The Semi Bluff

The Semi-Bluff

 

One of the most powerful weapons in any poker player’s satchel. If in fact there is a reasonable chance you can steal a pot by semi-bluffing, you should pounce on it for sure. But, as with any play you make at the table, the semi-bluff is always most effective when you use it at the correct time in the correct situation. Semi-bluff at a more often than not pace and your opponents will know when you’re on the draw or think you are straight up bluffing. Semi-bluff at the right times (strategy plays a role here) and your opponents will know to fold whenever you bet. The key to semi-bluffing is to constantly change your pace, keep it fresh and never be too predictable with your betting patterns.
Let’s say that you’ve flopped the nut flush draw and are pretty certain your enemy has connected with the flop one way or another, whether a pair, set or top pair.
A better move in this spot might be not semi-bluffing but instead just calling. This way, if you hit your flush on the turn, your options have now become endless; check, call or raising are all situations you can choose to participate in, and your opponent won’t be able to put you on a hand quite as easily ( especially with your ability to switch up your betting pattern. By not semi-bluffing, you increase your chances of winning a bigger pot when your opponent actually has a strong hand. There are players out there who’ll ASSume you’re not on the draw if you don’t semi-bluff, so be sure to cash on those opportunities.

Here is your chance, if you don’t think that your opponent has a strong hand or your draw isn’t that strong (for example a low flush draw), this is the perfect time for a semi-bluff. The semi-bluff should be used as a tool to steal pots when the opportunity is sure to arise, not as a means of building big pots.







Another good way to mix up your semi-bluffing game plan is to press until the turn to semi-bluff rather than always jumping on the opportunity on the flop. This can be a dangerous play because you’ve only got one card to come on the turn and you’re not getting the same odds. But it also means that your opponent is less likely to think that you’re semi-bluffing and put you on the draw. It looks pretty strong if you call on the flop and then raise on the turn; your opponent might think you’ve flopped the nuts and throw away a pretty strong hand.
Another advantage to semi-bluffing on the turn rather than the flop is that you could be so fortunate as to pick up a few more outs on the turn.

Lets consider this; if you have a gut-shot straight draw on the flop and then pick up a flush draw on the turn. You’ve just gone from four outs to about 12, which might be worth a shot at taking down the pot right then and there. A lot of players will also have trouble deciding to put you on the flush draw in this spot; it’s just harder to see that flush draw on the turn than it is on the flop.

Once again, the key to a good semi-bluff is picking the right spot to pull it off. Choose poorly and you could stand to lose a good portion of your stack; choose well and you could throw your opponents off balance and hit them where it hurts when you make your hand. 

How are your Semi-bluff experiences going, are you a serial bluffer, or are you controlled, whats your personality at the table, glasses, hat, hood, Ipod.  I want to know!

The Streets Of Texas Hold'em Poker

 

The Different Streets In a Poker Hand

The Flop
After seeing the flop, Don't feel obligated to remain in the hand. A common mistake made by beginners, especially online is to decide, "I'm already in this hand, so I might as well play it out." NOooooooooo.
With up to seven players at a table, two pair or better will generally be the winning hand. If you don't have the high pair after the flop (say the flop comes out and is Q-9-5, the high pair would be two Queens), and you're not in good position for a straight or a flush, you should probably get out of the hand.
However, remember that as the number of players depletes, so does the potential of that strong hand being out there...  So, if you're at a table with just two other players, it could pay off to be the aggressor and bet at the pot, hoping to take it down.
If you're first to bet after the flop, don't feel like betting is the only solution, CHECK. This can work to your advantage in two ways. First, if your hand is on the weak side, you may get the luxury of getting to see one more card without having to put more of your stack into the pot. Second, if your hand is strong, you could convince an opponent or two that it's weaker than it really is.  Of course times change and technique does too, so this is an important situation to know when to switch gears because someone could read your strength through your portrayal of weakness.
 



Fourth Street and Fifth Street
Also know as The Turn and The River, respectively, the fourth and fifth community (cards face up) cards give you two more chances to either get out of the pot before you lose money, or increase your winnings.
At this point, it's likely there will only be much less of an opponent count in the pot with you. The best advice here is to be smart. After fourth street, don't stay in the pot hoping for a straight or flush, unless you can do so on a check (think odds, and how many outs you have, although it may be an easy fold patience may take you in a different direction). Although there will be times when you would have drawn the straight or flush, they will be outweighed by the times you wouldn't.
The bottom line is this: Don't allow yourself to get sucked in too far with a weak hand, throwing all your chips in on a hope and a prayer.
That said, there is a point where the investment you've already made virtually tells you that you hang in there. It's most reasonable to measure this in terms of percentage of your chips. For example, if you've already committed 40% of your chips to the pot, another 5% isn't that much. This is a gray area, so once again the best advice is to be smart, but think cautiously.