How often have you heard: "No one can bluff in limit Hold 'em." Well, I am here to tell you:
YOU CAN WIN BY BLUFFING EVEN IN LOW-LIMIT HOLD'EM.
And I can prove it. While playing in a $3-$6 limit game the other night, I tried nine bluffs during the six hours I played. I was successful in seven of my nine attempts. A few days later, I attempted four bluffs during a seven hour session of $3-$6. All were successful. Indeed, winning bluffs have become a significant part of my win statistics, helping me to go home a winner.
Barry Tanenbaum, one of the most respected poker writers, discussed this topic in another poker publication. "One of the reasons bluffing gets a bad rap in limit hold 'em is that it does not work very often," he wrote. "Most of your bluffs will fail." I thoroughly disagree!
As Barry explained, bluffs don't need to work very often to show a profit. If your bluff works one out of four times, you are probably well ahead. If you bluff on the river, and it fails, it costs you one big bet, but, when it works you win the whole pot-multiple bets.
Successful Bluffing: Strategy and Tactics. Bluffing is an art that requires skill. It is a strategy too. You must decide the appropriate situation for your bluff and use suitable tactics. You certainly don't want to try a bluff when there has been lots of raising and re-raising during the hand. Evaluate your opponents. Calling stations are tough to bluff out. They will pay to see your hole cards. Don't try. Weak, tight, and timid players, and those who often bluff are fair game, and if you plan your bluff well, they are easy targets.
It helps if you have the right image. I usually start with a tight-aggressive image. So my opponents "know" that I must have a strong hand when I raise on the flop and continue betting to the river. (I may be betting the flop with a drawing hand that has a high positive expectation based on the card odds and pot odds.) It's much easier to bluff one opponent than several. An early position bluff makes it even more convincing. (For more on bluffing, I would refer you to Lou Krieger's Poker for Dummies book.)
The Esther Bluff. I must admit that my bluffs were not nearly as effective until a few years ago when my granddaughter, Esther Fayla Epstein, created the Esther Bluff. It's powerful! As I demonstrate this tactic to my poker classes, it's a matter of betting as if you know that you have a monster hand-the best hand!. That message of confidence, displayed by your actions, seems to telegraph into your opponent's mind.
One of my brightest poker students, Richard B (our resident tells expert) gave me a reverse tell that helps to make the bluff even more believable-a great adjunct to the Esther Bluff. (I'll have to get his permission to share it with you.)
What about when your bluff is eventually called? Should you continue bluffing? It's time to switch gears: At least for a while, play tight and selectively aggressive. Raise only when it is to your advantage relative to the card odds and pot odds, or to get full value out of your monster hand. Soon, new players will come to the table, and those remaining no longer see you as a bluffer. Now you can resume your bluffing strategy along with the Esther Bluff tactic. Good luck.
. . . So readers, what's YOUR opinion?
George "The Engineer" Epstein is the author of The Greatest Book of Poker for Winners! and Hold'em or Fold'em?-An Algorithm for Making the Key Decision and teaches poker at the Claude Pepper Sr. Citizen Center in Los Angeles. Contact George at geps222@msn.com.
