Flawless Poker
EVERY ACTION HAS A NAME · BEGINNER

What Is Bluff in Poker?

A bet or raise intended to make better hands fold.

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What it means

A bluff can fail even when the decision was reasonable against a range.

AT THE TABLE

A practical example

You miss a draw and bet the river hoping a weak pair folds.

Where you will hear it

Texas Hold’em, Omaha where applicable. The exact usage can vary with rules and context.

Related concepts

Value BetA bet made because worse hands are expected to call often enough.Explore ↗Semi-BluffA bet or raise with a hand that is not currently strong but can improve if called.Explore ↗Block BetA relatively small bet used to set a price or seek thin value.Explore ↗Pure BluffA bluff with little or no chance to improve if called.Explore ↗Probe BetA bet made when the prior street's aggressor declines to bet and action later returns to another player.Explore ↗

Keep learning

Study this idea in a wider poker context, then return to the dictionary whenever a term needs a closer look.

Explore Betting Strategy Orbit in Poker Galaxy ↗Read 6-Max No-Limit Hold’em Cash Game Study Guide (PDF) ↗

Published 2026-10-15 · Updated 2026-10-15 · Flawless Poker Cosmic Codex