Bluffing in small stakes games.

[TheCat]

Party 100 dollar NLHE.
When (if ever) do you bluff in this game?

I have drastically changed the way I play these games and it has made a big difference. I almost never bluff or semi bluff now. I seem to finish most sessions a small winner. Previously I would play my raises very strongly (as advised by most books). For instance when holding AK with a flop of rags I would bet if checked to. I've stopped doing that. Am I in danger of becoming a rock. Is this best tactics in these games?
Any thoughts?

[MyMindIsGoing]

If you raise preflop with AK, flop comes rags of cource you should try to pick up the pot. If they checkraise you or turn comes blank and someone bets it's an easy fold. For me AK has very good profit.

[TheCat]

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If you raise preflop with AK, flop comes rags of cource you should try to pick up the pot.

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Maybe, I'm not convinced this is best play in small stakes. Opponents often play back at you with nothing and you have to fold. Ok, sometimes I'll bet here about 25% of the times. I'd rather wait until I have a hand.

[MyMindIsGoing]

I think you miss alot of profit that way.

[Piz0wn0reD!!!!!!]

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If you raise preflop with AK, flop comes rags of cource you should try to pick up the pot.

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Maybe, I'm not convinced this is best play in small stakes. Opponents often play back at you with nothing and you have to fold. Ok, sometimes I'll bet here about 25% of the times. I'd rather wait until I have a hand.

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Bluffing and value betting are very different. You have to be aggressive with premium hands in these games.

[istewart]

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If you raise preflop with AK, flop comes rags of cource you should try to pick up the pot. If they checkraise you or turn comes blank and someone bets it's an easy fold. For me AK has very good profit.

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You need to know when to do it though, like this guy above me said. Potting a missed AK into 3 people is usually awful, especially first to act.

[MyMindIsGoing]

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You need to know when to do it though, like this guy above me said. Potting a missed AK into 3 people is usually awful, especially first to act.

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Sure. But it was on "For instance when holding AK with a flop of rags I would bet if checked to. I've stopped doing that." my answer was based. In that case he was checked to and said he stopped to bet.

[kurto]

As any answer always starts... it depends. Lotta factors...

1) how good is your table? Are people only going to call with good hands?
2) Are your raises respected? Have you shown down good hands or a lot of bluffs?
3) how many people called your raise?
4) What's your position?

I think if you never took a stab at it, then you're throwing away a lot of pots. If I'm in EP, raise and get 5 callers and miss the flop... I'm probably beat and would check.

But if I'm in MP or late position and only have a few callers and they check to me, I bet it nearly all the time. Most of the time, they give it to me.

A note: If you're at a table with thinking/semi-observant players... if you check when you miss once in awhile, they may give you credit when you bet it, even if you missed it.

When I play, I take notes on every single player who will bet with overcards... who will continue to take stabs at it when played back... who will never bet it, etc.

You need to do both.

[MonkeeMan]

Previously, how much would you bet if the flop missed your AK?

[amoeba]

ideally it should be the same as how much you bet if you held overpair.