It’s never easy to tell when your opponents in poker are bluffing or not. Nevertheless, whether you get it right or wrong, you must learn how to do so. Here are eight tips on how to call your poker opponents’ bluffs. Once you’ve read them, you can test those that can be applied to online poker in GG Poker, a secure and convenient site for the game.
1. Read their body language
If your opponent is trying to bluff, they may give away tells in their body language. See if they’re sweating, fidgeting, or avoiding eye contact. Outside of poker, these are indications that a person is hiding something or lying.
At the same time, this isn’t a foolproof method. Some players aren’t trying to bluff but will still be fidgety and avoid eye contact because they are nervous. If your opponent has an unreadable poker face, they will not give away any bodily hints despite immense pressure.
2. Pay attention to betting patterns
A bluffing opponent may have specific betting patterns that give it away. For example, they may bet big when they have a good poker hand and smaller when they’re bluffing. At the same time, it’s also not unlikely for some players to bet big even when they’re losing, so you won’t be able to call them out.
If your opponent seems like a loud, flashy person, they will likely bet big as a bluff to keep appearances. On the other hand, discreet players that are more motivated by money than winning will
3. Look at the board
The cards on the poker table can give you clues about your opponent’s hand. This is probably the best way to determine how good your opponents’ cards are, which of your opponents are bluffing to hide their disadvantage, and which are bluffing to hide their strengths. If there are a lot of low cards, they may be bluffing with a high hand, while the opposite is true if there are many high cards on the board.
Additionally, if the board has a lot of cards of one suit, players with that same suit in their hand may be trying to bluff a flush.
4. Put them on a range
An excellent way to think about your opponents’ poker hands is to put them on a range. This means assigning them a high card and low card they might have and everything in between. For example, if you think your opponent may have a pocket pair, their range would be something like 2-7. If you think they’re bluffing with a made hand, their range would be something like A-J.
5. Ask yourself if they have the goods
This is a simple question, but an important one. If you think your opponent is bluffing, ask yourself if they have the goods to back it up. In other words, do they have the cards to win?
For example, if they’re betting big on the river and you have a hand like Ace-high, it’s unlikely they’re bluffing. But they may be trying to bluff if you have a hand like a flush or full house.
6. Check their motivations
Try to understand what your opponent is thinking and their motivations. If they’re playing for fun, they’re less likely to bluff. On the other hand, if they’re playing to win money, they’re more likely to bluff.
7. See if they’re overacting
Some players will give away their hand by overacting. For example, they may act scared when they have a great hand or cocky when they have a terrible hand. While it’s not always easy to tell if someone is genuinely overacting or just playing their usual game, it’s something to be aware of. If you think your opponent is bluffing, pay attention
7. Look at the pot odds
The pot odds are the ratio of the pot size to the size of the bet. For example, if the pot is $100 and your opponent bets $10, the pot odds are 10-to-1. The higher the pot odds, the more likely your opponent is bluffing.
For example, if the pot odds are 10-to-1 and you have a hand like Ace-high, it’s not worth calling because your opponent is only bluffing 1 out of 10 times. But if you have a hand like a flush or full house, the pot odds may be worth it because your opponent is bluffing more often.
8. Use psychology
Some players are more likely to bluff when they’re feeling scared, angry, or frustrated. If you can get a read on your opponents’ emotions, you may be able to tell when they’re more likely to bluff.
Read your opponents, and win the game!
Calling your opponents’ bluffs is an essential part of poker, so it’s a must that you develop this skill. Do it right, and you’ll have better chances of winning. Or, at the very least, you’ll be able to cut your losses.
