In poker, the expression bluff is used to describe an aggressive action taken by a player who doesn’t have a strong hand and is unlikely to win at a showdown. The player bluffs by betting and representing a strong hand to try to get their opponents to fold.
There are countless examples of bluffs in poker. Say a player is on a flush draw, and they call twice with Ah3h. On the river, they miss, but the river card is a Kd, which is the highest card on the board. Their opponent checks, and they bet out, representing the king, as they are not likely to win with just an ace high given the action.
Bluff is one of the most important moves in poker, and all good, winning players understand this. Without bluffing, it is impossible to win in the long run. But by the same token, trying to bluff too much and in unfavorable spots isn’t a good strategy, either.
