How to bluff at poker? Everyone knows the term ‘poker face’, if only because of the Lady Gaga song. It’s the art of bluffing. It’s fooling your fellow poker players into thinking you’ve got a bad hand, even if you haven’t, and influencing the way they play accordingly. The truth is that to bluff fully and successfully can take years and years of practice. You will get naturally better at bluffing as you play more and more, and you get used to how others play. What many new players of poker don’t realize is that there are other, less risky bluffs (as opposed to full bluffing) which you can also play. These are advisable for new players because of exactly that – there is less risk.
Semi-bluff
A semi-bluff is a lot less dangerous than a full bluff. This is because the cards you have could still make a good hand, just not at the present time of playing them. If your opponent does happen to call you out on your ‘bluff’, you could still be alright if you get a good turn or a river card. The semi-bluff is played after the flop.
Full bluff
You think you’re ready to go full bluff? The aim of a bluff is to get your opponents to fold by making them think you have a better hand than them, even if you don’t. Keeping the infamous poker face, and being able to perfect it, is very important. How do you do this? Well, firstly, keep yourself constrained. Getting too emotional can be sure sign that something is up. Also, it’s a good idea to master a deadpan face – that is a face that doesn’t show any emotion. Getting something to conceal your face, like a scarf, could be a good idea too. Happy bluffing!