Razz Poker Strategy – Bluffing Tips for Razz Players
Tips and Advice for Picking Up the Best Spots to Bluff in Razz
Bluffing in itself is completely dependent on the situations you encounter regardless of the game. Of course bluffing in Holdem or Omaha is a lot easier than it is in a game like Razz however it’s not impossible. This article offers general advice and tips for players who need to improve their bluffing strategy in razz.
Watch the Door Cards
Door Cards offer plenty of information which is why it’s pertinent that you pay close attention to everyone at the table, even if they choose to fold. Suppose your door card is a wheel card, anything from A – 5 and the other players still involved in the hand are showing 8 or higher. You can be pretty certain that you can push them off the hand and steal the blinds by laying out a bet. Very few players would call a bet with anything above an 8 showing, and even an eight should be folded unless the down cards are fairly strong. Even if your hand is Q-K-A you can still push the other players if your Door Card is an Ace.
Bluffing on Open Cards
Later streets become more difficult to bluff in. It’s not impossible but it’s definitely one of those areas where you want to pick your spots wisely. Spots to look for include times where you open cards present you with more possibilities than your opponents. Let’s suppose your hand is A-5-3-7, even if you haven’t complete your hand, if your opponent is showing two cards higher than the 8 you can be pretty certain that a bet will get them off the hand.
Player Styles – Weak vs. Strong
Just like Holdem, watching your opponent’s habits plays a strong part in the outcome of your bluffs. Weak players or beginners probably don’t understand the game enough to understand when they should fold or when they should stay in the hand. It’s because of this you’ll find you’re less likely to pull off a successful bluff. They are more apt to call the hand on 4th street because they know they have three cards to come that could give them their miracle hand. On the opposite side are players who have a solid background in Razz poker. By spotting the right the strong players, you can selectively pick your spots where you can steal the blinds or pick up a few small pots. This leads us to our final tip for bluffing in Razz.
Don’t Bluff the Loose Players
The loose players will call you down – period. You’ll lose more bluffs against hands that should have been folded on 3rd street then you will against a tight player. These players are still learning how to play and as such will follow the hand through regardless of the cost. If you want to try bluffing them, use a semi-bluff to see where they are in the hand. Of course you’ll need to make sure you have a hand that has a shot at improving.
Effectively Bluffing in Razz
Understand that in Razz there are a total of 5 betting rounds. Although the game is usually played in FL, the pots can grow to a fair size by 5th street. Most knowledgeable players understand this and will fold before the 5th betting round if their hands haven’t improved. Use your mediocre starting hands and good door cards to pick up these pots when the timing is right.
Remember, it’s not always important to bluff players off the big pots as it is picking up the small ones. Those blinds can help you, especially in tournaments
Related posts:
- Razz Poker Strategy – Top Tips and Strategy for Playing Razz Poker Online
- Razz Poker Strategy – Playing 3rd Street in Razz
- Razz Poker Strategy – Razz Poker Starting Hand Requirements
- Razz Poker Strategy – Introduction to Playing Razz Poker
- Texas Holdem Beginner – General Poker Strategy – Bluffing in Poker
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Posted by Senior Editor on Feb 14 2011. Filed under Poker Strategy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
