BLUFFING

Don’t be afraid to bluff. Even the most honest souls should bluff every so often, just to keep opponents a bit off balance. If you never bluff and only bet with strong cards, players will know you only stick around with a good hand. In this case, when you have a strong poker hand they may fold early and ruin your chances of taking a massive pot. Admittedly, you might have to lose a round or two by having someone call your bluff, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
Conversely, don’t press your luck. Bluffing should be part of your poker personal, but you should use it wisely to win at poker game. Many players get a bit too enamored with their skills of deception and lose a lot of pots by having their bluffs called.
If your bluffing forces everyone else to fold and you with the pot, you don’t have to show your hand-just quietly take your winnings. In fact, it’s best to keep your opponents guessing about your hand. However, when you’ve bluffed and lost a few times, it might be a good idea once or twice to let your opponents know that you were holdem bluffing. This tells your opponents that you aren’t afraid to bluff and in later rounds will make them wonder if your high betting is a sign of a great hand or a bluff.

Each game calls for different types of bluffing. In five-card draw, you can bluff through your betting and the number of cards you choose to draw. In stud games, be aware of what your hand looks like to other players. For instance, if you are betting heavily in a seven card stud game in which you’re showing 7-8-9-10 and have 2-3-Q in the hole, your opponents might assume that you have a Jack or 6 to complete the straight. If you are betting heavily and consistently raising, they might very well call your bluff.
In stud games, look at the up cards to assess whether the big bettor actually has a good hand or is just bluffing. Also try to notice any “tells” the bettor might be revealing.
One of the ironies of poker is that it is easier to bluff experienced players than novices. Knowing when to fold and learning self-discipline in poker takes time-new players are much more likely to call all bets.
Don’t bluff against lots of poker players, particularly in the later rounds of a stud or community game. Chances are that at least one of those players will be holding something good.