Bluffing in Poker A Second Time After Being Called
In No-Limit Holdem, one of the hardest and sometimes,scariest situations occurs when you bluff at a pot on the flop and get called. The turn brings a blank and you're left with a big decision: Do I bet and continue bluffing in poker a second time after being called and continue with the bluff? While playing in the tournament the other player did a double-barrel bluff against me, and he got me to lay down the best hand. It was early in the tournament and I was in late position. My opponent, raised from early position, and I called with Ac-9c. The flop came A-J-7, rainbow with one club.The player bet out and I called. The turn brought a 3s, and the player put out a very large bet. I was in a tough spot. It was early in the tournament, and I didn't want to lose most of my chips with this hand. I was pretty certain the bettor wouldn't have bet that much with something like A-K or A-Q. With a hand like that, he'd have to worry that he was beat, and he'd probably try to get to the showdown as cheaply as possible. I figured he either had a very big hand - maybe a set of Jacks - or not much at all. In the end, I decided to lay down my pair of Aces. The Player then showed pocket Queens. I give the player a lot of credit for playing the hand well. He had a good sense for how much heat I was willing to take. His play illustrates the most important consideration when deciding if you should continue with a bluff: Your opponent's mindset. If you're up against a player who is unwilling to play without a very big hand, betting and bluffing in poker a second time after being called can force them to make some bad lay downs. To make this work, however, you need to estimate the price a particular player is willing to pay, and then bet more than he seems capable of handling. In the hand I discussed above,the player new the price I couldn't stomach. Sometimes, a meek player will get stubborn and try to get through a hand by calling you down with something like second pair. You need to have a sense that he's trying to get through the hand in this way, then price your bets so that he won't be able to call. If, however, you're against a guy who has shown a willingness to call any bet of any size with just about any hand, then you need back off and wait till you flop a monster. In the end, the most important thing is to know your opponent. If you're attentive at the table and pick up on the tendencies of those around you, you'll find some nice opportunities for the double bluff. Bluffing in poker a second time after being called can pay off when you read your opponents well. That said, I should note that I'm far more willing to bluff on multiple streets in cash games than I am in tournaments. If I get caught running a big bluff in a cash game, I'll re-buy with the knowledge that my actions will force some bad calls later in the session. In tournaments, if I bluff most of my chips, I'm on the rail. As your no-limit game develops, study your opponents and identify those who are vulnerable to bluffs on multiple streets. As you develop this skill, you'll pick up some key pots and become a more profitable player. |