A Super System 2 Bluff that won't work online

One of Brunson's bluffs is in NL, a one off str8 on the board...where the board is say AKQJ, you hold a T and raise...your opponent plays back. Now as Brunson says you know that you have a split pot and he suggest hesitating, shacking your head like you overlooked broadway trying to make your opponent think that you are holding a set...now you reluctantly call saying "OK. I'll call"...now if the board pairs, you go all-in and your opponent will fold thinking that you hit a boat.

My problem with this is...in the games that I have played online, the player is not going to fold his broadway...this opponent also plays online and knows that even with that board he has run against opponents that would call or bet an all-in even in that senerio holding two pairs or tripps...he will call.

Now it doesn't hurt to try it since you still have a split pot....but I don't believe that you are going to get your opponent to fold and take the the full pot yourself.

It might work at a B&M Dolly...but not online!

It definitely won't work online. You are exactly correct. No one online would fold a hand like that with the slight possibility that his opponent hit a full house. Now Doyle is correct in that it might work in a live game because they can see your facial expressions, see your body language, and hear the tone of your voice, which can all be tells (or false ones). For online poker, you cannot see or hear these from your opponents.

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cky12 - PokerStars
cky12 - FullTilt

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depends on the stakes - I have folded sometimes in such situations. It has been tough to fold but generally I assume 2 things 1) he might have the full house 2) the fact that he has bet big here on a 10 and got away with it (i.e. not got beaten by a full or tied with for a straight) gives you a expoiltable betting tendancy for the future that you wouldnt have if you call.

He will read you as bluffable in a way that you can exploit in the future. Most people who bluff love the feeling that they have bluffed someone out of a pot and will try again with that person - pick the right moment and their chips are yours.

The above only works in a tourney if it is early enough and the blinds are increasing slowly enough that you will have time to expolit these things.

I will say that the advice in the NL section of SS2 is not very relevant to the online poker player at low - moderate stakes. there is some excellent stuff there but i have seen many players try this style of play and it rarely works online. Yes overall the advice is excellent but with many players reading the advice out of context it is probably more harmful than helpful to the average person. Most of what is in the other sections however is excellent.

Ultra aggressive play as DB sometimes advocates needs 1) excellent reads which it is hard to get to the full online 2) people to really give a damn about their stake which doesnt happen much even at 50$ tables. At the stakes most people on the forum play if you try to out aggressive someone you will find yourself going all in on 27os almost (and often) it is just not possible to do so in a profitable way. As I and others have said tight passive is the way to kill NL poker online for at least low - moderate stakes.

Not bad Ben...but I totally disagree on tight/passive...tight/passive means that you are going to rely on the cards to win...that won't work in hold'em...you must still be tight/aggressive!