It’s pretty safe to say that poker is a complex game. It’s not just a game of skill, and not just a game of out and out luck. You’re going to need to learn to read people. There will be players in this game that love to bluff, and that means not everyone tells the truth when it comes to the true values of their hands.
Therefore, as you continue to learn how to play poker, it makes sense to find new ways to detect bluffers. Experienced poker players will likely know how to take a bluffer to task, whether through an NJ online casino or in real life. Resorts Casino offers a great proving ground for poker newbies to get started (check the link)!
For now, however, let’s look at bluffer catching.
Knowing your players
It is all well and good to deploy a bluffer catcher, as is known in poker, but you’re going to need to keep a close eye on your fellow bettors before you launch into anything. It’s worth remembering that not all poker players are bluffers!
So, before you start deploying any bluff catchers, you’re going to need to play a few rounds. What are your fellow players’ betting ranges? Do they bluff frequently?
If you’re unsure of either factor, it’s never a good idea to just launch into a catcher. This kind of assumption can backfire on your own game. It’s a waste of time and money!
Balance the pot odds against bluffing frequency
There’s always going to be some form of math involved when it comes to honing a poker strategy. When it comes to catching a bluffer via call, you’re going to need to make sure the odds of them bluffing is worse than you claiming the pot.
That means you’re going to need to carefully work out average bluffing frequency in specific players, and the odds of you winning the pot.
Yes – that’s going to mean quite a bit of mental arithmetic on the fly, but no one ever said poker was simple!
Bluff catching is difficult
If this wasn’t obvious before, it is now. There are all kinds of things that can affect your betting both on and offline. Ultimately, bluffer catching requires you to have some form of clairvoyancy, or, at least, you need to be fantastic at reading all other players at the table.
That’s why one of the best tips we can offer you in terms of catching bluffers is to keep at it. No two players are the same. Some will bluff constantly; others may play straight 100% of the time. That’s why it is never a good idea to just launch straight into catch mode.
Make sure to hone your own playing strategies and to learn how other players work. This may be easier to do online rather than at the physical table. However, providing you put time and effort into learning how to catch a bluffer, there are no reasons why you won’t become a master!
