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TIPS FROM THE PROS
Layne Flack
March 27, 2006
Beginners come to poker thinking that the
bluff has one simple purpose: To take pots
when you don't have a hand that can win at
showdown. In No-Limit Hold 'em, however, the
bluff can be used in many different ways. As
a recent tip by Huck Seed pointed out, a
good player can use the threat of a bluff to
force an opponent into making a very bad
call.
For this tip, I thought I'd show another
way you can use the bluff to your advantage.
Using this technique, you'll neither be
bluffing nor threatening to bluff, but
rather, you'll be convincing an opponent
to bluff in a situation
where you almost certainly have the best
hand.
Say you're playing a game of No-Limit
Hold 'em and you raise in middle position
with Kh-Qh. You're called by two players -
one behind you and one in the blind. You're
thrilled to see the flop: 2h-7h-Th. You
flopped a flush. The big blind checks to you
and you bet. (Note that I highly recommend
betting in this sort of situation. Betting
the made hand often does more to disguise
the strength of your holding than slow
playing does.)
Your bet is called by the late position
player. What's he calling with? Maybe he has
a Ten or the Ah. The turn is a blank, the
3c. You bet again, and once again are
called. Now the river is another blank, the
4d, making the board 2h-7h-Th-3c-4d. What's
your play?
On the river you should consider checking
- but not because you're worried that your
opponent has a better hand. Rather, since
your opponent called on the river, you have
to consider what he may have. It's hard to
bluff on three consecutive streets, and most
players won't launch that third bullet. So,
after calling you on the flop and turn, your
opponent may look at something like top pair
and give up, thinking that you must have him
beat if you're willing to fire at this pot
three times. Or, if he only has the Ah,
he'll have no choice but to fold. Either
way, there'll be essentially no way for you
to get any value out of the hand by betting.
If you check, however, you let your
opponent stab at the pot. If he's got just
the Ah, he may be inclined to see your check
as a sign of weakness. He'll fire at the pot
in desperation, hopeful that he can force a
fold. Then you'll call and take a nice pot.
Remember, your opponent's broken draws offer
great opportunities for you to induce
bluffs. When you have a hand and you appear
to be up against a draw that doesn't get
there by the river, you stand to make the
most by checking to your opponent, who can
then do his best to pick up the pot by
betting. It's a great technique, and yet
another way you can use the bluff to your
advantage.
Layne Flack |
