Using the Semi-Bluff to Your Advantage

Friday, June 24th., 2005 (By the PokerStrategyKing)

Poker books are absolutely filled with great strategic information. You can learn all about quality starting hands, the importance of position, the virtues of table image and other advanced strategic concepts. You can learn how to play the game the straight-forward way from books. One thing that is hard to gauge in books is when it’s the opportune time to throw out a bluff because quite frankly, there are times at the poker table when you have to throw out a bluff. If you never bluff, you will never get any action when you have a strong hand. Every time you bet, your opponents will judge you as having a strong hand and automatically fold.

However, some players don't have what it takes to make a large bet when holding absolutely nothing. If you are this type of player, what should you do? Well, you can try to throw out a semi-bluff instead. What’s a semi-bluff? I’ll explain.

Let's say you've got good positioning at the table, your in late position and your dealt high suited connectors, the J,Q of hearts. The blinds are $1,$2, and you make a raise to $10. Four of your opponents call and there is $40 in the pot.

The flop comes 10, K, 3, with no hearts. By raising pre-flop, you create the tendency to have your opponents check to you, the original raiser. Everyone at the table checks and the action is to you. What do you do? If you play straightforward, you might not bet in this spot and with 4 players, you are showing weakness by not betting out and anyone with a weak king will try to seize control on the turn. If you use a semi-bluff, you’d instead fire out a $60 bet with your king high. You've got an open-ended straight draw which means that you have outs and a good chance to win the pot if it goes the distance and you hit an Ace or 9. By betting out here, you are giving yourself to take a pot that you would not take if you don’t hit your Ace or 9. By doing so, you're hoping that your opponents will fold and you can take the pot right then and there.

However, if you get a call, you are still in good shape because you've taken control of the betting and you may hit your open-ended straight. Let's say "Pete" is the only player that calls the bet and the turn is a three. Obviously, this card doesn’t help you, but guess what? Pete checks again. Now you can't do wrong. You can fire out another semi-bluff or you can see a free card. Let’s say you decide to check and see the river for free. It's a 4. This is no help to you but you know it hasn't helped Pete either and he checks again. Now you're going to have to throw out a real bluff because you missed your straight. Remember that Pete has checked to you three times so you can't put him on a very strong hand. You have to throw out a bet that is too large for a pair of Kings or tens to call. You fire out a $200 bet and Pete folds his King with weak kicker. This is all made possible with your semi-bluff. If you had checked after the flop, you would have never won this hand.

What would have happened if you did check the flop. Pete or any of the callers would have felt he may have the best hand when the turn hit, so he bet his king with no kicker. The bet was rather small so you decided to call in hopes of hitting a straight. The river hit and Pete bet again but you would have to fold because you missed your straight and you had no clue as to what to put Pete on. See the importance of being aggressive and betting? You have to throw out bets to see where your opponents are and ultimately this is why a "semi-bluff" in a situation like this is the perfect play.

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Until next time, may the chips fall your way.

(For more poker strategy and tips, please visit the PokerStrategyKing’s website at www.pokerstrategyking.com )

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