Bluffing in a Cash Game

Is bluffing a big part of your game in a cash game, no limit? I don't recommend bluffing in a cash game as it is a good way to bleed chips. I see it all the time and don't really understand why players attempt this move. Even with position and knowing the other players are calling stations.

Having a read on your opponents and position makes a big difference, but do you still try to bluff in any situation? The only time I may try a bluff is against a solid player trying to represent a flush or straight on a dangerous board. I won't bluff off all my chips but may make a value bet that will usually scare them away.

Comments

  • Excessive bluffing is -EV. But having bluffs as part of your game is a must. Do you not continuation bet? That is huge in cash games, and I do it in most pots. I don't always hit, but its not up to me to determine whether I did or not. Bluffing off all my chips is not something a regularly do, and if I do will almost always be a semi-bluff with at least outs. Doing it on the river should be kept at a minimum.
  • Lose a big bluff in a tournament - your tournament can be over. Lose a big one in a cash game, top up and change gears and take advantage of the new table image you get at this weak table. I actually prefer to bluff in a cash game over a tournament for that reason alone.

    Re: calling stations - You can't bluff everyone. Some people just won't let middle pair go. You can't start the hand by thinking "I'm going to bluff through this one", it is situational.
  • Bluffing is player dependant and it needs to make sense.
  • I think bluffing in cash games is one of my biggest weakness. Everytime I try to represent a big hand and play it perfectly, I always get someone calling me with bottom pair or something weird.
  • actyper wrote: »
    Do you not continuation bet? That is huge in cash games, and I do it in most pots.

    Against the right players and with the correct position, I would say I do sometimes. If I get a lot of heat, I will let go of the hand or maybe call to try and steal the pot on the turn. If I have a middle pair and a couple over cards come, I will likely avoid the continuation bet, unless I think the other players are weak. I guess I'm thinking more pot size bluffs.
  • Lose a big bluff in a tournament - your tournament can be over. Lose a big one in a cash game, top up and change gears and take advantage of the new table image you get at this weak table. I actually prefer to bluff in a cash game over a tournament for that reason alone.

    Re: calling stations - You can't bluff everyone. Some people just won't let middle pair go. You can't start the hand by thinking "I'm going to bluff through this one", it is situational.

    i like this point of view
  • Lose a big bluff in a tournament - your tournament can be over. Lose a big one in a cash game, top up and change gears

    I actually prefer bluffing in a tournament as it usually is not for your entire stack and your loss is limited to your buy-in. It may depend on the stakes of entering the tournament.
  • Another thing about bluffing in a cash game is table view. Look like a bluffing donk early when you first sit down, and that image stays in the head of everybody the rest of your session. Use that to your advantage and get paid off.

    Whenever I play cash games, I'm more often down the first 15min or so setting up my image. Raising lots, or what not. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will use bluffing not necessarily to win that pot, but to win big pots later.
  • actyper wrote: »
    Another thing about bluffing in a cash game is table view. Look like a bluffing donk early when you first sit down, and that image stays in the head of everybody the rest of your session. Use that to your advantage and get paid off.

    Whenever I play cash games, I'm more often down the first 15min or so setting up my image. Raising lots, or what not. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will use bluffing not necessarily to win that pot, but to win big pots later.

    Very good point... that is probably the best use for bluffing.
  • It all depends on who you play with. The regular people I play with all think that I play tight, that way I can throw out a bluff or 2 every game that they won't even notice. But if I'm going to a casino or something like that, I tend to try and show weak cards early that way I can profit on later hands when they think I'm a loose player.
  • if situation is right, and i feel i can take down the pot
    i'll bluff,
    and must think hard, what's the best line
    if you only bet with hand, you are too transparent, and cannot make money when you hit, and will be stack more often, because it's not likely they will call you with a hand that you can beat.
    bluff you got fold equity, you got adversiting for your soon to come big hand.
    i think it can be +EV
    i do admitt sometime i feel i lost too much, but i think about all the pot i take down, and all the big hand that got pay off. I think it's +EV on my part.
  • I rarely run big bluffs for my entire stack... doing it depends on so many things... your image, your opponent, how the turn and river affect your opponents hand range and what you are representing.
    You should definitely be taking stabs at smaller pots when your opponent seems weak and firing 2 barrels on good turn cards... say you raise preflop and get called and the flop comes 54T and you bet and get called, the turn is an A, this is a good spot to fire a second barrel against most players regardless of what you are holding. Against opponents who you know float/call light on the flop you can fire a second barrel on the turn a lot too and get them to fold.

    Also the point about bluffing early is a good one too... when you first sit down at a table players will usually give you more credit and if you get caught then you can just adjust and take advantage of your image. A lot of my better sessions have come after running a bluff early then adjusting and getting called down light later in the session.
  • if situation is right, and i feel i can take down the pot
    i'll bluff,
    and must think hard, what's the best line
    if you only bet with hand, you are too transparent, and cannot make money when you hit, and will be stack more often, because it's not likely they will call you with a hand that you can beat.
    bluff you got fold equity, you got adversiting for your soon to come big hand.
    i think it can be +EV
    i do admitt sometime i feel i lost too much, but i think about all the pot i take down, and all the big hand that got pay off. I think it's +EV on my part.

    I will bluff when I think it may work, I think about it and pick the best line. If you only bet when you have a hand people will see through it and you will get stacked more (? ? ?) because they won't call with a worse hand.

    Bluff in spots where you have fold equity, this will make others think you are a maniac and you will get paid when you actually have a hand. It's coming soon!!!

    I think bluffing can be +EV (lol)

    Sometimes I feel I lost too much when I got caught bluffing but then I think about all the pots I have won and all of the monsters that got paid. I think bluffing is +EV.
  • [/quote]Whenever I play cash games, I'm more often down the first 15min or so setting up my image. Raising lots, or what not. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will use bluffing not necessarily to win that pot, but to win big pots later.[/quote]

    Totally agree. At CN it works sooooooooooo well.
  • I bluff tonnnes in cash games and i raise a lot preflop etc etc, i want a laggy image to have my big hands paid off for stacks. When I first started playing poker 6 years ago I would play very tight and try and trap all the time, but you are missing out on huge profits if you only play this way.
  • If bluffing isn't part of your game then in my opinion you are missing opportunities to win money - and cash games are where you win money. Obviously you need to be careful about the spots you pick. Not only should you take into account the image of the players you are bluffing against, but your own image at the table as well.
  • Bluffing is game specific. It is an adjustment you can make depending on game flow at the table and the player(s) involved in the hand with you.


    Most of the 1-2NL live that I have played would be profitable if you NEVER bluffed. You could fold every hand for 2 hours and get action the first pot you opened. There is no point to bluffing in this type of game. You will get called down extremely light anyway so just valuebet your opponents to death whenever you have a hand.


    If people are really weak-tight and just praying for those AA so they can play a hand you can bluff the hell out of them. Open tons of pots, bet every A high flop, every dry flop and every scare card.
  • Bluffing is super important part of the game.

    Bluffing works if you know how to play the game.

    Bluffing doesnt work when your on Tilt, or spinning.

    . <
    period
  • I often play 2/2 NL with effective stacks of 600-1k+ and open raises of 10-20+, I can tell you that you are losing huge edge if you never bluff. If you want to play safe poker and never risk any chips then you can win by never bluffing, but in doing so you are missing out on profit.
  • I will bluff when I think it may work, I think about it and pick the best line. If you only bet when you have a hand people will see through it and you will get stacked more (? ? ?) because they won't call with a worse hand.

    Bluff in spots where you have fold equity, this will make others think you are a maniac and you will get paid when you actually have a hand. It's coming soon!!!

    I think bluffing can be +EV (lol)

    Sometimes I feel I lost too much when I got caught bluffing but then I think about all the pots I have won and all of the monsters that got paid. I think bluffing is +EV.
    thanks mom
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