Bluffing before you've shown down a few winners.

[BillFranklin]

This is something i've having problems with recently. I've been playing at this home game a few months and lately i've been trying to play aggressively early to build a stack and the strategy has been backfiring. the other players aren't total fish (actually alittle tight) they just seem to put me on bluffs. I think possibly i've playing a little too aggressive, but in general what you think about the odds of succesfuls bluffs if you haven't shown a "few winners" first.

[autobet]

You seem to have figured it out. If what you are doing is not working, try something else.

[bradha]

If your table image is a loose player, it probably won't work. If you fold 10 or 15 in a row pre-flop, and everyone notices how tight you are, your first bluff will probably work. (Although if you're playing tight, you might get to show down a few winners first.)

I think in most games you have to bluff less frequently than you show down winners; and don't show a successful bluff unless you're planning to shift gears and not bluff again all night...

[RiverDood]

Here's a similar -- but slightly different -- way of looking at it:

Most of the time, if people fold in the face of aggressive bets, it's because they are scared of losing the pot. That will happen after their chip stack has been hammered down a bit . . . after they've taken a beat . . . or once they start to worry that someone with a bigger stack is just plain better and could run them over.

In the first 20 minutes, especially at a classic home game, none of that has happened yet. People drove, walked or pogo-sticked their way to the game because they want to play poker! If they've got a hand early on, they'll bet it.

So let that process play out a bit before you jam the pot on sheer nerve. Along the way, it will help to show down some winners. But it's just as important to pinpoint the player who's looking for a reason to get out of the hand. You'll see a lot more of those as the night progresses.

[ZenMusician]

I agree with RD's thought here...and quite frankly, a pogo stick is
the ONLY way to get to a homegame...unless your unicycle is in
tip top shape

-ZEN