Poker Lesson 11: Stopping Bluffs

Millions of words have been written in various books, blogs, columns, and publications about how a player should bluff. Comparatively little has been written about how a player should deal with a bluffing competitor. Stopping a player from bluffing is a valid strategy though. So today we will take a look at this method of play.

Why should you stop a bluff? Well first of all, nobody likes being lied to, especially if those lies are costing you money. If you are playing against a relatively tight player who seems to be taking more then their fair share of pots, he is probably successfully bluffing. This is something you really should put a stop to.

A good liar can often be trumped by a better liar. The best way to stop somebody from bluffing is to represent more strength then you actually have. Your opponent will get the idea that you have a calling hand or better, and save their bluff for a time when they think you are a tad more vulnerable. Here is a good example of what we are talking about:

Let’s say in a game of draw poker, jacks or better, you are sitting in the dealer position and open with a pair of aces. After having initially checked, from a very deep position, the player you suspect of bluffing now calls your bet. There is very little chance they have something like two pair, or they would have gone forward more aggressively. Chances are your opponent doesn’t have a complete hand yet. The next card will probably either make his hand or break it, so stand your ground. If you check after the draw your opponent will almost never bet unless they have actually made their hand. This is not where the bluff will come.

To stop a bluff here, some players would draw one card, and perhaps smile a little. This would represent two pair that you trying to build into a full house. Other players would draw two cards which would send out a strong signal that a three-of-a-kind is clutched in your hot little hand. By standing firm here, you stop the bluff in its tracks. You are holding two aces and there is zero chance that your opponent can make a bigger pair then that, not without silicone anyway. By drawing three cards, the odds are pretty long against you making a full house at the same time your opponent makes a straight or flush.

In short, bluff to stop a bluff. In draw poker use the actual draw to represent more strength then you have in your hand. Unless your opponent thinks a bonzai charge is the road to victory, they will wilt in the face of this strategy.