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Lesson: 54
Inducing a Bluff
Layne Flack
March 27, 2006
Beginners come to poker thinking that the bluff has one simple
purpose: To take pots when you don't have a hand that can win at
showdown. In No-Limit Hold 'em, however, the bluff can be used in
many different ways. As a recent tip by Huck Seed pointed out, a
good player can use the threat of a bluff to force an opponent into
making a very bad call.
For this tip, I thought I'd show another way you can use the bluff
to your advantage. Using this technique, you'll neither be bluffing
nor threatening to bluff, but rather, you'll be convincing an opponent
to bluff in a situation where you almost certainly have the best
hand.
Say you're playing a game of No-Limit Hold 'em and you raise in
middle position with Kh-Qh. You're called by two players - one behind
you and one in the blind. You're thrilled to see the flop: 2h-7h-Th.
You flopped a flush. The big blind checks to you and you bet. (Note
that I highly recommend betting in this sort of situation. Betting
the made hand often does more to disguise the strength of your holding
than slow playing does.)
Your bet is called by the late position player. What's he calling
with? Maybe he has a Ten or the Ah. The turn is a blank, the 3c.
You bet again, and once again are called. Now the river is another
blank, the 4d, making the board 2h-7h-Th-3c-4d. What's your play?
On the river you should consider checking - but not because you're
worried that your opponent has a better hand. Rather, since your
opponent called on the river, you have to consider what he may have.
It's hard to bluff on three consecutive streets, and most players
won't launch that third bullet. So, after calling you on the flop
and turn, your opponent may look at something like top pair and
give up, thinking that you must have him beat if you're willing
to fire at this pot three times. Or, if he only has the Ah, he'll
have no choice but to fold. Either way, there'll be essentially
no way for you to get any value out of the hand by betting.
If you check, however, you let your opponent stab at the pot. If
he's got just the Ah, he may be inclined to see your check as a
sign of weakness. He'll fire at the pot in desperation, hopeful
that he can force a fold. Then you'll call and take a nice pot.
Remember, your opponent's broken draws offer great opportunities
for you to induce bluffs. When you have a hand and you appear to
be up against a draw that doesn't get there by the river, you stand
to make the most by checking to your opponent, who can then do his
best to pick up the pot by betting. It's a great technique, and
yet another way you can use the bluff to your advantage.
Layne Flack
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