Bluffer

Filed Under: Poker

While playing the WPBT WSOP Sat. the other night I was also playing in the WCOP state qualifier. Having made it down to the final eight in the WCOP I was managing to keep my opponent at bay and had a nice chip lead. Then out of nowhere he says, "Your so scared of being bluffed that you bet completely erratic. It's funny"

Now I didn't think my betting was "erratic" but I certainly try to keep heads up opponents guessing. I find it disguises my hand strength and since I like to be the aggressor it seems to work out for me. Even having my own rationale for playing the way I do, I couldn't let go of what he typed in the chatbox.

Am I scared of being bluffed?

Recently I've discovered a small, yet very important leak in my SNG play. There is a particular bluff that I have found to be effective in the later stages, say when down to 4 or 5 players. Thist involves being headsup to the flop, out of position, and the board pairs. This also only works if your against a post flop aggressor who is capable of making a laydown. Granted this situation doesn't happen all that often but when it does I can make (more often than not) a play that will win me the pot.

The problem has been that when this situation occurs and I'm on the other side of the equation, in position and the post flop aggressor, I automaticlly assume my opponent is running a bluff on me. When in fact, 90% of the time he/she actually has the goods. I see my opponent play in the exact same manner I would, if I was bluffing, and subconciously I have to pay this player off. I take the stance that, "I would run this bluff, so they must be also."

When the hand is over I've usually managed to cripple myself and now I have to struggle just to make the money.

In a way, I guess I am scared of being bluffed.

My heads up opponent may not have actually thought I was "scared" of the bluff, but what he did accomplish was getting inside my head. The next thing I knew I was horribly short stacked and end up going out in 5th place. Just two matches short of the win. I believe I could have won if my opponent hadn't put the voodoo mind trick on me.