Inducing Bluffs

Many times, you'll find yourself out of position on the river with a hand that you think is likely to be good at showdown, but which probably won't win if you bet and your opponent decides to call. Many players make the mistake of betting in these spots, despite the fact that these bets rarely gain them anything at all. You're unlikely to make a stronger hand that has a lot of showdown value to fold; meanwhile, the hands that are worse than your marginal hand aren't going to call.

Instead, a better play is to check and hope to induce a bluff from your opponent. If your opponent checks behind, you haven't really lost anything. However, should your opponent make a stab at the pot, you can call and know that you'll often have the best hand.

Of course, if you have reason to believe your opponent has a strong hand -- based on the way they've played the hand on earlier rounds, or if they're the type to never bluff -- this play shouldn't be a part of your repertoire. But against thinking players who are likely to try to grab pots they think you've abandoned, inducing a bluff can earn you extra bets on the river that you wouldn't otherwise be able to get.