Bluffing in low-limit games and low buy-in tournaments
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Perhaps this article would be more appropriately titled: “Don’t bluff in low-limit cash games and low buy-in tournaments.” I think most online players who play these kinds of games – those who are trying to build bankrolls, or who are trying to win lots of smaller games to profit – will agree that you can usually throw Super System out the window.
That’s not to say that there aren’t aggressive players who are constantly raising the pots with bad cards in these games who do well. But I do think that there are many more successful players who play a much different kind of game to make a profit.
So, to be clear, we’re talking about limit cash games (where the blinds are $3-$6 or less, and low buy-in tournaments (both small sit and gos and multi-table tournaments, I’d say this can be applied all the way up to $11 buy in games, and perhaps even higher in some instances). This does not apply to no-limit games of any type, even .1-.2 blind games, where bluffing can be very effective even with the smallest of blinds and small starting pots.
Let’s start with low-limit games:
LOW-LIMIT CASH GAMES
Why shouldn’t I bluff?
Think about it like this. If you’ve played in brick and mortar limit games, you know how this goes. Have you ever played a $1-$2, $2-$4 or $3-$6 game at a casino? Some hands end preflop, but not many. There’s always a few players who will call a raise with more-than-marginal hands and try to get lucky. Once a hand gets past the flop, there’s often going to be a showdown. And there’s often going to be raising. And re-raising. The pots get large enough that players simply have to call, just because it’s silly to fold (even with marginal hands) when you only have to pay a few dollars for a pot worth potentially several times more than that.
The simple lesson is this: Bluffing doesn’t usually pay. And if you read strategy books (everyone playing limit poker needs to read Lee Jones’ “Winning Low-Limit Hold’em” and immediately commit it to memory) they’ll usually tell you the same thing. There are times and boards that you might be able to bluff at, but overall playing solid, tight poker is a better idea than making plays at pots.
And above, I was talking about real-life examples of low-limit poker. Apply this to the mirco level of limit poker (.02-.05 up to .50-1.00) that exists only in cyberspace, and the problem is exacerbated. Four cents to call a raise? Who’s not willing to gamble with four cents? Almost everyone. Bluffing in these games often only wins you a small pot, and can end up costing you a lot if you continue a bluff..
The math behind not bluffing
This is a pretty basic concept for most poker players, but it’s worth talking about it. While almost everyone who plays these days knows what pot odds are and can use them for making decisions on whether or not to call, people often don’t think of it in reverse in limit games – making a decision on whether or not you should bet because of the pot odds other players might get when they call.
Think of this example. Let’s say you’re playing a full .50-1.00 game.You’re sitting three in front of the button with one limper so far. You have 3-8os and decide, “I’m going to try to steal the pot.” You raise. All it really takes is one caller for you to be screwed. The pot at this time contains a limp and the blinds, or $1.25, and you’ve just bet $1 into the pot. You’ve certainly made it more difficult to limp and you’ll get rid of hands as bad as yours. But anyone who is calling with no money already invested is getting about 2:1, meaning hands with potential might still call, despite your raise. If they put you on anything but a huge hand JJ-AA, they aren’t going to be too far behind. And it’s not even so much about pot odds as it is “Oh, I only have to spend another $1 to see a flop.” You’ve obviously made the decision tougher, but lots of hands will call. And in limit people know their pot odds will only get better as the hand goes one, unless more than one person is raising the pot.
And that’s just considering people who have no money invested. The big blind and the limper only have to call .50 more into a $2.25 pot, and one or both of them is likely to call. The best case scenario is everyone folds. And in low-limit games, that’s not going to happen very often. Next best is one person calls, which is also possible but also not likely. Because of the small amounts of money involved, you can throw some traditional poker theory out the window and expect several people to call your raise, even if they shouldn’t. And now you’re screwed.
Continuing the bluff against one or even two players might work, sometimes. And you’ll have picked up a small pot. But a far more likely scenario is that you are going to end up costing yourself another bet, or several more if you continue to bluff, as you get called down to the river.
I’d argue you’re better off investing bets into prospecting with good drawing hands, rather than attempting to bluff with truly bad hands in the kinds of games we’re talking about. Pulling off a bluff in these situations is hard to do, and you can lose a lot of money (5 bets) if you are the initial raiser preflop and you bet every round). A better idea for those five bets would be a.) hold onto them for raising with good hands when you’re ahead or b.) limping in late position with a decent hand when you are being offered good pot odds.
But what if you’re dead set on bluffing? Here’s some things you can do, and a lot of this follows classic strategy:
When can/should I bluff?
For any of these scenarios, “should” might be too strong of a word:
Preflop, late position, no callers.
If you’re on the button, or even one in front, betting into the blinds might not be a bad idea. They’re not getting the kind of pot odds they would have gotten had earlier positions called before your raise. So both blinds might have to have a decent hand to consider calling. They might anyway, but that’s a risk you take when you bluff these games.
Postflop, late position. ragged board, three or fewer players.
When I say ragged, I mean ragged. Think J-7-2 rainbow. You have a chance that no one hit their hand, and you can with the pot right then.
The semibluff
If you’re going to bluff, at least do it with not awful hands. Playing 6-7s for a raise is a lot smarter than playing J-2 for a raise. You have several ways to win a pot, and you’re more likely to have live cards against your competition.
That’s about it. Once again, this is only advice. But I don’t think bluffing in situations other than these will make you much money in the long term. The risk/reward is a lot less than other ways you have at your disposal to spend your bets.
Now, let’s take a look at bluffing in low buy-in tournaments:
LOW BUY-IN TOURNAMENTS
Why shouldn’t I bluff?
I’ll preface this by saying that bluffing can be a much better strategy in tournaments than in limit poker. But it’s still not a good idea. Here’s a few reasons why.
People play loose early
People playing tournaments at low buy-ins are often looking to build their stacks early (aren’t we all?). Some players are willing to race, and sacrifice their buy-in, for a chance to take an early chip lead. That leaves stone-cold bluffs early in tourneys looking silly and hurting the player’s chances of cashing. Because if a player thinks they are racing with overcards or against a lower pair, it won’t be easy to get them off their hand. The smaller the tournament, the less this is a problem. Nine-man SnGs might have a better chance of avoiding these kinds of players. But playing a $1.10 MTT, there will be lots of players hoping to get lucky and playing mid pairs and their aces in an attempt to double up early.
You don’t have a lot of chips to bluff with
In the typical PokerStars SnG, you have 1500 chips. Even at the early stages of a tournament, a bluff that gets called down is going to hurt you badly, and the rewards can be pretty small if you happen to win a bluff. Let’s say your in the third hand, still with 1500 chips, blinds at $10-$20. With no callers so far. A successful bluff probably requires you to bet at least 4-5x the big blind. So you’ll be betting 100 chips or 6.7% of your chips. And you’re investing that much to win a pot that currently contains $30 in tournament chips. And if you do get called, by say one player, you’re going to have to make another big bet if you plan on continuing your bluff. So with $230 in the pot, you’ll need to make at least a half-pot size bet to take it down. So $230 plus the $100 you aleady bet, and you’re risking a fifth of your chips on a bluff. Simply put, that’s a lot of chips to put into play.
Once again, you can certainly play like this and win. But I’ll say you are better off using those bets for raising with good hands or calling with good draws in low buy-ins
So, when might be the best times to bluff? Some of the same basic principles apply as the limit games (preflop late position with no callers, postflop late position with a ragged board and the semibluff). I’d say the first two are not as a good of an idea, for reasons just discussed regarding your chip stack, but that the semibluff is acceptable early.
But there are other times when bluffing might be opportune:
Playing behind a big stack followed by a small stack.
Here’s the premise behind this play. Let’s say you haven’t done much, treading water at about 1,500 chips. Blinds are 25-50. You’re on the button. So far a big stack (3,500K left) and a small stack (900 left) have limped in front of you. A pot-size bet is a good bet here, in my opinion. The big stack has already run his chips up early. He’s likely pretty happy that he more than doubled up early in the tourney, and he’s probably not interested in giving those chips back with a marginal hand. He might still play really loose, but chances are he’ll tighten up a bit. And you have protection behind him. In a low buy-in tournament, the big stack probably knows that if he calls, and the small stack also calls, that he may have to cover the small stack’s entire stack by the flop. And that’s not a great play for the big stack. So he’s likely to get out of your way, not wanting to call the all in.
The small stack is also not likely to simply call your bet. If he had a hand, he would have likely raised into the big stack, hoping to get paid off. So he’s very likely to let this go as well. In deep stack higher buy-in tournaments this may not be that great a play, but it can work in small stack smaller buy-in events.
Tight early, then bluff late when you have a decent stack
Even in low buy-ins, play will tighten up closer to the cash. This makes it a better time to bluff for you. Knowing everyone is now hoping to cash, you can take advantage of the tighter play. Here’s why: A cash to someone playing in a low buy-in tournament can be a big deal. If you’re playing a 5.50 SnG you’re not likely to have a big roll. Some players will and just like to risk less of their bankroll in SnGs. But the difference between winning nothing and winning even the smallest prize can be a big deal to an entrant.
Once again, I wouldn’t do this with a huge percentage of your chips. But if you have done pretty well early and have a decent stack, stabbing at pots in late position with few players can definitely pay off. Big stacks are probably not interested in clashing with someone else with a decent amount of chips, and they’d rather pick on smaller stacks. The smaller stacks are waiting for a good hand to invest their chips in. So they’re not a huge danger when you’re bluffing in late position.
Under the gun bluffs can be effective too…as long as you don’t do it often. Betting out under the gun is likely to scare a lot of people off late in a tournament.
So…bluff, but do it sparingly
If you’re going to bluff in these games, pick your spots. Don’t expect that the fancy bluffs you see on TV are going to work in these smaller games. I’ve cashed 9-man SnGs several times by picking up one small pot early and watching everyone else around me bluff their chips away or risk them unnecessarily with marginal hands.
Playing tight, smart poker is better in these games than trying to be a super-aggressive bluffer. You’ll find players who can win by disregarding all of the advice in this column. But those people also expose themselves to big losing streaks, too.
