Post oak bluff
Encyclopedia
In no-limit or pot-limit poker
, a post oak bluff is a very small bet
relative to the size of the already-existing pot
. This type of bluff
may be employed as an attempt at using reverse psychology
to steal
the pot. It holds comparatively little risk for the player making the bet. The term was popularized by Doyle Brunson
in his 1979 book Super System
.
. This bluff will not often win the pot as the pot odds
presented by the bet—11 to 1—are usually too good for the opposing players to reject unless they are absolutely convinced they're beaten. However, in order to be successful in the long term, a 1/10 pot-size bluff need only succeed one time in ten.
Dan Harrington
has enumerated three preconditions he says are requisite for him to ever use a post oak bluff :
The term itself—derived from the post oak
, a smallish tree known for its low-quality wood—often carries derogatory connotations and it is frequently seen as a weak play, as the player takes the overcautious approach by not betting too much. Thus, this strategy often undermines the chances of the bluff working. Doyle Brunson described the move as "gutless" and he claims that he never makes the play.
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, a post oak bluff is a very small bet
Betting (poker)
In the game of poker, the play largely centers on the act of betting, and as such, a protocol has been developed to speed up play, lessen confusion, and increase security while playing...
relative to the size of the already-existing pot
Pot (poker)
The pot in poker refers to the sum of money that players wager during a single hand or game, according to the betting rules of the variant being played...
. This type of bluff
Bluff (poker)
In the card game of poker, a bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand which is not thought to be the best hand. To bluff is to make such a bet. The objective of a bluff is to induce a fold by at least one opponent who holds a better hand. The size and frequency of a bluff determines its...
may be employed as an attempt at using reverse psychology
Reverse psychology
Reverse psychology is a technique involving the advocacy of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what actually is desired: the opposite of what is suggested...
to steal
Steal (poker)
In poker, a steal is a type of a bluff, a raise during the first betting round made with an inferior hand and meant to make other players fold superior hands because of shown strength...
the pot. It holds comparatively little risk for the player making the bet. The term was popularized by Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson
Doyle F. Brunson is an American professional poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He is the first two-time World Series of Poker main event champion to win consecutively, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker.Brunson is the first player to...
in his 1979 book Super System
Super/System
Super/System is one of the first books about poker strategy. It was written and published in 1979 by Doyle Brunson, a professional poker player and multiple winner at the World Series of Poker.-History and title:...
.
Strategy
A player executing the post oak bluff bets a small amount relative to the size of the pot (typically of the order of 1/10 the pot), in order to create the impression that he is trying to lure the other player into the pot. In this way, he mimics the play he might make if he had a strong hand, where it is known as a "here kitty kitty" or "come hither" bet. When successful, the other player(s) fold rather than fall into the perceived trapSlow play (poker)
Slow playing is deceptive play in poker that is roughly the opposite of bluffing: betting weakly or passively with a strong holding rather than betting aggressively with a weak one. The flat call is one such play...
. This bluff will not often win the pot as the pot odds
Pot odds
In poker, pot odds are the ratio of the current size of the pot to the cost of a contemplated call. Pot odds are often compared to the probability of winning a hand with a future card in order to estimate the call's expected value....
presented by the bet—11 to 1—are usually too good for the opposing players to reject unless they are absolutely convinced they're beaten. However, in order to be successful in the long term, a 1/10 pot-size bluff need only succeed one time in ten.
Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington
Dan Harrington is a professional poker player, best known for winning the main event world championship at the 1995 World Series of Poker. He has earned one World Poker Tour title, two WSOP bracelets, and over six million dollars in tournament cashes in his poker career...
has enumerated three preconditions he says are requisite for him to ever use a post oak bluff :
- He must have seen his opponent employ the luring bet.
- His opponent must have previously observed him making luring bets.
- He must have witnessed his opponent fold to a small bet.
The term itself—derived from the post oak
Post oak
Quercus stellata is an oak in the white oak group. It is a small tree, typically 10–15 m tall and 30–60 cm trunk diameter, though occasional specimens reach 30 m tall and 140 cm diameter. It is native to the eastern United States, from Connecticut in the northeast, west to southern Iowa, southwest...
, a smallish tree known for its low-quality wood—often carries derogatory connotations and it is frequently seen as a weak play, as the player takes the overcautious approach by not betting too much. Thus, this strategy often undermines the chances of the bluff working. Doyle Brunson described the move as "gutless" and he claims that he never makes the play.