Playing poker is simply fun, regardless of the possibility of actually winning some cash. Of course, ending up with tons of money is always preferable, but to get to a point where you end up as the last player, you need a bit of practice and experience.
Another thing that makes a poker player a real pro is their bluffing skills, and this is what troubles so many, as they simply don’t know how to bluff or are entirely unaware of its importance.
Why try it?
The answer to this question is simple, as the whole point of playing poker and bluffing in it is to have some fun and win some money if possible. Bluffing increases the chances of winning, and if one is good at it, they can win even more as they will make the opponents fold more often than those who are not good at it.
You can also look at it as a kind of strategy, as bluffing is sometimes the only option, and those good with bluffing surely have a much bigger chance of huge winnings. Besides the money factor knowing how and, what’s probably even more important, when to do so, will surely make everything more interesting.
There are two main components of a good bluff. The first one is about your facial expressions, and the second one is timing. Timing is everything here, and in order to be excellent with this skill, you need to pick the right time to do so.
That is why that gut feeling is something you should always listen to, but understandably, the more someone actually plays and gain experience, the more they can rely on it, and the more naturally it will come.
Now, when we have settled this, let’s take a closer look at how to improve your bluffing skills and become excellent in it.
1. Facial expressions
It doesn’t matter how someone decides to fool other players, as the crucial part of it all is to have a cold face, as otherwise, the other players will be able to notice it and use it against you, which is not something anyone wants.
For those unsure about what it is, it is a resting face that shows no emotions, so no one can see what you are thinking about. In most cases, the person is born with it, but it is possible to practice it and become a professional after a while, as everything comes with enough experience.
Of course, this doesn’t mean how one should never talk, move, or anything like this, as the meaning of a poker face is to make others wonder and guess what cards you have.
This is also where most people make a mistake, as they focus more on not moving or doing anything in order to hide what their next move will be. Now, that simply doesn’t seem natural, and in reality, doing so will cause more damage to your game rather than anything else.
Practice makes it perfect with everything, poker face included, so make sure to spend some time practicing that. One of the best ways to do so is by playing poker online, as most of the online casinos like https://kubet3.win/.
2. All-in
One of the most common bluffs and also the one that scares the opponents the most is going all-in when your turn comes instead of calling or raising a little. It is one of the bluffs that should be done after a few hands because it is necessary to learn more about the opponents and see if they are ready to follow or too scared for it.
No matter how strong your hand is, most players will fold, and you will win if you confidently raise the bet and go all-in. Of course, this doesn’t mean how one should do so every hand because, at some point, others will notice what you are doing and call, which may not end that well. So use the all-in option, but use it wisely, and, if possible, make such a move when no one is expecting it.
3. Raise the bet instead of folding
If we speak about the easiest ways to earn some money, one of them is to raise a bet when you do not have a good hand and expect no one else has. The easiest way to make sure that no one has a strong hand is to follow the reactions of other players at the table, and if some of them are folding while the others are waiting for the hand to be finished without raising a stake, it is your opportunity to do it. In most cases, the others will fold, which means that the money is yours, and although it is not a huge win, it can be a great bluff for a long-time bluffing.
4. Know when to do it
Bluffing is a funny and interesting way to win some money with not so strong hands, but it is crucial to know when to do it and when to fold. Doing it too often will make other people notice it, which always leads to ending up with nothing at the end of the night.
Because of that, bluffing is okay only in situations when you have at least some chances of winning, or you know the opponents that well, and you are sure that they will call. Keep in mind that you are not the only person who tries to bluff, and many other people will try the same strategy.
5. Try to steal blinds
Now, this is an easy strategy but something for those with more experience, as the key to successful blinds stealing is to know what type of players you are playing against. No matter how strong your hand is, if other players who don’t fight back that often are in it, try to raise instead of folding, as the chances are high that they will not follow that raise.