Top 5 Signs You Shouldn't Bluff in Poker

Deciding if it’s time to bluff?

Here are the top 5 signs you shouldn’t:

1. Lots of draws have missed

If straight and flush draws have whiffed, players expect you to turn those hands into bluffs.

People often call too much because of this, so be careful on brick rivers! ⬇️

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023

2. Your opponent likes to call

Some people love to call way too much.

You can often tell who these players are by clues such as the speed at which they call rivers & the hands they show down.

Against these players, you’re going to lose money bluffing. Just don’t do it.

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023

3. You have a “bluffy” image

Pay attention to the hands that your opponents have seen you show down!

If they’ve seen you bluff a few times already, players will often call down wider against you.

In these situations, it might be best to give up on more bluffs than usual.

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023

4. Your opponent is tilting!

Limit your bluffs against players who are showing a disregard for the chips they’re putting into the pot.

If a player has just lost a lot of money and is clearly frustrated, it's probably not the best time to push them off of a hand.

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023

5. You don’t represent anything.

Sometimes you find yourself in a spot where you don’t represent many value hands based on previous action & the way the board ran out.

Tough opponents who hand-read well will know this and call you down.

Be aware of the story you’re telling!

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023

With all that said, you shouldn’t be afraid to bluff rivers.

In fact, if bluffing makes you uncomfortable, you're almost surely bluffing too little.

Your bias leads you to make decisions your emotions want you to make.

You absolutely should bluff. Just pick the right spots!

— Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond) March 28, 2023