Poker Tips

Unlike other card games such as Bridge or Gin, poker is a betting game, and the skill in poker comes from knowing when and how to bet, or when and how to respond to a bet. Betting is done for a variety of reasons in Texas Holdem poker, and one of those reasons is what is known as the semi-bluff.

A semi-bluff is a bet that a player makes when he suspects he is behind in the hand, hoping an opponent will fold, however, the drawing possibilities of the hand give him a good chance to win if he is called. A semi-bluff is a powerful weapon, since it gives players two chances to win the pot.

The semi-bluff, like all forms of bluffing, is much more effective in no limit Texas holdem poker than in limit holdem. This is because in no limit, you can increase the size of your bet to put more pressure on your opponents. In limit, where there is a fixed amount you can bet, there are fewer opportunities for a semi-bluff. However such opportunities do exist.

Let’s say you hold As Tc and you see a flop with three opponents. The flop is Ks 4h Ts. The player in front of you bets, and with a nice sized pot developing, middle pair top kicker and a backdoor straight draw, you decide to call. The two players after you call as well. The turn is the 3s. The initial raiser bets again. Here’s a time a semi-bluff may be effective. It is likely the initial raiser paired his king, and is betting to force out draws. The two players behind you cannot possibly call two bets without a flush, and even if they have a flush, they cannot be sure it is the nut flush since you hold the ace of spades. The initial raiser may now be certain he is beaten, and lay down his hand even for one more bet, since he will expect to face an additional big bet on the river. Even if he calls however, any spade, ace or ten is likely to win you the pot.

Another good time to semi-bluff in a limit hold’em poker game is if you put an opponent on a bluff. For example, you have 8c 9s and the flop comes 4d 7d Tc. A player in front of you bets. This may be an opportunity for a semi-bluff. If you raise here, the last player now faces two bets to him. If the pot was unraised pre-flop, he may be getting less than 3 to 1 odds, with the prospect of more betting to come, and may fold a wide range of hands. If the first player was bluffing, he may fold right away. If he has a hand or is on a semi-bluff, you may still be able to take the pot away with a bet on the turn if his hand does not improve. Even if he plans to go all the way with you, as long as he does not raise you, you are getting good odds to draw at your open ended straight.

As you can see, even in limit hold’em, the semi-bluff provides good opportunities to win pots. Use it when you play poker and you can expect to increase your overall win potential.