One of the most powerful skills, or techniques, in poker is bluffing. If mastered, bluffing can be very powerful because you will be able to make your worst cards win, unlike your weaker opponents who wait longer for good cards.

Bluffing has always been an essential aspect of any poker game. When done professionally and effectively, bluffing can lead to crucial wins in the game of poker. It builds a great impression when top poker players are able to keep their cool and indifference even while holding the most dreadful cards in their hands. Try to put yourself in their shoes and find out if you can do the same. Poker bluffing is not a simple thing to develop but with determination and hard work, neither is it an improbable task to accomplish. In order to develop your bluffing skills, here are some guidelines that may be of help.

Here are a few basic guidelines that should help you develop a good bluffing strategy :

1. Only bluff in position. If you are at a ten player Sit & Go tournament and are first to bet, don’t bluff. The more people that follow you in the betting, the more chance there is that you will be called so save your bluffs for when you are in late position.

2. Don’t bluff against desperate players. If you bluff a player on a short stack it is very likely that you will get a call, even if it means them going all-in. If the short stacked player is against only you he will probably figure it’s worth the chance of doubling up and getting back in the game, no matter what hand you have.

3. Be aware of the pot size when bluffing. If you throw in a bluff late on in the hand, the pot might have grown to such an extent that your opponent will call just because he is getting value for his money. Beware of bluffing when there is a large pot to be won.

4. The cheaper the tournament, the harder it is to bluff. Starting at the bottom, freerolls are almost impossible to bluff in, especially in the early stages. You will almost always get called because the person isn’t risking their own money by doing so. At the other extreme, if you are in a $500 entry tournament, a large sized bluff is a very powerful strategy. Nobody wants to go out early after putting up such a stake so your bluff will be successful in most cases, unless you come up against a top hand.

5. Don’t make a habit of bluffing. Use your bluffs sparingly. If you get caught out trying a bluff you will have a hard job pulling off a successful bluff again at that table. Wait until the time is right then use your bluff wisely.