How Not to Suck at Poker: Stop Bluffing So Much

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Arved Klöhn Pokerlistings Author
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: January 10, 2025

Let’s start by clearing up a misconception: 

  • There is actually very little stone-cold bluffing in poker.

Thanks mostly to Hollywood’s dramatic interpretation of it, people seem to associate poker with making huge bluffs at every possible opportunity.

Just as players rarely, if ever, lose with a straight flush to a royal flush, the game simply doesn’t work like that.

As you would expect from a game as in-depth as Texas Hold’em, bluffing comes in many various forms and degrees:

  • Quick bluffs
  • Semi-bluffs
  • Stone-cold bluffs (or naked bluffs)

Quick Bluffs

The vast majority of all bluffs in Hold’em are “quick” bluffs. Also known as “small ball,” these are small bets made to win small- to medium-sized pots with a high expected rate of success.

The risk is minimal and the reward is slightly profitable.

Example: Three players check to you on the button with a flop of K K 7 .

There were no raises pre-flop, and no one looks at all interested in this pot. There are really only two options:

  1. Someone has a king and is slow-playing.
  2. No one has a king and everybody’s ready to fold

This scenario is straight forward. Chances are no one has a king, meaning they will be willing to fold.

Also, the size of the pot is too small to make a hero call worthwhile. This is a position bet, intended to finish the pot, regardless of your hand.

Example:
You have A 10 on a board of 9 8 4 . You raise pre-flop and the small blind calls. The small blind checks the flop, and you put in a bet representing an overpair or top pair. Your flush draw and overcard to the board mean you still have solid equity if called. If the turn bricks and you face aggression, you can shut down. But if another heart or a helpful overcard appears, you have a legitimate shot at stacking your opponent.

Semi-Bluffs

Let’s say you raise pre-flop with A K  and get two callers.

The flop comes J 9 5 ; you have nothing but a flush draw and over cards. The first player checks, followed by the second player betting three-quarters of the pot.

In this situation raising would be a semi-bluff as technically you have nothing; you’re behind anyone with as little as a pair. The fact that you have a flush draw and the best overcards though means you have many legitimate ways to win this pot by showdown.

Your hand does have some value, making this only a semi-bluff. Ideally your opponent will fold and you will take the pot. But if you do get called there’s the chance that you’ll make the nuts on the turn.

Semi-bluffs are a crucial part of poker, but be warned: if you semi-bluff every time you have a big draw you’ll be as transparent as glass.

Example:
You have A 10 on a board of 9 8 4 . You raise pre-flop and the small blind calls. The small blind checks the flop, and you put in a bet representing an overpair or top pair. Your flush draw and overcard to the board mean you still have solid equity if called. If the turn bricks and you face aggression, you can shut down. But if another heart or a helpful overcard appears, you have a legitimate shot at stacking your opponent.

Further Reading:

Stone-Cold (Naked) Bluffs

Possibly the greatest stone-cold bluff ever to be caught on tape is Brad Booth’s bluff against Phil Ivey in the third season of High Stakes Poker.

Brad was drawing dead to a five or a runner-runner two pair. Because his hand had almost no value whatsoever this is a textbook example of a stone-cold bluff.

Realistically, the only way Brad is going to win this pot is if Ivey folds.

These are the type of bluffs you see in Hollywood movies and these are the types of bluffs people seem to think poker is made of. In reality, it’s almost never a good idea to make a bluff like this.

To expect these sorts of bluffs to be profitable, you need to understand everything going on in the hand, including your opponent’s thoughts and plans. It’s a high-level play left only to the very best in the world.

Sure, you can make these bluffs and have them work, but without being a truly high-level player, you’re just rolling the dice on not getting called.

Dan Harrington describes these bluffs as “dark tunnel bluffs.” All you see is the light at the end of the tunnel. You have no idea what’s actually going on around you.

To not suck at poker, you need to stop making stone-cold bluffs, and limit the number of quick and semi bluffs you’re making. The best way for a beginner to make money at poker is by playing straight-forward, ABC poker.

If you have the best hand, bet. If you don’t, fold.

Unless you’re playing against a table of opponents who have watched, studied and remembered every hand you’ve played that session, chances are that getting creative is simply costing you money.

Further Reading:

Save Bluffing For When Your Game Improves!

The longer you play this game the more you’ll come to find out that most of your poker profits comes from other players making exactly this kind of mistake. Why be that player?

Until your game advances — and you really understand how to execute a complicated bluff — save your money and focus on getting big value out of your big hands.

You want to be the one who has it when the biggest money is on the line – not the player holding his breath and desperately trying to will someone to fold. Check out the video below for more detail!

Here’s an example to show you exactly how you can apply these bluffing rules:

Bluff Scenario

You’re sitting in a $.50/$1 online full ring game. You have $120 in your stack and have been playing regular TAG (tight-aggressive) poker.

You’re sitting on the button and get dealt 8 8 . A player with a $245 stack raises to $4 from middle position. You call on the button and head to the flop heads up.

The flop comes 6 8 9 . You flopped middle set and are sure that you’re ahead of your opponent. He’s not the type of player to have raised with anything that could have flopped a straight.Best Poker Bonus

Your opponent bets $7 and you just call. The turn comes Q . Your opponent bets $18; again you just call. 

The river comes 10 . Your opponent checks and you check behind. Your opponent turns over 8 9  for two pair. You win the $58 pot with your set.

Analysis

You won the pot but you lost as much as $182 because you tried to get fancy and trap. You also left yourself wide open to get rocked by a straight or flush.

Your opponent flopped a monster hand. Most likely he was making the same assumptions you were, that it was highly unlikely you could have flopped the straight.

He puts you on an overpair or a flush draw. Either way, chances are he’s not getting away from top two cheaply.

By pumping the flop (which ABC poker would dictate), you will create a much larger pot and help eliminate the possibility of your opponent drawing out on you (in case he does have the flush draw).

By slow-playing your hand you kept the pot small in a scenario where you had heaps of equity, and let the board get too dangerous to value bet. Getting fancy cost you a lot of money.

Related Reading:

It’s About Decisions

Yes. Poker is not results based – it’s decision-based. Both examples show you how getting fancy and playing your hand incorrectly for the situation can end up costing you money.

If you have aces pre-flop and are up against an opponent who you think holds a big hand and who is more than willing to stack off to you, you’re making a mistake by doing anything but raising.

Players still developing their game often start to have thoughts like “If I re-raise here they’ll know for sure I have aces,” when in reality your three-bet could mean anything your opponent wants it to mean.

When playing low-to-medium stakes your opponents will make plenty of mistakes and will typically have no idea what you’re doing at any time. Especially when you’re in an action pot, stick to the ABCs and your long-run results will thank you.

Related Reading:

Improving Bluff Frequencies

Modern poker theory recognizes that appropriate bluff frequency is critical for balancing your range and preventing opponents from making easy reads. While new players tend to overdo it, experienced players often move toward a more structured and balanced approach as they refine their game.

One key to reaching that balance is to assess the texture of each board before deciding how to proceed. When deciding whether to bluff, pay attention to potential draws, opponent tendencies, and the pot size in relation to your stack. Small edges matter in professional-level poker, and a misguided bluff can turn a winning session into a losing one overnight.

Adjusting Your Bet Sizings

While large overbets can pressure opponents to fold marginal hands, you need to be judicious about when to deploy them. Against more conservative players, smaller bets may achieve the same fold equity with less risk. Meanwhile, if you sense your opponent has a medium-strength holding, a larger bet can capitalize on their reluctance to risk a call. Carefully balancing your bet sizings helps disguise your hand’s actual strength and can increase your overall win rate.

If you’re facing a consistent three-bettor, consider how your stack size interacts with your range. More advanced players use a structured approach, often described as near-GTO (Game Theory Optimal), to determine which combos work best for bluffing. Although you don’t need perfect GTO knowledge to succeed, understanding some basic concepts can keep you from bluffing away chips in ill-advised spots.

By analyzing board textures, leveraging position, and varying bet sizes, you’ll find a comfortable frequency for both value betting and bluffing. This dynamic interplay between balanced aggression and disciplined folding often marks the difference between a break-even player and a consistently profitable one.

FAQ

What is a bluff?A bluff is an attempt to convince opponents you hold a stronger hand than you actually do. When bluffing, your goal is to make them fold a superior hand, ensuring you take down the pot without needing a showdown.

A bluff is an attempt to convince opponents you hold a stronger hand than you actually do. When bluffing, your goal is to make them fold a superior hand, ensuring you take down the pot without needing a showdown.

Why should I limit stone-cold bluffs?

Stone-cold bluffs carry a high risk because you typically have no equity if you get called. They require an in-depth understanding of your opponent’s range and playing style, and even then, they remain risky.

Can I bluff more often in low-stakes games?

In lower-stakes games, opponents often call too much. Bluffs can still work in the right spot, but inexperienced players frequently overuse them. It’s usually more profitable to play straightforward and punish opponents’ mistakes.

What is the difference between a quick bluff and a semi-bluff?

A quick bluff is a small bet used to take down a small or medium pot, often with minimal risk. A semi-bluff involves betting or raising when you don’t have the best hand yet but have outs, such as a flush or straight draw, that can improve your equity.

How should I react if my bluff gets raised?

If you’re on a pure bluff, it’s often best to fold unless you have a strong read indicating your opponent is also weak. If you have outs or a draw, you need to weigh pot odds against the likelihood of improving before making your decision.

When does a balanced bluffing strategy matter the most?

It becomes crucial at tables where your opponents are observant and capable of adjusting their play. If your opponents rarely pay attention, you don’t need a perfect balance. But against skilled and attentive players, mixing up your bluffs is an important way to stay unpredictable.

How does bet sizing factor into successful bluffs?

Proper bet sizing can maximize fold equity while minimizing your risks. Sometimes a smaller bet is just as likely to produce a fold as an all-in move, so knowing how to size bets relative to pot size and opponent tendencies is key.

More on How Not to Suck at Poker:

  1. How Not to Suck at Poker: Play Fewer Hands
  2. How Not to Suck at Poker: Play in Position
  3. How Not to Suck at Poker: Count Your Outs
  4. How Not to Suck at Poker: Learn Basic Odds
  5. How Not to Suck at Poker: Pay Attention
  6. How Not to Suck at Poker: Have a Proper Bankroll
  7. How Not to Suck at Poker: Stop Bluffing So Much
  8. How Not to Suck at Poker: Stop Talking So Much
  9. How Not to Suck at Poker: Track Your Results
  10. How Not to Suck at Poker: Talk to Better Players
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