Learning how to bluff in poker is an important as learning when to bluff. While you will only learn how from personal experience, it’s a good idea to know when you should bluff. In other words, there are certain situations that make it more favorable for you to deceive your opponents.

In general, bluffs have a higher expectation when the probability of being called decreases. Here are some of the situations that you should keep in mind for when you should bluff:

·         When you’re faced against fewer opponents who must fold to your bluff.

• The bluff has less favorable pot odds to opponents for a call.
• A card is dealt that increases the number of winning hands that you may be perceived to have.
• Your opponent’s betting pattern in a hand has been consistent with the upper hand they are representing with the bluff.
• The opponent's betting pattern hints that he may have a weak hand.
•  The opponent's betting pattern suggests that he may have a drawing hand
• Opponents are not senselessly committed to the pot.
• Opponents are skilled and paying sufficient attention.

Learning these simple rules will allow you to remain one step ahead of everyone else, leveraging the how and the when to bluff in your favor. Remember than an optimum strategy to be successful in playing poker is having a solid foundation of basic knowledge, this will get you much further in any tournament than anything else.