Not showing a bluff

corblimey

I like to portray a rock-like table image, and every now and then I'll use that to scoop a pot on a bluff. Sometimes, however, the 3rd stab at the pot on the river gets called, and now I risk weakening my image by showing a busted str8 or bottom pair or something.

Any of the experts have any tips for this situation? Knowing I'm losing, is there any way I can avoid showing my hand if the caller is sitting there waiting for me to show?

Or is there really no harm in showing a poor hand now and then that contradicts your carefully maintained table image?

(I don't really want to muck first just in case my Ace high is good enough - it never is, but if I show an inclination to auto-muck I might get called more often by someone at it)

DeadParrot

excellent question, i look forward to seeing what is suggested

Goodluck2me

corblimey wrote:

I like to portray a rock-like table image, and every now and then I'll use that to scoop a pot on a bluff. Sometimes, however, the 3rd stab at the pot on the river gets called, and now I risk weakening my image by showing a busted str8 or bottom pair or something.

Any of the experts have any tips for this situation? Knowing I'm losing, is there any way I can avoid showing my hand if the caller is sitting there waiting for me to show?

Or is there really no harm in showing a poor hand now and then that contradicts your carefully maintained table image?

(I don't really want to muck first just in case my Ace high is good enough - it never is, but if I show an inclination to auto-muck I might get called more often by someone at it)

if your image is carefully maintained as a rock-like figure, then why would someone call a three-bet with less than ace high? they, presuming they are paying attention to your image and are reletively good players, they should have a strong hand.

Sinfonia

Showing your cards here isn't that bad.
If the players think you are a rock, then you're not likely to get paid off on a lot of your big hands, of course you can get more bluffs in.
The point is, being unpredictable/keeping people guessing is a good thing. Plus, it's poker - no matter how much of a rock another player thinks you are, they hardly expect you to NEVER bluff! This might occassionally get you paid off better on your big hands too.

corblimey

goodluck2me wrote:

if your image is carefully maintained as a rock-like figure, then why would someone call a three-bet with less than ace high? they, presuming they are paying attention to your image and are reletively good players, they should have a strong hand.

I admit that 99% of the time, I'm losing, but the caller is still sitting there waiting for me to show before he shows.

SumGuy wrote:

Showing your cards here isn't that bad.
If the players think you are a rock, then you're not likely to get paid off on a lot of your big hands, of course you can get more bluffs in.
The point is, being unpredictable/keeping people guessing is a good thing. Plus, it's poker - no matter how much of a rock another player thinks you are, they hardly expect you to NEVER bluff! This might occassionally get you paid off better on your big hands too.

Yeah, that was my thinking on it, although it's true to say that people mostly only remember the last hand you were in. If I bluffed off half my chips, then certainly for anyone paying attention, I'm now a LAG, which might just work to my advantage if I get a big hand pretty soon.

Sinfonia

corblimey wrote:

I'm now a LAG, which might just work to my advantage if I get a big hand pretty soon.

'xactly;)

Goodluck2me

this is fine at the start of a tournament or in a cash game but nearer the end of a bigger tournementyou need to keep as rocky an image as possible.