"Can't beat a bluff"

More than once I have heard players express this sentiment, especially HU at the river facing a bet/raise.


Every time I hear that one I think to myself, "not with that attitude buddy, how 'bout maybe raising?!?" Seems to me if a bluff is likely then you can pay 2 big bets in hopes of winning the pot. When? Well, can the possible bluffer lay down in this situation, if so how often ("x"), and how much in the pot ("y") ... if x/y > 2*BB then raise if HU.


What are your thoughts on players who think like this, and how best to exploit? My guess is that these players are weak-tight and need to be bullied a bit, and usually respected when showing covert strength.

i think you are exploiting it every time they fold. especially if you are bluffing. theyre in a raise/fold situation that greatly leans towards folding. sometimes it can be tougher to re bluff the river HU since a player can easily call 1 extra bet.


though it is a great move when ya pull it off.


b

ssshhhh. If you do this every time, they'll start looking you up with A high or even worse (and taking down the pot). Worse yet, the more observant players at the table will look you up too. I've found that they players who say this are sometimes the very ones who'll run a naked bluff raise on the river successfully, partially because of the image (weak tight) that they've established. Often they'll let the small pots go to establish this image, and exploit it on a big one when they think they have two draws heads up.