Bluffing in Low Limit Poker

I was taught early on that bluffing was very difficult Limit Poker.  This is true, but it's not impossible.

 

I was at a Freeroll Tournament at the Commerce Casino.  I'll write about that one later.  Before the Tournament, I decided to play a little Hold 'em.  I went down to the $3/$6 table to kill some time.  Let's just say for the first 30 minutes I was card dead.  I couldn't get a hand that was worth playing.  Until I mucked a 7-2 offsuit and saw a flop of 2-2-5 only to have the 7 come on the turn.

 

Anyways, I was complaining about bad cards until I was about 15 minutes from my tournament.  Because of my tight play was able pull two bluffs.

 

Hand 1 - My hand was 10-9 off.  5 callers. Flop comes A-8-4.  I decide to represent the Ace and I bet, which knocks out 4 players.  The turn comes a 2 and the last player folds.  I'm now almost at even money.  My tight playing helped me win this hand.

 

Hand 2 - Js-9c.  I call in early position and I have two callers. Flop comes Ah-Th-7h. I check, late position bets and I call.  The turn is Qs.  I check and late position bets, I raise and late position folds.  This is my favorite bluff because I am telling the story that I'm slow playing this person.  I didn't think he had the Ace, but he instead had the ten.  He wasn't going to spend alot of money to hopefully in with middle pair and a flush draw.

 

What made these bluffs work?

 

1. Tight image.  I was playing so tight that I had to be playing with premium cards, even though I wasn't.

2. Board texture.  I was representing the hand that made sense with the board.

 

Limit Hold'em is a game of patience.  Mind you, these two hands were the only hands that I won their entire time.