When does a bluff actually work?

[eh923]

I'm bit confused about bluffing. More specifically, I'm not sure how to determine if a bluff actually worked.

Obviously if someone throws away a better hand, the bluff worked. But did a bluff succeed if you actually got someone to toss away a WORSE hand then yours on the final card? If there are more cards to come, then I could see it since it eliminates the chance of being passed on the river.

Also, does showing aggression early in a hand trying to catch a free card count as a bluff if there's a chance the opponent might fold? I'm not even referring to a semi-bluff like a draw and medium pair...I'm talking true crap cards!

Thanks!

[Jimbo]

"But did a bluff succeed if you actually got someone to toss away a WORSE hand then yours on the final card?"

My terminology for this is called "bluffing with the best hand". As long as you think you are bluffing then you are, even if your opponent has diddly squat! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[ACPlayer]

An example of a bluff: betting or raising with Pocket 4's on a board of QQ998 and your opponent folds. You are definitely toast if you are called.

An example of a bluff with the best hand: betting the same board with AK and your opponent folds. You probably do have the best hand (realize of course that this bet may not be a good idea as you are only likely to be called by the same or better hand).

Betting a J high flop on the button with a flush draw, getting called and then betting again when a J hits the turn to win is a semi-bluff that has a good chance of getting the opponent to fold.

Betting an Ace high flop into one limper with 8-3 off is a bluff thant may work.

At some point or the other each of these has worked for me.