Gambling is all about get the best value for your bet and in poker that is where the heart of bluffing comes into its own. Bluffing and winning a hand is the coolest thing known to man. The idea that you can predict an opponents move well before that person knows what they are going to do, gives the bluffer a rush that is only second to sex!
However what is even bigger than that is pretending to bluff knowing that you have the nuts in your hand – now that is fun.
Bluffing is in every form of gambling and I saw a great example of it yesterday. A horse that is second favourite in a big race was in a race with 2 other horses and our hero was favourite but only slight odds-on favourite! To an inveterate gambler there is something wrong with the price, and, when you look at the form – the favourites 3 last races were worth over £500,000 each in prize money. The two other horses had not won a race valued over £5,000!
Someone cleverly spread a rumour that the favourite was in bad shape – yes it ran a bad race when it last appeared but there had been excuses, however, it has now suffered another setback, therefore, back against it. This was reinforced when the price drifted on the betting exchanges and the horse was laid for a couple of £1,000’s.
Now where the bluff comes in was that there was nothing wrong with the horse so instead of getting 1/3 (1.33), the ones in the know were getting 5/6 (1.833) nearly 3 times it true price – wow. The favourite duly took the race in a stroll; in fact the jockey could have got of the horse and make himself a cup of tea and got back on the horse and still win the race the horse won that easy.
So remember it is always better to see someone’s card that to not see someone’s card that way you get the true picture of your opponent and never believe rumours unless you have corroborating evidence of the highest order.