One of the most thrilling aspects of poker is having the option to bluff. And there are different bluffing moves you can use during the course of play. There are varying bluffs for different skill levels, and when your money is on the line, I’d carefully choose which one you use in each situation.
I’m starting off with the semi-bluff because it’s the one used most frequently, and is also a good choice for beginners and intermediate players. All a semi-bluff involves is betting before the river to try to push people out of the hand. It’s called “semi” because you’re normally holding a drawing hand that could win by the river. You still could win the pot even if you’re unsuccessful at pushing people out.
If you’ve ever seen someone raise, re-raise, or go all-in just with a garbage hand… you’ve witnessed the cold bluff. The odds are they don’t have anything close to a good hand, but think that acting as if they do will push people out of the hand. It really only comes in handy on a tight table.
Continuation bluffs are for aggressive players; to do this you need to bet out before the flop is revealed. Step two is raising after the flop is turned over. Continuation bets are a sign that you’re still in charge, and also that your cards are strong…even if they really aren’t.
At last we have reached the check-raise bluff. This little jewel of a bluff is mostly used by skilled players. You’ll use this one by checking, then raising in the same betting round after another player opens the betting. It tricks the other players into think you’re trying to steal their chips, and then they end up folding.
