bluffing donks

[ForKeeps 0]

About to take my first serious trip to a casino pokerroom this weekend, and was wondering:The players here are serious donk, 90% of them. Mixture of retirees just playing to play, young guys that think poker is supersweet and they're awesome b/c they read a Phil Hellmuth book, etc. Should I even bother bluffing, as a rule? I will certainly get aggressive at the right time, overbet to protect a hand, etc....but straight-up taking a stab b/c I think I sense weakness in some dude that routinely makes terrible calls? Or, better to bluff big, show a few, and then have them try to sheriff me the rest of the session?

[iggymcfly 0]

It might not be a bad idea to show a bluff or two to ensure you get called down for the rest of the session, but you certainly shouldn't expect to make your money that way. For the most part, just assume that you're going to have to show down a hand to win.

[Actuary 3]

value bet.

[TJ_Eckleburg 0]

Sell them your winners. That's really all there is to it.

[spacemonkey 0]

Don't go in thinking you'll make money by running people over. Almost never going to happen. The value (over) bet is king at low stakes.The only time it's worth trying to bluff is a conservative continuation bet. You raise with AK and get one donk caller. If you miss the flop it's frequently worthwhile to take one shot at the flop and see if he'll fold. Nothing crazy just bet 40-60% of the pot. It's usually effective often enough to show a profit. But don't get caught up in trying to bluff bad players.

[finztotheleft 0]

Good Luck ! and....have fun !

[Harry 0]

About to take my first serious trip to a casino pokerroom this weekend, and was wondering:The players here are serious donk, 90% of them. Mixture of retirees just playing to play, young guys that think poker is supersweet and they're awesome b/c they read a Phil Hellmuth book, etc. Should I even bother bluffing, as a rule? I will certainly get aggressive at the right time, overbet to protect a hand, etc....but straight-up taking a stab b/c I think I sense weakness in some dude that routinely makes terrible calls? Or, better to bluff big, show a few, and then have them try to sheriff me the rest of the session?

Never bluff against these types of people if you like money.

[HotSteven 0]

Optimal strategy would involve very little bluffing at these tables, but bring your gameboy, or a pillow. You could show a few sexy (read stupid) bluffs and the table will get much more interesting, if not any more profitable. (Even idiots remember that jerk who bluffs too much.) There are few things more fun than enraging the elderly with a well timed checkraise.

[babyangel 0]

Sell them your winners. That's really all there is to it.

I concur

[bcook823 0]

If you ever get a chance watch some of the archives of Live at the Bike. I think its 15 bucks though, to buy all the past shows. They have a few shows of the 200 max buy in NLHE game. It is the only place I know of where you can see mulitple players hole cards, for that many hands, at lower limits. Very seldom do bluffs move someone off of a hand like TPTK, or bottom two. People do overvalue middle pairs at this level, and have a really hard time folding KK, or QQ even with action, and overcards on the board.

[The Bwaves 0]

About to take my first serious trip to a casino pokerroom this weekend, and was wondering:The players here are serious donk, 90% of them. Mixture of retirees just playing to play, young guys that think poker is supersweet and they're awesome b/c they read a Phil Hellmuth book, etc.  There are good players at these limits so watch out, you'll know who's experienced and who's not in the first hour.  Honestly most of them probably havn't even picked up a book about poker, which makes your life much easier!Should I even bother bluffing, as a rule?  I will certainly get aggressive at the right time, overbet to protect a hand, etc....but straight-up taking a stab b/c I think I sense weakness in some dude that routinely makes terrible calls?  Play the table.  Sometimes you sit down and everyone is playing like a rock, sometimes everyone is calling all the way to river with 8 high.  It definitly depends on the table.  There is nothing wrong with taking a stab at a pot no one has had intrest in.Or, better to bluff big, show a few, and then have them try to sheriff me the rest of the session?Don't show.  Actually in my experiences the less you show the better.  Try to never have a showdown unless your holding a very strong hand.  You just get more respect for your raises when you play tight and show monsters.Don't worry about sheriffing, your going to get called down most of the time with mediocre hands at these limits.  I think you said you were going to be playing 1/2 NL and 3/6 Limit.  I play these frequently and have never had trouble making a good profit.

It's so much easier than you think. It's a fact that when playing live, the cards come slower, so people are very impatient! Most people at the lower limits just play to have a little fun on a Saturday night. If you play mostly cards, you'll make a killing.Someone above posted about taking one shot if you get called give it up. Such great advice. You'll raise it up and get one caller, it gets checked to you, you bet half the pot, they fold. Easy as pie. You get called. Muck.Another bit of sound advice, don't chase to much. The more solid you play the more money you make simple as that. Only call if your getting supreme pot odds against draws and value bet your nuts.EDIT: At these limits you can see plenty of good hands with minimal loss to the blinds, that's why low limit is such a money maker. Be patient and enjoy the company of the nice older gentlemen who play everyday and basically tell you there hand.If you make people like you at the table, they'll start checking good hands to you or even say, "fold man, I've got it." The nicer you are the more money you make IMHO.

[ColeSLaw 0]

Good comments. I think the 'be nice' advice is sound, but it is also true that it is very easy at these tables to get someone tilting with a couple of remarks.

[ColeSLaw 0]

Good comments. I think the 'be nice' advice is sound, but it is also true that it is very easy at these tables to get someone tilting with a couple of remarks.