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POKEY JOE'S BLUFFING TIPS(Extract taken from Pokey Joe's memoirs 5 th April 1899) “A lot of people ask me what the secret is of my success. I tell them “bluffing”. Without the ability to convince my opponents that I've got a better hand than them, I would be at the mercy of Lady Luck, and would only win when I have a fortunate run of good cards. By managing to bluff well, I know that it does not matter what cards I am dealt, I can still win the stack. I don't play cards. I play people. That's the secret!” If you want to know how to bluff like a pro, try the following: Don't be predictable. Your opponents will be watching every move. If you play the same way each time you are dealt the same card they will soon get to know what you've got. To avoid this look at the second hand on your watch. If it is between the quarter past and the half past marks then it's time to make a change. Raise with a hand you would normally match with. Match with a hand you would normally raise. You get the idea. Don't look at your hand. No matter how good a player you are there are always little things you do, e.g. a twitch or a smile, that give away what your card is. Your opponents will be looking for these. The solution? Don't look at your card!! Not until the last minute anyway. That means all the players who have bid before you won't have had any clue as to what you have got. Upset your opponents. Your opponents will make their worst mistakes and lose the most cards when they are upset. So if you manage to pull off a bluff with a terrible card turn the card over and show your opponent what a fool they have been to fold. After you've done that a couple of times they'll be so mad that they'll probably go on to lose all their other cards as well. |