Howdy guys! I’m lawtech and I’ll be your host for the poker blog here at lawtechradio.com - below is an article written by one of my buddies that I think should give you guys some good tips to help you improve your game, let me know if it helps in your next game!
Poker Bluffing seems simple on the surface, bet out with nothing and your opponent folds! Those who study poker strategy know that the reality is actually more complex. The success of your bluffing actually depends on a number of factors which are usually overlooked by novices.
There are many types of bluff in poker, these include the ’semi-bluff’, ‘call-bluff’, ‘check-raise bluff’ and the ‘continuation bet’. This article look at a very specific and potentially profitable bluffing style called the ‘Post Oak Bluff’.
The idea behind the Post Oak Bluff is that you are representing a hand that actually wants your opponent to call. From your opponents perspective they are being offered ultra-attractive odds to call on the river. If you succeed here your opponent will be so suspicious of your small bet (as it looks too much like you want to be called) that they actually fold. Do not start betting small on the river without a hand just yet - things are a little more complex than that!
The success of all kinds of bluff in poker rests on telling your opponent(s) a convincing story about what hand you hold with your bets and raises throughout the hand. If your bets make sense in relation to a particular hand (for example a flush) then you will win with a bluff more often than you lose. If your bets and raises apparently make no sense - for example not betting throughout the hand and suddenly going all-in on the river - then you are less likely to succeed.
Post-oak bluffs are no different. The small bet on the end of the hand must make sense in the context of the betting from start to finish. Let us look at an example.
An opponent raises before the flop and you call with a Ace-Ten unsuited. The flop comes 2-3-J with 2 diamonds and your opponent bets half the size of the pot, you call. The turn card is the 9 of clubs and the action goes check-check. Now a 3rd diamond appears on the river. Your ace-high hand did not improve but this is a situation perfect for a post oak bluff. In the context of the hand a diamond flush draw makes perfect sense to your opponent. You called before the flop, and again on the flop and then (importantly) did not bet on the turn when checked to. Now when your opponent checks you should bet a small fraction of the pot - something in the range of a quarter to one third of the money out there. Your opponent may well fold a medium pair or hand such as Ace-Jack fearing that you made your flush on the river.
In summary, the Post-oak bluff involves betting a small amount on the end of a hand trying to convince your opponent that you want to be called. It has the advantage of winning a pot with only a small investment when it works - and being ‘cheap’ when it does not. Using the post-oak bluff will also help you get ‘paid-off’ when you have a strong hand as your opponents will be less likely to believe you once you have been caught bluffing!
Mark R Holland is an online poker pro, blogger and writer for high-quality poker sites. For great poker strategy articles and tips covering SNGs, Poker Tournaments and Satellite Qualifiers visit Best Site For Sit N Goes today!
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