How to Bluff in No Limit Hold'em

Marion, RFC Coach

Bluffing in no-limit Holdem is a risky move. Each type of bluff has it's own strategy considerations. The best bluffs have a back-up plan in that you might win the hand even when you are called. 
But, first things first:

1. You have to know enough about your opponent to think he has the ability to fold a hand.  If you are playing against a calling station who is afraid of laying down the best hand, you can not successfully bluff.

2. You have to understand your own motives.  Why do you want to make this bet?  It's like telling a story.  Does your effort to bet and win the pot, look reasonable?  You need to look like you're playing honest poker.  If you make a bet and it doesn't ring true, you are more likely to get called.

Now, what is a bluff?

The Pure Bluff:     You have nothing but the only way you think you can win is to bet.

The 'Semi-Bluff':   You do not think you have the best hand at the moment but have 'outs' that could make your hand the winner if you do get called.

The Continuation Bet: Betting the flop after you raise before the flop, you are continuing to show strength even though you may have missed.

The 'Post-Oak' Bluff: You bet/raise a small amount (it usually shows weakness) and almost always gets called because it gives the opponent great pot odds to call.  You only win when the opponent has nothing.

Bluffing with nothing in No-Limit Hold'em can be an expensive strategy. If you choose to bluff without a hand then it is important to make sure that your betting tells a consistent story and that you are representing a plausible holding. An example of this would be if you called a bet on the flop with an obvious draw showing -- the best example being 2 suited cards. When a 3rd card of that suit falls on the turn you can now bet, representing that you have made a flush. There is a fair chance this will get an opponent with a weak pair to fold.

The best bluffing strategy in No-Limit Hold'em is to use your drawing hands to bluff with. These are known as semi-bluffs as you may win the hand with a bluff bet. You win the pot immediately when your opponent folds.  When you get called, you can win when your hand improves. This is why semi-bluffing is usually a better strategy option than pure bluffs.

The number of opponents you face is a major factor in bluffing strategy. One opponent is the ideal number, 2 opponents is usually the most players you should try to bluff against. Any more than this, then you should wait for a better opportunity for bluffing. In a multi-way pot, the danger that at least one opponent has a hand that they will call with is too great.

The texture of the flop describes the cards that fall and how they work together. The best flops for bluffing do not contain any obvious straight or flush draws. If you are called on the flop you are never sure whether your opponent called with a draw or with a pair. When there are no draws on the flop it is more likely your opponent either missed completely or has a paired hand. A bluff is more likely to succeed the less draws there are on the flop.

Bet sizing is an important consideration in bluffing strategy. If you bet the size of the pot on the flop your opponent must fold 50% of the time to make the bet profitable. If you bet half of the pot your opponent needs to fold  1 time in 3 for your bluff to show a profit. The key to bet sizing, particularly with continuation-bet style bluffs, is to bet the smallest amount that will 'get the job done' with the minimum loss of chips.