot. And whenever my opponent goes over the top of me, or raises me on the river I first have to check if he has been been trapping me.

Normally, before I act in any game I first check what kind of opponent I have. Does he bluff that much? Does he trap? What type of hands does he play most of the time? Unfortunately, every time I make judgments, I lose. Well, maybe because I often do not follow my instincts.

At some point, I made some realizations. First, don’t overestimate your own skill, but don’t try a check-raise semi-bluff against a player who just started learning. Second, don’t overplay your opponent. Third, get out of the way if you’re playing against a player you know loves to bet big and actually has big hands. And lastly, to determine whether or not you overplayed, assume that the strategy you used to win in the past has to change when playing against the same opponents.

And to somehow make sure you’ll win, always observe, observe, and observe. If you feel your opponents start to learn things about how you play, never wait and see how they would react instead act immediately. Make some adjustments, some changes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Warm regards,
Duke
Duke,

You raise a lot of valid points. The main thing I would like to discuss is observing your opponents. Being able to put players on hands will help you a lot in overplaying your hands. Also, there are some times where you will want to overplay your hands, such as if you are trying to push out straight and flush draws.

Of course, in doing so, you need to know if your opponent will actually lay down to being pushed at. Again, it all goes back on reading your opponents.

Issue on Cockiness

Hello,

I’m here to ask something about emotion. Well, I know and I understand why emotion badly affects one’s play. For me tilt has never been much of a problem unlike cockiness.

I know I must admit it, when I sit down and play calmly and with humility, I know my game is going to be tight, aggressive and seriously thoughtful. And in the event I am in such mood more or less I’ll be placing money in the tournament I’m in or at least double my money if in a ring game.

Just the other day, after days of good play, I was very cocky and played cleverly. I bluffed a lot if I just remember it right. I don’t understand why every time cockiness strikes in me, I lose. Maybe for some reasons, but for reasons I don’t know.

Because I badly want cockiness to be out on my system, I started forcing myself to play the free money tables and also play real money only when I’m focused. Any thoughts?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,
Kevin
Kevin,

When someone becomes cocky, they usually convince themselves that they are superior to all players and they buy into their belief to the extent of overlooking information that other players may present in a hand. They may feel that a player couldn’t possibly call their bluff or that they couldn’t call with an inferior hand and hit. When a player gets this mindset, the tight players at the table take advantage and punish them when they make a mistake.

Right Time to Call

Hi there!

I don’t know when is the right time to call. I believe you have an idea on this. Well, for me it appears that only 3 buttons on my computer work, raise, bet and fold. Most of the time, I raise
as I trust my bluff and semi-bluff potential, I bet to test out the water and then raise to obtain useful information or give my opponent a tough time.

As of now, I’m into trouble when I can’t hit the flop. Usually, I end up folding a lot and it seems to me that the only way out is to call more.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Cezar
Cezar,

This depends on your read of the opponent and the texture of the flop. You should be leading out more on the flop when you raise preflop. When you don’t you are telegraphing that you missed the flop and players can take advantage.

Lots of Questions

Hello,

I have lots of questions to ask. But before I begin, I would like first to congratulate you and thank you for this site which has been so nice and helpful.

Now, my questions are:

1. At the table, any specific actions or mannerisms you keep record of?
2. While in a hand, any questions you ask yourself?
3. Say bottom pair BB check or bet instead?
4. In tourney, when should one go all in or not with short stack?
5. What’s the best or most efficient way to catch a bluff?
6. Say small pocket pair middle position with or without raise before to your seat, what will you do?
7. In the event you’re up as the chip leader, see many pots several pots?

Thanks again and keep up the good work!

Cheers,
Raymond
Raymond,

High Cards in Early Position

Hi,

I’ve been into local free rolls in my place. Well, I play two or three times a week. Most of the time, I face bunch of players with various approaches.

Majority of the players I’ve encountered were loose type thus making it hard for me to steal pots even with a preflop raise and a continuation bet. On the better side, I still can make it to the final table in just almost half the time. There’s just one situation I can never forget.

In early position back then, I had a decent hand, AKs, AK, AQs, AQ. For approximately three times the BB I raised and then got several callers. Flop came but of no help. Later, turn came but of also no help to me, I haven’t made a hand still. At such point, I was in doubts if placing another bet will be a good move.

If you were me, will you place another bet? Well, personally I want to place another one to obtain more info. Also, if I was back in position, how would the situation change? Do you think for free card, I should just check it down to the river and then wait and see if other player place a bet on the river? What do you think?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Many thanks,
John
John,

If you are in position with this hand and raised preflop, you need to bet out on the flop and then if you are still in at the turn, bet out again. You need to take advantage of the position and try to force them out when they show weakness.

Playing With KK

Hello,

I play well in NL $200 with blinds $1-$2. I’m actually a shorthanded player. I used to play aggressively, but of course at times I’m also watchful and see it to it that I’m still on my limits.

Once, I was standing on $750 and was dealt KK in late position. A player who just came in with around $200 raised to $6 in early position. I then made it $15 to go and he called. Flop came and brought 9s 5s 2s. Afterwards, such guy went all in with $33 in the pot. I believe this was grossly over bet as a player with a made flush would call. If he had the nut flush or smaller suited connecting spades, there’ll be no sense at all. However I was bothered as if he doesn’t have a flush yet, what else could he have? Perhaps an over pair which I strongly believe I could beat. If not, a small pair hitting a set, or else just two over cards with one spade or a bad bluff.

What do you think was his hand then? Will it be worth calling if in case? And am I right with my conclusions?

Thanks!

Warm regards,
Clark Davis
Clark,

I would put him on a flush draw or a pair such as J-J or Q-Q or even A-K with a spade. I would have probably called here. If you folded her due to the pot laying such a high price, I can understand that. Calling $185 to win $218 is a bit of a stretch. With only having $15 invested, I can understand if you waited for a better spot.

Two Different Hands

Hi,

There are two hands I can’t forget. In a $2.5/5 NL holdem, I raised on the button to $20 with A-J. I had three callers, thus making it a multi-way pot. Flop came and brought Q-Q-3. Everybody then checked to me. For some reasons, I then placed $24 bet. The player whom I called “LaBarca” called, everyone else folded. Turn came and brought a K. He then checked. I felt weakness and so wanted to grab the opportunity to win the pot. Later, I placed $40 bet and so he called though with some doubts. By the way, I’m not fond of bluffing.

I remember I already had the T for a straight and an A or a J for a probable winning pair. River came however was a blank and so he checked again. At such point, I started questioning myself, “do I have the heart to fire the third bullet when I really feel it’s the right thing to do?”. After few seconds, I placed another bet, at such point, $80. “LaBarca” called once again.

Finally, showdown came. My opponent flipped A-8 off for no hand and no draw but Ace high and so we just end up dividing the pot with the Q’s and the K being in there.

Now, I don’t know what went wrong. I don’t believe I have expected much. What do you think?

About the next hand I had, A-4 of hearts. Suddenly I limped behind another limper with it. BB and the player on button limp as well while SB folded. We then had the flop four handed, 8-6-3 all hearts.

Eventually, first limper checked while I placed $10 bet. Player on button called while the first limper re-raised to $20. I then called. Player on button re-raised once again to $56 while limper called. I started to think as player on button has flopped a flush as well and the limper has either a set or two pair. Finally, turn came and was a 9c. Limper checked and I followed. For $418, player on button went all in while for approximately $300, limper called all-in.

Later, player on button flipped over Q-9 of hearts for a flush while the limper, 3-3 for a set of 3′s.

So what do you think on how I played the second hand? Well, in general, I have no regrets. Same thing with how I played the first hand. I believe as a student I’ve learned my lesson and has applied each lesson learned so well.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks and nice site!

Antone
Antone,

In regards to the second hand, you played that fantastically. You got to see a flop for cheap and flopped the nuts. You then had two players that were aggressive and were able to take the stacks of both players. The only thing I would recommend doing differently is checking on the flop when you flop the nuts. Let the aggressive player control the betting. While this didn’t matter in the end for this situation, in the future let the aggressive player control the betting. You will usually make more money that way.

Played With Weakness

Hello,

I was in a no limit event the other day with $4,000 buy-in and blinds 10/20. I had $3,500. At some point, everyone folded to me. When I was on the button, I got Ad 5s and then popped it up to 80. Eventually, small and big blind called. Then flop came and brought 5c 5d 7d. Later, SB and BB checked and so I placed 140$ bet, almost half the pot I believe.

Consequently, SB folded however BB raised to 380$. I then thought he had something weak therefore I tried to slow play. I then called. Turn came and brought 9d. Board then appeared as 5c 5d 7d 9d. Though there was a possibility for a straight and flush, I had Ad and trips therefore I had to fold then. Few seconds after and BB placed 700$ bet while I called.

River came and brought Qc. BB went all in for all my money. I remember I had around 2,200$ and in the pot, 4,800$. Finally, I folded.

In the end, he flipped over 44 and then laughed at me. I don’t know if I played just right. Well, I don’t think doing the slow play then was a bad move. But I believe I should have pushed all-in on turn with my flush draw and then had trips. Another thing, I don’t see how I should call on the river and the only stuff I beat was a bluff. What do you think?

Regards,
Collin
Collin,

At the river, there were lots of hands you could beat other than a bluff. I would have likely made the call with my set, especially since the player had been aggressive the whole way. Of course, I would have raised him at some point. Don’t slow play a set with a straight and flush draw possible.