No Limit Holdem Poker Strategy - When to Semi-Bluff?

In any kind of poker game, one of the most important things to remember is that the element of pure chance is ever-present. Therefore, fundamental to a successful poker strategy is the ability to mount a successful bluff. Most players think they are at least somewhat skilled in this regard, but they do not always consider all the options involved. Hiding your tells and maintaining a poker face despite what you may be holding at any given moment is only the most fundamental aspect. Far more critical is gaining a precise mastery of when to bluff for maximum impact. This is even more important when taking on an advanced form of the bluff known as the semi-bluff.

But before we can delve into a detailed exegesis of what a semi-bluff is, it only makes sense to review the basic characteristics that define a full-blown bluff in its traditional format. Trying to master one without a solid working handle on the other is a fool’s errand, indeed. Since we all know there are no fools included in the present company, let’s move forward.

Bluffing can be defined as the move a player makes when he or she bets or raises in an effort to win a pot, despite the fact that their hand is either weak or utterly worthless. The goal of the bluff is to essentially scare the opponent into folding right then. If the opponent sniffs out the bluff, the bet will be called and the bluffer will almost certainly lose (unless a fire, earthquake, smallpox outbreak, plague of locusts or some other convent disaster should strike at that very moment, causing most people to probably forget about the outcome of the poker hand.)

Now that we’ve taken a look at a traditional kind of bluff, we can narrow the focus to the rarified form known as the semi-bluff. In this case, the name kind of says it all. A semi-bluff is nothing more mysterious than a partial bluff, which entails some element of truth in the play. A semi-bluff is similar to a bluff in that you have the same options of betting, check-raising or raising, but a semi-bluff differs in that it has a couple more ways to win then a standard bluff does. When using a bluff, a person can only win if the opponent folds. With a semi-bluff you can either win by them folding right then, by improving to the best hand, or by catching a scare card and betting them out on a subsequent round. Pretty sneaky, isn’t it? I knew you’d like that. As mentioned at the start of this article, knowing when to bluff and semi-bluff is very important. A bluff works best when you are playing one opponent and you know that he or she thinks you have a certain hand. Bluffs also work best when you are playing a good player instead of a poor one, and the best time to semi-bluff is late in the game when the pot is highest and people’s nerves start to fail.