Faking bluffs?

[kongo_totte]

Hi. I have started thinking if faking bluffs is common in low-stake games? By "faking a bluff" I mean someone raising an amount way too large, so it would appear he´s bluffing, when he´s not, as in the example below. So, is this common, and is it in any way profitable?

NL .25/.50 Full ring. Villian has just sat down, so no reads.
Hero (button) has ~100 dollars
Villian (BB) has ~10 dollars.

It´s folded around to hero, who limps with K 9 o (I know it´s a questionable limp, but SB, is real loose/passive, and I have beaten him post-flop all night with crap hands)
SB Limps
Villain Checks

Flop: J J 9, three-suited.

Hero bets out for a dollar
SB Folds
Villian instantly goes all-in
Hero calls.

What I think here is that no player in their right mind would make that raise with a jack. The board is almost draw-less, and if he knew he had me beat, why would he force me out of the pot? Did I do the right thing, or is my play here awful? And how common is fake-bluffing at this level, and can it be profitable?

How the hand turned out in white:
<font color="white">Turn: Blank
River: Blank

Villain shows A K o, Hero wins the pot. </font>

[phil_ivey_fan]

Sometimes on $25NL PartyPoker, I will (as you call it) "fake a bluff".

An example of where I would do this is if I had a strong hand...nut flush or something like that. Instead of trying to get $3 more dollars out of the guy on the turn or river, I will push in. Alot of PP don't like to get bullied, and will make loose calls if they feel they are being bullied. So it works out.

I actually think it works better than betting for value (in the long run). You may not get a caller every time, but when you do, it will pay out big.

[Ben]

Interesting idea.

Suppose that you'll get a $3 call 65% of the time. If instead you push for, say, $20, you only need to be called 10% of the time to be making more profit with that move.

This might be something I'd consider working into my game. I know some very high-level NL players that will make moves like this--establishing a loose image and massively overbetting with nuts. They do get callers...

I think a strategy like this would be especially effective if you've showed down a bluff or two, or simply had a few uncalled all-ins. If you're running well and pushing, people will assume you're simply bullying them with nothing.

-Ben

[ctide]

This is very similar to just shoving AA / KK preflop after someone else raised. Say it's raised to $8, and you reraise to $25. People will rarely call that, but if you just shove after the raise to $8, people feel like you're just trying to steal the pot and like to call.

[kongo_totte]

Thanks everyone. The general opinion seems to be that "faking bluffs" isn´t a bad play at all. Is it understood that my call here actually was wrong then? I think that you can´t credit the average .25/.50 player for thinking as far to make this advanced play, but the times I´m wrong it´s gonna cost me, so, did I do the right thing calling, considering he just sat down?