Lost $200 in an online tournament last month when my stone-cold bluff got called by bottom pair. Painful lesson. The guy had no business calling, but something in my betting pattern gave me away.
Without physical tells to rely on, online bluffing works differently than live games. After thousands of hands and numerous expensive mistakes, here’s what works when bluffing online.
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What Is A Bluff?
A bluff means betting with a weak hand to make opponents fold better ones. Instead of winning with the best cards, you’re convincing others your hand is stronger than it is.
Sounds simple but isn’t. I’ve burned through plenty of money on failed bluffs, but I’ve also stolen massive pots with nothing but ace-high.
Three Types of Bluffs Worth Knowing
Pure Bluff
This is betting with absolutely nothing – no pair, no draw, just air. Your hand has virtually no chance if called.
Pulled off a pure bluff last week with 7-2 offsuit on a K-Q-J board. Made a pot-sized bet on the flop, another on the turn, and my opponent folded what he later said was ace-king. High-risk move that works against the right players.
Semi-Bluff
My bread and butter online. You bet with a hand that’s currently weak but could improve.
Example: Holding 8♥9♥ on a flop of A♥5♥2♦. No pair, but nine outs to make a flush. If your opponent folds now, great! If not, you’ve still got plenty of ways to win.
Continuation Bluff
Raising pre-flop, then betting again on the flop regardless of whether you connected.
Works best when the flop comes with high cards that likely missed your opponent’s range. I’ve found that c-betting around 60-70% of pot on dry, ace-high boards gets folds about 70% of the time at low stakes.
What Matters When Bluffing Online
Player Tendencies Over Cards
In live poker, it’s about looking confident. Online, it’s about exploiting patterns.
Pay attention to fold-to-continuation-bet percentages if you use tracking software. Some opponents fold to c-bets 80%+ of the time – they’re essentially giving you money.
My favorite targets? Tight-aggressive players who can actually fold hands. Never bluff the calling stations that pay off with any pair.
Position Is Everything
Bluffing from an early position is lighting money on fire. I’ve tried. It fails.
Late position bluffs work infinitely better because you’ve seen everyone’s actions first. If everyone checks you on the button, a bluff succeeds much more often.
Best bluffing position? The button, followed by the cutoff. I’m at least twice as likely to bluff from these positions as from any others.
Bet Sizing Tells The Story
Your bet size needs to match the hand you’re representing. I’ve found that smaller bluffs (50-60% of pot) on the flop, followed by bigger turns (80-100%), work better than oversized bets that scream “please fold!”
Made this mistake constantly when starting – betting too big with bluffs and too small with real hands. Regulars spot these patterns instantly.
Timing Reveals More Than You Think
Online poker has unique “timing tells.” Taking too long before bluffing can look suspicious. I try to use roughly the same timing whether bluffing or value betting.
The auto-check/fold buttons are dead giveaways. If someone insta-checks, they’re often weak – prime bluffing opportunities.
Game Type Changes Everything
Tournament bluffs work differently from cash games. In tournaments, players protect their tournament life and fold more readily as the bubble approaches.
In cash games, good players adjust constantly. I’ve had successful bluffs completely stop working as opponents adapted to my aggression.
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My Hard-Earned Bluffing Tips
- Track your results – I discovered I was bluffing way too often by reviewing my hand histories.
- Start with semi-bluffs – Even when called, you can still win.
- Bluff against fewer players – Success rate drops dramatically against 3+ opponents.
- Balance is key – If you only bet with monsters, nobody pays you off. If you always bluff, everyone calls.
- Consider board textures – Bluff on scary boards where good hands are less likely.
Online bluffing takes practice and usually some painful lessons. I’ve gone broke more than once getting it wrong, but when you nail it? That feeling when someone folds the winner to your complete air is what keeps us coming back to poker.