Месяц: Май 2014

Rules of play at casinos
At a casino blackjack table, the dealer faces five to seven playing positions from behind a semicircular table. Between one and eight standard 52-card decks are shuffled together. At the beginning of each round, up to three players place their bets in the “betting box” at each position in play. The player whose bet is at the front of the betting box is deemed to have control over the position, and the dealer will consult the controlling player for playing decisions regarding the hand; the other players of that box are said to “play behind”. Any player is usually allowed to control or bet in as many boxes as desired at a single table, but it is prohibited for an individual to play on more than one table at a time or to place multiple bets within a single box.
Each box is dealt an initial hand of two cards visible to the people playing on it, and often to any other players. The dealer’s hand receives its first card face up, and in “hole card” games receives its second card face down immediately (the hole card), which the dealer peeks at but does not reveal unless it makes the dealer’s hand a blackjack. Hole card games are sometimes played on tables with a small mirror or electronic sensor which are used to peek securely at the hole card. In European casinos, “no hole card” games are prevalent; the dealer’s second card is neither drawn nor consulted until the players have all played their hands.
Cards are dealt either from one or two hand-held decks, from a dealer’s shoe, or from a shuffling machine. Single cards are dealt to each of wagered-on position clockwise from the dealer’s leftmost position, followed by a single card to the dealer, followed by an additional card to each of the positions in play. The players’ initial cards may be dealt face-up, or face-down (more common in single-deck games).
The players’ object is to win money by creating card totals which will turn out to be higher than the dealer’s hand, but without exceeding 21 (“busting”/”breaking”). On their turn, players must choose whether to “hit” (take a card), “stand” (end their turn), “double” (double wager, take a single card and finish), “split” (if the two cards have the same value, separate them to make two hands) or “surrender” (give up a half-bet and retire from the game). Number-cards count as their natural value; the jack, queen, and king (also known as “face cards” or “pictures”) count as 10; aces are valued as either 1 or 11 according to the player’s choice. If the hand value exceeds 21 points, it busts, and all bets on it are immediately forfeit. After all boxes have finished playing, the dealer’s hand is resolved by drawing cards until the hand busts or achieves a value of 17 or higher (a dealer total of 17 including an ace, or “soft 17”, must be drawn to in some games and must stand in others). The dealer never doubles, splits nor surrenders. If the dealer busts, all remaining player hands win. If the dealer does not bust, each remaining bet wins if its hand is higher than the dealer’s, and loses if it is lower. In the case of a tied score, known as “push” or “standoff”, bets are normally returned without adjustment; however, a blackjack beats any hand which is not a blackjack, even with value 21. Blackjack vs. blackjack is a push. Wins are paid out at 1:1, or equal to the wager, except for winning blackjacks, which are traditionally paid at 3:2 (meaning the player receives three dollars for every two bet), or one and a half times the wager. Many casinos today pay blackjacks at less than 3:2 at some tables.
Blackjack games almost always provide a side bet called insurance, which may be played when dealer’s upcard is an ace. At least one further side bet is usually provided.
Player decisions
After receiving an initial two cards, the player has up to four standard options: “hit,” “stand,” “double down,” or “split”. Each option has a corresponding hand signal. Some games give the player a fifth option, “surrender”.
Hit: Take another card from the dealer. Signal: (handheld) Scrape cards against table. (face up) Tap the table or wave hand toward body.
Stand: Take no more cards; also known as “stand pat”, “stick”, or “stay”. Signal: (handheld) Slide cards under chips. (face up) Wave hand horizontally.
Double down: The player is allowed to increase the initial bet by up to 100% in exchange for committing to stand after receiving exactly one more card. The additional bet is placed in the betting box next to the original bet. Some games do not permit the player to increase the bet by amounts other than 100%. Non-controlling players may double their wager or decline to do so, but they are bound by the controlling player’s decision to take only one card. Signal: Place additional chips beside the original bet outside the betting box, and point with one finger.
Split (only available as first decision of a hand): If the first two cards have the same value, the player can split them into two hands, by moving a second bet equal to the first into an area outside the betting box of the original bet. The dealer separates the two cards and draws a further card on each, placing one bet with each hand. The player then plays out the two separate hands in turn, with some restrictions. Occasionally, in the case of ten-valued cards, some casinos allow splitting only when the cards have the identical ranks; for instance, a hand of T-T may be split, but not of T-K. However, usually all ten-value cards are treated the same. Doubling and further splitting of post-split hands may be restricted, and blackjacks after a split are counted as non-blackjack 21 when comparing against the dealer’s hand. Hitting split aces is usually not allowed. Non-controlling players may follow the controlling player by putting down an additional bet, or decline to do so, instead associating their existing wager with one of the two post-split hands. In that case they must choose which hand to play behind before the second cards are drawn. Some casinos do not give non-controlling players this option, and require that the wager of a player not electing to split remains with the first of the two post-split hands. Signal: Place additional chips next to the original bet outside the betting box. Point with two fingers spread into a V formation.
Surrender (only available as first decision of a hand): Some games offer the option to “surrender”, usually in hole card games and directly after the dealer has checked for blackjack (but see below for variations). When the player surrenders, the house takes half the player’s bet and return the other half to the player; this terminates the player’s interest in the hand. The request to surrender is made verbally, there being no standard hand signal.
Hand signals are used to assist the “eye in the sky”, a person or video camera located above the table and sometimes concealed behind one-way glass. The eye in the sky usually makes a video recording of the table, which helps in resolving disputes and identifying dealer mistakes, and is also used to protect the casino against dealers who steal chips or players who cheat. The recording can further be used to identify advantage players whose activities, while legal, make them undesirable customers. In the event of a disagreement between a player’s hand signals and their words, the hand signal takes precedence.
Each hand may normally “hit” as many times as desired so long as the total is not above hard 20. Note: a “soft” hand is one including an ace counted as 11; other hands are “hard”. On reaching 21 (including soft 21), the hand is normally required to stand; busting is an irrevocable loss and the players’ wagers are immediately forfeited to the house. After a bust or a stand, play proceeds to the next hand clockwise around the table. When the last hand has finished being played, the dealer reveals the hole card, and stands or draws further cards according to the rules of the game for dealer drawing. When the outcome of the dealer’s hand is established, any hands with bets remaining on the table are resolved (usually in counterclockwise order): bets on losing hands are forfeited, the bet on a push is left on the table, and winners are paid out.

Blackjack, also known as twenty-one, is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Blackjack is a comparing card game between a player and dealer, meaning that players compete against the dealer but not against any other players. Blackjack is played with one or more decks of 52 cards. The object of the game is to reach 21 points or to reach a score higher than the dealer without exceeding 21.
The player or players are dealt an initial two card hand and add the total of their cards. Face cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) are counted as ten points. The player and dealer can count his own ace as 1-point or 11 points. All other cards are counted as the numeric value shown on the card. After receiving their initial two cards, players have the option of getting a “hit,” which means taking an additional card. In a given round, the player or the dealer wins by having a score of 21 or by having the highest score that is less than 21. Scoring higher than 21 (called “busting” or “going bust”) results in a loss. A player may win by having any final score equal to, or less than 21 if the dealer busts. If a player holds an ace valued as 11, the hand is called “soft”, meaning that the player cannot go bust by taking an additional card; otherwise, the hand is “hard”.
The dealer has to take hits until his cards total 17 or more points. (In some casinos, the dealer also hits on a “soft” 17, e.g. initial ace and six.) Players who do not bust and have a total higher than the dealer, win. The dealer will lose if he or she busts, or has a lesser hand than the player who has not busted. If the player and dealer have the same point total, this is called a “push” and the player typically does not win or lose money on that hand.
Many rule variations of blackjack exist. Since the 1960s, blackjack has been a high profile target of advantage players, particularly card counters, who track the profile of cards that have been dealt and adapt their wager and playing strategies accordingly.
Other casino games inspired by blackjack include Spanish 21 and pontoon. The recreational British card game of black jack is a shedding-type game and unrelated to the subject of this article.

Slot machines have been around for more than 100 years, but today’s high-tech marvels bear little resemblance to their cast iron predecessors. They have evolved over the years from penny machines with payouts of cigars and chewing gum to sophisticated electronic devices that are linked to million-dollar, progressive jackpots.
Since its inception in San Francisco in the 1890s, the slot machine’s game technology actually changed little until the last quarter of a century. In the recent past, significant advances have been made that are continuing to revolutionize the functions of the machines - and the entire gaming industry.
In the 1930s, the Jennings company developed the first electrically-operated jackpot bell machine. It was unique in that a motor activated the reel mechanism - rather than springs or inertia - and a button replaced the handle. So there it was: a one-armed bandit without the arm!
The Bally firm, 33 years later, introduced a free-spinning reel slot with an electrical bell using electromechanical circuitry and motorized hopper pay, making many variations possible.
The biggest change of the 1980s is regarded by many to be the evolution of the "stepper" slot, which uses a microprocessor to determine the outcome of the game, thus opening up larger possibilities for bigger jackpots, new games and more options for players.
A second key advancement enables machines to give "credits" instead of paying coins on every play. With credits, the game plays faster, betting is facilitated and casinos have alternatives to working with coins.
Once stepper machines made their way into the world, slot machines began producing impressive numbers. In the state of Nevada, for instance, 1983 slot revenues surpassed once-dominant table game revenues for the first time. By the end of the century, slot revenues accounted for nearly 65 percent and table games accounted for about 35 percent of the total gaming revenues in Nevada.
Another big wave broke upon the industry in the 1970s with the introduction of video poker. Players immediately took to the game because of its element of skill, as opposed to pure chance, found in reel slots.
In 1986, IGT introduced the MegaJackpot with its statewide Megabucks progressive slot system. This innovative combination of game machine and computer technology made it possible to pool the bets and jackpots of many machines in different casinos and cities across the state into one large collective prize. The resulting stellar jackpots have become very popular with players, and have been successful in stimulating a higher level of play for game machines overall.
Since the introduction of Megabucks, other games with big payoffs were introduced, including Quarters Deluxe, Nickels Deluxe, Wheel of Fortune, Totem Pole, Jeopardy, Elvis, Addams Family, Slotopoly and Nevada Nickels. The machines have denominations ranging from nickels and quarters to dollars and $5. Progressive jackpots also vary, from a low of about $200,000 up to more than $7 million.
Game machine evolution continued with the multi-game machine, which offers a variety of different games. With upgraded machine electronics, state-of-the-art video game machines now offer unparalleled choices to the player. From simulated spinning reels to multiple poker variations to video blackjack, the choices available to players are almost unlimited - and they’re all available within one machine. Players seeking variety no longer wander the floor.
The latest innovation to break onto the scene is the bonus game, which maintains game familiarity while enhancing the overall game experience with exciting bonus opportunities and player appeal. Bonuses add a totally new dimension to today’s gaming experience, combining multimedia features, digital stereo sound and interactive game play. Perhaps the first big bonus game was Monopoly, whose video screen changed once the proper symbols lined up on the game screen. Since the mid 1990s, other manufacturers have followed suit with games that take players to different levels of fun and excitement.
Finally, the games themselves have reached new levels. Current slot machines have themes or games based on other popular media such as TV shows like I Dream of Jeannie, The Addams Family, The Munsters and Wheel of Fortune.
The newest games are also marked by stellar graphics, stereo sound effects and sequence after sequence of fun. That’s probably why they’ve become so popular, as judged by the constant din of their high-decibel sound effects!
Slots took another step forward in 2007 with the introduction of "guaranteed play." This is a concept developed by IGT and gives players a specific number of spins on the slot (or hands of video poker) for a fixed price.
Beginning in 2008 and later, "server-based" slot machines will begin appearing on casino floors. The machines will all look the same and will be connected to a central server, which will determine the machine’s game content, denomination and other characteristics. The central server will also tailor promotions to specific players and will be capable of conducting casino-wide slot tournaments and other promotions.
This New Age of slots is expected to dramatically transform the way machines are perceived and how players interact with them. It truly will begin a Brave New World for slots.
Slot Machine Terminology
Bonus is a special feature of the particular game theme, which is activated when certain symbols appear in a winning combination. Bonuses vary depending upon the game. Some bonus rounds are a special session of free spins (the number of which is often based on the winning combination that triggers the bonus), often with a different or modified set of winning combinations as the main game, and often with winning credit values increased by a specific multiplier, which is prominently displayed as part of the bonus graphics and/or animation (which in many cases is of a slightly different design or color scheme from the main game). In other bonus rounds, the player is presented with several items on a screen from which to choose. As the player chooses items, a number of credits is revealed and awarded. Some bonuses use a mechanical device, such as a spinning wheel, that works in conjunction with the bonus to display the amount won. (Some machines feature two or more of these bonus styles as part of the same game.)
Candle is a light on top of the slot machine. It flashes to alert the operator that change is needed, hand pay is requested or a potential problem with the machine.
Carousel refers to a grouping of slot machines, usually in a circle or oval formation.
Coin hopper is a container where the coins that are immediately available for payouts are held. The hopper is a mechanical device that rotates coins into the coin tray when a player collects credits/coins (by pressing a “Cash Out” button). When a certain preset coin capacity is reached, a coin diverter automatically redirects, or “drops,” excess coins into a “drop bucket” or “drop box.” (Unused coin hoppers can still be found even on games that exclusively employ Ticket-In Ticket-Out technology, as a vestige.)
Credit meter is a visual LED display of the amount of money or credits on the machine. On video reel machines this is either a simulated LED display, or represented in a different font altogether, based on the design of the game graphics.
Drop bucket or drop box is a container located in a slot machine’s base where excess coins are diverted from the hopper. Typically, a drop bucket is used for low denomination slot machines and a drop box is used for high denomination slot machines. A drop box contains a hinged lid with one or more locks whereas a drop bucket does not contain a lid. The contents of drop buckets and drop boxes are collected and counted by the casino on a scheduled basis.
EGM is used as a shorthand for “Electronic Gaming Machine.”
Hand pay refers to a payout made by an attendant or at an exchange point (“cage”), rather than by the slot machine itself. A hand pay occurs when the amount of the payout exceeds the maximum amount that was preset by the slot machine’s operator. Usually, the maximum amount is set at the level where the operator must begin to deduct taxes. A hand pay could also be necessary as a result of a short pay.
Hopper fill slip is a document used to record the replenishments of the coin in the coin hopper after it becomes depleted as a result of making payouts to players. The slip indicates the amount of coin placed into the hoppers, as well as the signatures of the employees involved in the transaction, the slot machine number and the location and the date.
MEAL book (Machine entry authorization log) is a log of the employee’s entries into the machine
Low Level or Slant Top slot machines include a stool so the player has sitdown access. Stand Up or Upright slot machines are played while standing.
Optimal play is a payback percentage based on a gambler using the optimal strategy in a skill-based slot machine game.
Payline is line that crosses through one symbol on each reel, along which a winning combination is evaluated. Classic spinning reel machines usually have up to nine paylines, while video slot machines may have as many as one hundred. Paylines could be of various shapes (horizontal, vertical, oblique, triangular, trapeziodal, zigzag, etc.)
Rollup is the process of dramatizing a win by playing sounds while the meters count up to the amount that has been won.
Short pay refers to a partial payout made by a slot machine, which is less than the amount due to the player. This occurs if the coin hopper has been depleted as a result of making earlier payouts to players. The remaining amount due to the player is either paid as a hand pay or an attendant will come and refill the machine.
Taste is a reference to the small amount often paid out to keep a player seated and continuously betting. Only rarely will machines fail to pay out even the minimum placed bet over the course of several pulls.
Weight count is an American term, referring to the dollar amount of coins or tokens removed from a slot machine’s drop bucket or drop box and counted by the casino’s hard count team through the use of a weigh scale.

There may be a new sheriff in town. No, I’m not talking about the upcoming primary elections here in Las Vegas. I’m talking about a game called Free Bet Blackjack.
The game is owned by Bally Technologies and invented by Geoff Hall, who also gave us Blackjack Switch. Geoff’s key patent covers the concept of the dealer pushing on a 22. This means that any player hands that have not busted (and were not a Natural Blackjack) will push if the dealer busts with a final count of 22.
It takes a while to get used to this concept, but it would appear players are doing exactly this. It is also used in his prior successful game of Blackjack Switch, which adds an extra level of complexity in the strategy because you need to learn when to switch the second cards of your two hands. Free Bet is a bit simpler to master.
First let’s cover the rules of the game. You make a wager just like in regular blackjack. If you are dealt a Hard 9, 10 or 11 you get to Double Down for free. If you ask for a Double Down, the dealer will place a “lammer” (that’s the technical term for a plastic chip that tells the casino something) to indicate you made this “wager.”
If you win the double down, you’ll get paid even money on both your base wager and for your lammer, which is worth your original wager. So, if you are a $5 player and you double down in these cases, you will win $10 if your double down wins and lose $5 if it loses.
In similar fashion, if you are dealt a pair of 2’s through 9’s or Aces, you can split for free. This works just like the double down. You ask for a split and the dealer places a lammer. If your split results in a two-card hard 9, 10 or 11, you can get a free double down.
If you wind up winning the hand, you get paid. If you lose, the only money dropped is your original wager. You can re-split to up to four hands. Essentially all the other rules of hitting and splitting are as per regular blackjack.
Players can still double on soft hands, but they aren’t free. Players can split tens/faces, (but please don’t as these won’t be free). As I stated earlier, the “catch” is if the dealer winds up with a 22 and the player has a “free” split or double down that would normally win, it will now push.
I have not yet had a chance to do a complete analysis on Free Bet Blackjack. I believe there are times the player should not take the free splits and/or double downs, but need to work on this part. This is, quite frankly, the easy part of what needs to be learned.
The rule that the dealer pushes on 22 makes significant changes to basic blackjack strategy. If you sit down and play a game like Free Bet using regular blackjack strategy, you’re going to roughly double the house advantage.
I mentioned earlier the player can still double down on soft hands. In Push 22 games, the player is not going to want to do this nearly as often as at regular blackjack games. A player will only want to double on a soft 17 or soft 18 vs. a 5 or 6.
When you double down with a soft hand you are counting on a dealer bust to occur often enough to make up for the times you wind up drawing a total dud. But in Free Bet, the dealer will bust far less often – or at least bust in a way that results in a win – and as such, the incentive for doubling is greatly diminished.
On the hard hand side, we find a dealer 2 is a very dangerous card now. As a result, we hit 12 and 13 against a dealer 2. In fact, we hit a 12 against a 3 and a 4 as well. With a 12, the odds of busting are marginal and the dealer having many more ways to force a push, we need to improve these hands.
Blackjack Switch has a payback comparable to regular blackjack and when I’m done with my analysis, I’m guessing I will find Free Bet is right there in the same ballpark. In general, casinos rely on strategy errors to generate a significant amount of their profits.
Over the years, players have greatly improved on their basic blackjack strategy. The requirement to learn a new strategy allows the casinos to offer this new version of blackjack with a similar payback yet expect a higher hold (profit margin) as a result of so many players being unaware of the right strategy to utilize.
Hopefully, by next week, I’ll have the rest of the key information and strategy for Free Bet Blackjack.

Last week, I alluded to the notion players play Ultimate Texas Hold’em more timidly than they should.
While a portion of this is probably based in the relatively complex strategy of the game, I believe the larger portion is in the decision itself. It takes nerves of steel to put down four times your initial Ante wager.
Give me a High Pair or a suited A-J and I’m willing to risk it. But what about offsuit A-8 or suited K-10? How good are these hands? Even if the strategy says to play 4x, UTH allows the player to wait for more information and then either play 2x or wait longer. So, why rush my decision?
The first thing you need to remember when playing UTH is you are playing head’s up against the dealer. You are not playing against the other players. So, even if the table feels a bit crowded, you’re still in a 1-on-1 situation.
As any Hold’em player will tell you, the hands that are only so-so in a full table can become that much stronger in a head’s up game. If you’re playing on a full table and need to act early, there’s a good chance you’re throwing your mid-Pair hand.
If we rank the pocket hands in a head’s up game, we find it starts with a Pair of Aces and works its way down to a Pair of 8’s as the top seven hands. Yes, a Pair of 8’s is a better hand than a suited A-K from a mathematical standpoint. Since there is no bluffing in UTH, this is the ONLY thing that matters.
Just how powerful is a Pair of 8’s? You’ll win this hand 68.5 percent of the time and lose it only 30.5 percent of the time. Is it any wonder our strategy tells us to play 4x. By waiting for the Flop, what exactly are you hoping to see? Ideally, of course, you want an 8 on the Flop.
When you get it, you’re an almost sure winner, but now you only get to win 2x instead of 4x. Worried you might see a J-Q come up and he’ll beat you with a Higher Pair? Again, there is no strategy in UTH. The dealer is as likely to have a 2-3 as he is to have a J-Q. Unlike real poker, he isn’t going to fold his 2-3!
After a Pair of 8’s, the majority of the next hands (when ranked by win frequency) are of the A-X variety and a few more mid-Pairs. You’ll note I did not say suited A-X variety. While a suited hand is, of course, stronger than a non-suited hand, the X is very important as well.
We find an off-suit AK will win more often than a suited AJ. The simple reality is, starting from a suited hand, you’ll only get a Flush about 2-3 percent of the time. The higher second card will do more for you when it pairs up because it will be able to beat that many more pairs. The power of the suited pocket cards is in the ability to bluff the other player(s) or perhaps bully them when you have 4 cards to a Flush.
When all the work is done, we find ALL Pairs, except 2’s, warrant a 4x Wager. A Pair of 3’s will win 52 percent of the time and this puts it right at the cusp of our strategy mark. Will you kill your payback if you choose to wait on a Pair of 3’s? No. But if that were the only hand players were getting hesitant on it wouldn’t be a problem.
Every hand with an Ace – suited or offsuit – warrants a 4X wager. That’s right. Even the lowly offsuit A-2 will win 52 percent of the time (and tie 4-plus percent of the time), making the 4X wager the right play. Every suited hand with a King should be played 4X.
Here is the complete strategy for the 4X wager in Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
• If the player is dealt any Pair except for 2’s, he should Raise 4x.
• If the player is dealt an Ace, he should Raise 4x.
• If the player is dealt a suited K-X, where X is card of the same suit.
• If the player is dealt a suited Q-X, where X is greater than a 4.
• If the player is dealt a suited J-X, where X is greater than a 7.
• If the player is dealt an unsuited K-X, where X is greater than a 4.
• If the player is dealt an unsuited Q-X, where X is greater than a 7.
• If the player is dealt an unsuited J-10.
Roger Snow, the senior VP of table and utility products for Bally Technologies, invented UTH. I’ve often heard him tell the story about how he was playing it a few years back and went in 4X on a suited King hand.
The dealer looked at him and told him he shouldn’t do that. Roger smiled and thought to himself he’ll trust his own math guy (me!) as to the strategy. Did I mention a suited K-7 will win 56 percent of the time?
I understand it can be difficult to wager 4x for what is essentially a marginal hand. However, it should be noted some of these hands are not so marginal. A Pair of 6’s will win 63 percent of the time! Depending on the blind paytable in use, UTH can have a payback well in excess of 99 percent.
It is virtually impossible for the average human to achieve a payback this high. But, from observing the game, I would say most of the people give up any chance of getting this kind of return on the first wager, which ironically is the easiest to master. As I said earlier, I don’t think this is a matter of the difficulty of the strategy, but rather the hesitance to make such a large wager.
If you can master the strategy for just the 4X wager of UTH, you will have made significant progress toward a degree as an expert player.
Speaking of degrees, a special shout out goes to my son, Nis, who is graduating from Rutgers University this week! I’m sure the commencement speaker will be quite entertaining, if they ever figure out who it will actually be!

Writing in Poker Player Newspaper (March 24, 2014), Mike Caro questioned the wisdom of bluffing. Mike is a brilliant poker guru, but no one is always right.
Caro claims bluffs lose money. Besides, he questions, “How do you know that bluff succeeded?” It’s hard to argue against Mike, but I will.
Let’s start by offering a rational analysis directed to his question, “How do you know that bluff succeeded?”
Suppose your opponent folded every time you bluffed – 100 percent of the time! Would you still insist you lost money by bluffing? If your bluffs succeeded only 25 percent of the time, then I could agree with Mike; i.e., you probably lost money by bluffing. So, what percentage of your bluffs must succeed to put you ahead? How about 50 percent or 70 percent of your bluffs?
Speaking for myself, using the Esther Bluff tactic in $4-$8 limit games (that’s low-limit), 75 percent of my bluffs are successful: My opponent(s) fold and I take the pot. I estimate break-even for bluffing is when your opponents fold 30 percent of the time.
That’s because usually you risk one or two big bets versus “earning” the whole pot, including all the bets before your semi-bluff on the turn and/or river bluff. Even if I was off on my estimate, 75 percent provides me with lots of margin.
While Mike forecasts doom for bluffers, there are poker “experts” who claim you cannot bluff in low-limit games. Perhaps that’s because they only think they know how to bluff effectively. In any case, my bluffing results appear to disprove that assumption also.
Mike asks: “Isn’t it likely that my target would have lost to me even if I had not bluffed?” Good question. If you don’t get to see his hole cards before they are mucked, how do you know he would have beaten you had he called your bluff?
I can only respond by telling you sometimes my opponents have shown their hands – a small pair or Ace-high – as they folded. Those hands would have beaten my failed King-high flush draw. The only way I could take that pot was by bluffing! (Never show your hand unless you are called!)
Special bluffing skills: Making a big bet helps; so does the Esther Bluff. Look for tells. It is important to carefully select your bluff targets before you leap! Tight and timid players are your best candidates for bluffing – unless he holds a very strong hand. How has he been betting this hand? Beware of lots of honor cards on the board.
It is almost impossible to bluff out a calling-station; once he pays to see the flop, he is prone to call all the way to the river. By then the pot is big enough to warrant his calling to see the showdown. And, of course, you cannot bluff out a player who has already bet all his chips – all in!
Eventually, no matter how skilled you are, your bluff is bound to be called. Sometimes an opponent actually has a strong hand. Once you are caught bluffing, then it is more difficult to pull off further bluffs – at least for a while.
That’s OK; then you are more likely to be called when you flop a monster hand; so you win more chips than you would have otherwise. After a while, you can resume your bluffing when it is appropriate.
Speaking of which, another example of when not to bluff is when a tight player has previously raised the pot. Expect him to have a strong hand, and not likely to succumb to your bluff on a later street. A “maniac,” who enjoys raising and re-raising, often is an unlikely bluff victim – unless he has previously shown he will fold when bet into or raised.
Bluffing too often also is a big mistake. The more you bluff, the more suspicious your opponents become. Then, they are more likely to call your bluff. As a general rule, on average, plan to bluff – if the situation warrants – no more than twice an hour. Lots of luck.