Bluffing is an integral part of poker, since you can't get premium hands all the time, and you can't always hit the flop even with your premium hands. I'm not going to even attempt to tell you how to bluff, seeing as its an art all by itself, and I'm still trying to master the art! I will, however, try to surmise what I can on the subject based on personal experience.
Playing in the APT Macau 2009, I made two major bluffs that helped me make my chip stack what it was at the end of the day. The very first bluff was in a four-way pot, middle of the day when the blinds and antes were starting to become significant. I was on the small blind with Tc7s, a tight player to my left on the big blind with a relatively short stack, a somewhat loose fit or fold player as UTG, and J.C Tran to my right on the button, also with a short stack. UTG smooth calls and action folds over to J.C Tran who also makes the call. The two calls plus antes, with only one more player left to act behind me, gives me great pot odds to make the call. Big blind checked, and the dealer placed Jc6s5s on the flop. I missed the flop completely with no probable draws, so I checked, and big blind then bets out a small bet of only one fourth the pot. UTG folds, and J.C Tran calls.
At this point, I read big blind for a J or a 6 with a strong kicker, and J.C Tran for possible flush or straight draw. This put me in a good position for a squeeze play. I raised a very significant amount, about 5 times the bet of the initial raise, in an attempt to squeeze out either the big blind or J.C Tran. Big blind thinks for some time, then calls, J.C Tran folds. The turn comes an 8h, which gives me a gutshot straight draw. Since the big blind was pretty short stacked, I bet half his stack, he folded, and I showed the bluff.
What made this bluff successful? There were a few factors coming together that made this work. First was the tight image, and the short stack of the big blind. With his stack, he is unlikely to make a move in the tournament, since he's got a limited amount to work with. UTG missed the flop, and was out of position with two more players to act behind him, so calling with even middle pair was not an option. J.C Tran with a short stack, very likely had a decent pair or draw, and with the fantastic pot odds offered to him by the big blind, had to make the call. In my position, making the check-raise, I also used J.C Tran's pro-image to my advantage. Big blind could not have failed to consider the fact that I checked-raised into two players, and one of them a pro player which would mean that I probably had a very strong hand, possibly limping in with small pockets and making my set. With the check-raise, and call by a tight player, J.C Tran could not make the call. The second barrel, very likely forced the big blind to consider the fact that he would very likely have to commit his whole stack by the river, which, compounded by the fact that he was short-stacked, prompted him to fold.
The second bluff was made later in the day, against the tight solid player (from the previous article, in the 77 vs 88 hand) with a relatively short stack, and another deep stacker who just moved over to our table. Tight solid player was UTG, and I was on the button with AKo, out-stacking the UTG and the new player on UTG+2. UTG raised 3xBB, and Johnny Chan to his left folds. The new player who just joined our table raised almost 3.5 times the initial raise, and action folds over to me. I have a very solid hand, but it might not be good against a raise, re-raise. I however, have an excellent position, being last to act on the button with decent odds, so I made the call. Everyone else folds to UTG who thinks for some time, then makes the call, which signaled weakness and a possible hand of small pocket pairs. The flop comes all under 9 and I completely missed again. UTG checks, UTG+2 checks and action was on me.
At this point, I read the situation as a possible slow-play by UTG, calling with pockets and hitting a set, or having smaller pockets with one or two over cards on the flop. UTG+2 almost definitely missed as he was the final aggressor pre-flop, and there would be almost no made hand that he would check after a flop like that. The pot was huge with all the action pre-flop, almost two thirds my stack, and definitely worth making an attempt at. Since I out-stacked both players, I was in no danger of busting, and if I read my opponents correctly, the most I could lose would be the stack of UTG which wouldn't cripple me. Even if I was behind, I would still very likely have outs if an Ace or King came. A small bet of even half the pot would commit me and any callers, so I decided to go all-in for maximum fold equity. UTG thinks for a long time, then folds, and UTG+2 also does the same after much consideration, flipping over AKs!
In this scenario, both the short stack of UTG and the deep stack of UTG+2 worked to my advantage. UTG had to consider putting in all his chips on a possible small pair hand, and with a re-raiser behind him left to act, could not make the call. UTG+2 had AKs, but could not make the call as any pair would leave him with only 6 outs, costing him the tournament if he missed. As even a call of the raise, re-raise preflop indicated a lot of strength, both players must have read me for a decent pair, possibly TT or JJ.
So, in summary, both scenarios had similar conditions. Both involved squeeze plays on short stack players. Both placed the players involved in a decision for all their stack, and both involved showing a lot of strength either pre-flop or on the flop and a strong follow-up bet. In the first scenario, strength was shown with an out of position check-raise and bet on the next street. The second scenario illustrates how you can show strength, even without a raise pre-flop as even a flat call of a raise, large re-raise, generally indicates a huge hand. There were also no showdowns in both scenarios, which meant that even if I was holding 72o, the results would have been the same.
Hope this article helps in the much debated topic of bluffing in Texas Hold'em. As always, comments and feedback are appreciated!
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