What types of opponents are the easiest to bluff?
Being able to read your opponents correctly knowing their playing poker styles is the major factor in deciding who and when to bluff. You're looking for the type of opponents who are most likely to fold their hands-those who play very tight and the ones who are afraid of going broke holdem poker. You don't want to bluff against Loose Louie, who will call with all sorts of marginal hands that could be slightly better than the hand you're bluff betting with. You are more likely to be able to bluff players like Solid Sam or Tight Ted, who will fold marginal hands players like Solid Sam or Tight Ted.
What question should you ask yourself before you bluff?
Here is a good question to ask yourself before you bet: "If I bet a large amount, what kind of hand would my opponent determining to need to call my bet?" Would he need to have kings or aces? In other words, what are his criteria for calling big bets? He may not call a bet unless he has top pair with a good kicker on a flop such as K-10-6. But if the flop comes with small card game, 7-4-2 for example, an opponent may have a tough time calling a bet with a hand such as A-K or A-Q. Will he call with two overcards to the flop? A straight draw?
If you are observant thought online poker, you can often limit the types of hands with which an opponent will call a bet. You can then answer your own question with, "If they don't have at least this type of hand, they're going to fold. " Knowing the calling requirements of your opponents is important in making a successful, legitimate bet as well as Bluff-bet.
How much money should you bluff?
Usually you bluff an amount that is equal to the size of the pot limit holdem. When you bluff that many chips, it usually means that your opponent will have to put in a substantial number of chips to call you. On televised tournaments you might see a player push all his chips into the pot. You might do this too if you are somewhat short stacked. Say that the pot has $4,000 in it and your total stack is $6,000. If you're going to bluff, you may as well fire in all your chips. That way, nobody can reraise you. But say that the pot has $4,000 in it and you have $20,000 in practical poker chips. In this case, you might fire $4,000 at the pot, a pot-sized bet.