How to call a bluff
Sometimes your hand beats nothing your opponent would bet for value. Then the only question is how often the bet is a bluff, and whether the price is right.
The price
Pot odds tell you how often you need to be right. Facing a half-pot bet you need to win 25% of the time. Facing a pot-sized bet, 33%. Facing twice the pot, 40%.
The bigger the bet, the more often your opponent has to be bluffing for a call to be worth it.
How often they bluff
Count the hands. If the story your opponent is telling contains many missed draws, bluffs are likely. If every draw came in and the line only makes sense with a strong hand, they are rare.
The player matters more than the theory. Against someone who rarely bluffs, fold even when the price looks good. Against someone who bets every time you check, call wider.
Which hands to call with
When several of your hands are the same strength, call with the ones that block value hands and do not block bluffs. Holding a card your opponent needs for a strong hand makes that hand less likely.
Work it out
Terms in this guide
Practise it
Reading is the easy part. Play the hand of the day, or deal ten hands in the trainer and see which of these decisions cost you the most.