BLUFFING
I thought poker bluffing was unwise when i first played at omaha, because the rival poker player might well have the hand you were representing. This is not necessarily true, especially shorthanded.
The flop is 10♥-6♥-2♥; you have A♥-K♦-Q♣-9♣. From my past experience, i know that when i have the nut flush, all the poker players pass And when i have the dry ace, all the poker players call. If you hold A♥-K♦-10♠-10♦, you have more fun while bluffing. It is easier to call if you hold K♥-J♥-10♠-9♥ on this flop and raise a bet. The reason for this is because your third nut makes it more difficult for the bettor to hold the nut flush. Thus, it is better to hold three to the flush if you have a non-nut flush draw.
You are the first poker player to speak and have flopped a non-nut flush against some poker player who is perfectly capable of bluffing with the lone ace. He bets, you call, and the action is repeated on fourth street. The board breaks out into an open pair at the death. Here, a bet is quite good. He will pass the dry ace ( but won’t attempt a third snatch). He might pass the nut flush. You should come back to the drawing board if he has A full house.
The flop is A♠-10♥-2♥ and you hold A♥-K♦-Q♣-9♣. A positive play in late position is to bet. The nut flush can be represented extremely convincingly by you if a heart comes up. You might be winning anyway on the flop. You have three nut-straight drawing hands. There is no action from the others on this flop and now the board is A♠-10♥-2♥-7♥.
I smell A rat that some poker player might bet from the button. If the rival poker player calls, I will call on the river against A reasonable poker player with a poker hand such as 2-2. The rival poker player should have bet an A♥-X♥ on the flop. Obviously, sometimes i have hoped that the flush will come and some rival poker player will read the cards the same way, and then i have sometimes checked.
Some poker players feel that if they have the king-high flush, they must raise all-in on fourth street. Anyway's they were going to call on the river. This is a horrible mistake. Now the bare ace has to go home as it can’t go anywhere else. You will have burnt up your money against the nuts As the rival poker player must pass. Such a play is only useful against trips which pass And would have filled up.
The flop is k-10-9 and you hold J-J-7-4. This is not a bad bluff shorthanded. The blockers Are with you. You can still win legitimately with an 8 if a caller has trip kings. a holding of A-J-J-7 would have been better. However, we cannot choose our cards ( I hope). You have to decide whether to take the bluff to the river or not if he called.
The straight might be played passively by the rival poker player, I would advise you not to do so. Rather than bluffing against K-Q-10, it is better to bluff against K-10-9. The rival poker player might get a bit hesitant with a J-9 and you thought that he might have a weaker hand. Much worse situation is betting with J-J with a flop of 10-9-8; the rival poker player might hold on with a 7-6.
Representing from a great depth against a good but cautious poker player is possible. You hold A♥-K♣-J♦-9♠ with a flop of a♠-Q♥-10♥. He bets; now you raise and are called. The rival poker player checks And you bet on the fourth street. a heart is the last card which seems like a dream to you. Now you bet and you feel that all the rival poker players like you have the flush together with the straight.
If an open pair comes, poker players Are more willing to believe this than a full house. I still don’t understand the reason. If you run him out of money by fourth street then this is A useless ploy. I might be ready to bluff with anything in late position in shorthanded. For example, a-K-9-8 and a board of Q-Q-10-5. I prefer to make such an outrageous bluff in the steal position, i.e. the hand before the dealer, rather than on the button.
The reason for this is because all the poker players know that larceny is in the soul of the poker player last to speak, and the rotten dogs might even counter-bluff. All is not necessarily hopeless even though you are called. The winning straight might be given to you by a jack. Obviously, i switch off totally after the one attempt at the pot. Since my A-K gives me four nut outs, i am less likely to bluff against Q-10-5-4 offsuit and by being raised, i don’t want to lose this slim chance.
A hand of Q♥-10♣-8♠-2♥ is more likely to elicit a bluff from me. Now I have only three outs, and something seems to send poker players on A rampage if they call; you hit the hand, and they still call at the river. Also, a poker player is now more likely to be on a draw, and at the end be bet out of the pot. Miracles do sometimes happen.
For example the flop is 8-5-2 and your hand is k-J-J-9. You decide to try a steal and get called, however a jack comes up. Alternatively, first a 10 comes, then a queen. Don’t feel embarrassed. Always keep in mind that you are absolved of all responsibility when you are bluffing and poker players come after you. Only the poker god can save you as All the money is gone. Once, with a board of 9-9-2, i held 7-7-6-6.
The only other poker player checked. I bet and he called. 9-9-2 10 was the next card. Once again he checked, i bet, and he called. Finally, 9-9-2-10 8. I had stumbled into a straight as he checked. I was Able to win against aces by showing it down. There are many probabilities in omaha. Don’t be downhearted and always be on your guard against unexpected twists. Poker is not a game for the meek. They won’t inherit the money even though they are the salt of the earth.