Intermediate SOS – I can’t stop bluffing URL has been copied successfully! Bluffing isn’t just about bravado—it’s about timing, texture, and telling a story that holds up. In this edition of the ACR Pros Playbook, ACR Pro Katie Lindsay gets candid about how bluffing has shaped her game—for better and worse. From identifying fold-prone opponents to understanding river dynamics, she shares practical advice any player can learn from, especially those tempted to bluff “just because.” Hi, my name is Katie and I am an addict to bluffing. While this is an integral part of the game, learning the finesse of bluffing is one of the most important parts. And something I’m still working on. Truly, I haven’t met many flops I don’t like continuation (C) betting. But I have had to start looking more closely at spots and realizing aggression isn’t always the key. Let’s start from the top. You don’t always have to have a good hand to decide to bluff preflop. There are several factors that could allow you to open up your bluffing range pre. Physical tells / your opponent seems weak. Maybe you caught your opponent going to muck their hand and then changing their mind and deciding to open. This is a good spot to make a 3-bet. Just remember to go a bit bigger with your sizing if you are out of position. Your opponent frequently folds to 3-bets. This is a good spot to add in some lighter raises versus them. Good blockers or drawing hands. Don’t be afraid to add in some K3 suited 3-bets in position. Also, you can mix in some good suited connector 3-bet hands as well. Post Flop Bluffing I think an important part of betting the flop in a raised or 3-bet hand is thinking about what kind of cards you could barrel. Let’s say there are two clubs on the flop and you have the Ac or Kc in your hand. These are good barreling spots as you have the big club blocker to bet if another club came out. And this helps as you have outs to a 4th club where your hand could realize its value. Another spot is if you could turn an open ender. Say you opened 910 and the flop came 723. This is a good spot to continue with your bet as you have a lot of turn cards that could be decent, i.e. 8 for an open ender, 6 or J for a gut shot, 9 or 10 for top pair. Having 2 overs on the flop and backdoor draws is always a good combo to keep bluffing. I think one important thing to remember is you don’t really want to be bluffing with no outs. This also makes for a good skill of knowing when to shut down a bluff. It’s just good to have some hope with the cards you are bluffing with to be able to make a hand. When you have a complete garbage hand on a board with no hope, you don’t want to start running a huge bluff. Also, it’s not the best when you are not blocking any of the board. And one last helpful post flop bluffing tip is it’s not a good idea to try and be bluffing multiway. Getting more than one opponent to fold when you don’t have much equity is walking a thin line in this game and one that doesn’t usually end well. The Art of the River Bluff Now here you are, you have bluffed the flop, the turn, and you just can’t shake your opponent. You have decided as they snapped you on the turn that you are done with this bluff. But wait, the perfect river card to bluff appears. Don’t make the mistake of not following through when the cards comply to give you the perfect spot to go for it. You have come this far and if it truly is a good card for the hand you have represented and your range, you have to go for it. Basic bluffing tips to remember: When deciding to go for a bluff against a specific opponent, have you seen them hero call someone before or call down super light? This is not a good opponent to bluff. How much does the player seem like they value being there? If someone seems bored and impatient and ready to go, this is not a good opponent to bluff. On the flip side, if they seem like they very much value their tournament life or it’s near the bubble and they are talking about how much they want to cash, this is a great opponent to bluff. Do you cover them? If your opponent is playing for their tournament life this can make a difference. It’s always better to have them be the one at risk for all their chips, not you. What hand are you trying to represent and does this make sense as played? I think this is one of the most important tips to remember. What is the story you are telling about your hand and does it make sense? Listen, not every bluff will get through, the game would be too easy if that was the case. So don’t be hard on yourself if you bluff it off in a big spot. If the hand was well thought out and you trusted your instincts then you can’t be mad. Some of the best played hands have ended in a bluff that got called. Just remember, if you aren’t bluffing then you aren’t trying! Katie Lindsay The American poker pro is much more than just a talented player. Her accomplishments on the felt speak for themselves.