12-30-07, LearnTexasHoldem:

Running Big Bluffs In No Limit Texas Hold'em

No limit Texas hold'em is often referred to as a game of big bluffs. Hold'em allows the biggest bluffs, because you can put your entire stack in the middle at any time. How can you become a great bluffer in no limit Texas hold'em, and is it really worth it to do so?

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What is a Big Bluff?

Some consider a big bluff to be a stone cold bluff, one with a hand that has no chance of winning when called. Others judge a bluff to be big based on the size of the pot. Making a $5,000 bluff may be considered big even if you have outs to win the pot when called. Still others consider a bluff to be big if the board is scary, for example bluffing into an Ah Kh Kc Jd Th board, where it is easy for multiple players to have very strong hands, would take extreme confidence in one's own bluffing skills.

What Is Required to Run a Big Bluff in No Limit Hold'em?

It certainly requires fortitude to put all your chips at risk where a call would definitely ruin you. If your nerves cannot handle it, you stand a good chance of giving yourself away. You've also got to have a lot of chips. If you can't make your opponent sweat, it will be hard to run a big bluff. Finally, it will help to have established a tight table image before trying your big bluff. If you've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar before, it will be easier for you to get caught when you make your big move.

When Should You Not Try to Run a Big Bluff in No Limit Texas Hold'em?

If you're up against an opponent who only plays his own hand and doesn't pay attention to what's out there, your bluff has a lower chance of working. You should save your best bluff for when conditions are perfect: You have been playing tight, your opponent is capable of folding and the board is scary in such a way that your opponent is unlikely to have the nut hand. These are the ideal conditions for a big bluff.

Is it Necessary to Run Big Bluffs in No Limit Hold'em?

You should be capable of bluffing when you need to in no limit hold'em. While you don't have to pull off a huge bluff every time you play, if you are not capable of stealing a few pots now and then, you will not maximize your winnings. You will get less action when you do have a hand, and you will be abandoning pots that you should win when other players are obviously weak.

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