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The most common mistake most otherwise solid players make in no-limit Hold Em is bluffing too much. Many players are used to tournament situations where they can (and must) bluff to stay alive sometimes, while others simply give the opposition too much credit. Most of your opponents came to play cards, and they err on the side of calling too much, so bluffing in cash games must be done only when you have a good reason. <READMORE>

Until you are really making a killing, and your bluffing skills are honed, here is a good set of guidelines that you can start with. Expand your range of hands and bluffs slowly as your skill improves. Remember, there are very few people out there losing money because they don't bluff enough, but people who bluff too often and without good reason are losing giant piles of money every day.

1. Bluff for a reason. Whatever that reason is, make sure that you have some reason for bluffing and know what it is. "I want that pot" is not a reason.

2. Don't bluff the calling station. They won't fold, and you are just feeding chips to the idiots. You want to be the guy who shows the fish a strong hand and takes all their chips, not the guy who adds to their stack so another strong player can win more from them.

3. If you bluff early in the hand make it a semi-bluff. Early in the hand it's best to bluff with some outs, because you will often be called. The good news is players who call you when they shouldn't will usually call off more chips if you hit your draw. As you develop as a player you will know when to make continuation bets and when it is safe to bluff early in the hand.

4. If you bluff on the river, do it with a hand that isn't already likely to win. If you have bottom pair and suspect your opponent has nothing why bluff at it? Even with ace high I am less likely to bluff than I would with nothing at all.

5. Make it believeable. What is your opponent thinking? Betting half the pot when it has been checked around to you three times may not be believeable. If the flop comes with a pair in it a call on the flop and a raise on the turn with nothing may take the pot down. Think about how your bets look to your opponents, they're not as dumb as you may think.

6. Take one shot. In most cases if your first bluff attempt fails your second and third attempts won't work either. Make your one shot good one and then give up until you are more experienced and can find those times when a second attempt is profitable.

As you move up in levels and skill incorporate more bluffs into your play, but if you are playing at the low or micro-limits in NLHE cash games you can do quite well with very few bluffs in your arsenal.
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