No Mercy Monday: More Bluffing Concepts

In this strategy series, CoinPoker’s Chief Community Manager and pro poker player Isabelle “No Mercy” Mercier walks you through the basics of the game. Each No Mercy Monday comes with expert advice on how to play,  and it all starts with starting hands.

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After covering starting hand strategy and position, we will continue to explore the fun concept of bluffing in poker. We started by looking at the story you are telling while playing a poker hand, and we are now going to continue going over some classic bluffs.

Exploring More Bluffing Concepts

Over the last couple of weeks, we took a look at some common and easy bluffs including “stealing the stealer”, “the squeeze play”, and “taking advantage of a dry flop”.

This week we will study another customary bluff that is among the simplest and part of the basic moves in poker. This opportunity will occur every time you are last to act, and when everyone before you checked.

Most times, this will be a green light for you to fire up and take down the pot.”

Most times, this will be a green light for you to fire up and take down the pot. Unless someone has hit a huge hand and is looking to set a trap, you will easily win such hands. That is even truer on the turn when everyone in front of you has checked twice into this pot.

Another time when it will be easy to bluff will be in tournaments during the bubble period. Indeed, if you are sitting on a decent stack, it will be very effective to raise more than usual, especially against small stacks.

These players won’t be inclined to risk the whole tournament with medium hands just to play police and stop you from attacking.”

A lot of times, these players won’t be inclined to risk the whole tournament with medium hands just to play police and stop you from attacking so you will be able to take a lot of pots without a showdown.

A final word about the spectacular “air-bluffs”, which I do not recommend over-using in your poker career. Indeed, this should not be a regular play in your arsenal, and they are usually not needed in order to win a tournament.

To be effective, this bluff will often require that you over-bet the pot to ensure your success. However, this is a double-edged sword, as your opponents may smell it and decide to call you nevertheless!

Join me twice a week in the Hubble Bubble tournaments to practice your skills and try to win my 5000 CHP bounty!

– Isabelle “No Mercy” Mercier