The Obvious Bluff

Poker is a game that requires you to be on top of the action all of the time.

The more experience you have, the better off you will be. There are various levels of skill among poker players and they will always be testing you to see if you stand up to their standards.

One thing that is a dead giveaway to the strength of their hands is the size of their bet before and after the flop.

If there has been no raise before the flop and a player makes a small bet when a 10-9-3 materializes, that player probably is betting on a pair or 3s or a pair of 9s. If he had flopped a pair of 10s, the bet would probably have been larger.

If the flop comes j-j-6 and a player makes a small to medium bet, he is probably worth calling if you have two higher cards or a reasonable draw. That player will give away his hand on the bet after fourth street. If the bet is larger, he probably flopped three js. If he checks, he either has a pair of 6s or nothing.

Probably.

Some good players will check after fourth street with a powerful hand to lure an unsuspecting player into making a bet. Again, experience pays and you will have to make a determination as to that player's capabilities based on your observation of his playing style.

Today's poker players are capable of making some dumb bets. They have watched poker tournaments on television and have come to believe a large bet even if you have nothing is the path to success. That is why your observation and categorization of players is so important. If a player makes such a play, he is capable of doing it again and probably will when given the chance.

Poker is a game of observation. Draw pictures of the other players and their capabilities in your mind, and then let your gut reaction take over. You will be right more often than you will be wrong.

Someone once said, "Poker players are like an extended family." While that is probably true, there are families and there is the Manson Family. It's up to you to figure out who you are playing against and act accordingly.

If a player raises a certain amount of money and then bets the same amount after the flop, on fourth street and on the river, that to me is an obvious bluff. I will call with any pair. I may even raise on the river with nothing because I probably will book a winner.

To become a successful bluffer, learn to play position. A good bluff can be made on or next to the river after the other players have checked, regardless of what you are holding. If there are two cards to a flush on the board and the flush card fails to come on 4th street or the river and the other player checks, a larger bet will probably win the pot.

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).