Introduction

• The purpose of bluff bets
  
• When does a bluff bet make sense?
  
• Position does matter
  

You will often find yourself in a situation where, based on the strength of your hand, you can hardly expect to win the pot on the showdown. Fortunately, there is another way to win the pot that doesn't require a showdown. A bluff bet can make you win pots with unimproved hands.

A bluff bet is a bet you make for the sole purpose of getting your opponent to fold. Your assumption is that your opponent holds a better hand and you're currently behind and the following streets probably won't help much either.

Your aim is to get the opponent to give up his better hand. This means the bluff bet relies entirely on your fold equity and is thus heavily dependent on your opponent's playing style. It's decisive whether your opponent is even able to fold a better hand than yours.