Poker is a card game which has gained huge popularity in the 21st century with the introduction of online poker games and hole-card camera along with poker tournaments like the World Poker Tour or the World Series of Poker. The growing coverage of poker events and broadcasts of these games on television made it a spectator sport. Poker jargons that originated at the poker table like 'wild card', 'ace in the hole', 'poker face', 'blue chip', etc became colloquial in English and American culture with the growing popularity of the game.

An integral part of poker is bluffing. Poker bluffing is an art which makes opponents believe that you possess a better hand, which is actually false. Bluffing can be of two types - a pure bluff or stone-cold bluff and semi bluff. A pure bluff is a bet which is made with an inferior hand which has no hope of improving. A pure bluff expects profitability in the long run and the player has a chance to win only if all his opponents fold. However a player uses semi-bluff in a multiple betting round game where one can bluff in an initial round with an inferior hand which has a chance to improve in a later round. This fundamental part of poker is exciting and requires good poker sense and guts.

Poker bluffing may actually prove effective or profitable to the player if used judiciously. Too infrequent bluffs may induce the opponent to recognize that the betting is for value and will call only with drawing hands or very strong hands. However too frequent bluffs may influence the opponent to call or re-raise and snap off the bluffs. It is always wise to use occasional bluffing. This not only disguises the hands that a player is bluffing but also his genuine hands. This optimal strategy of poker bluffing help a player to gain profit as his opponents cannot distinguish between his bluff and truth, and will keep them guessing.

In order to maximize poker bluffing successfully, you should keep few more tips in mind. Firstly, it is important to have an emotionless face so that opponents cannot read the truth, when playing face to face. Secondly, it is profitable to bluff when the numbers of players are less and on a tight table rather than a loose one. Thirdly, there is no advantage in bluffing in low limit games. No-limit games and high limit games are ideal grounds for successful bluffing. Fourthly, it is advantageous to bluff from a late position rather than an early position when you have no clue about the opponent's hands. When the opponents are calling and folding on the table, it is a good idea to get the pot.

Fifthly, you should be careful while bluffing a bad player. A poor player without a strategy may actually not notice your bluff and this may boomerang.

Poker bluffing is an art which needs practice for perfection. It is only by trying it yourself and learning from your mistakes that you can become a successful poker player. It is natural to be scared and nervous to bluff initially, but once you learn the trick of the trade it is exciting and fun!