The Book of Bluffs: How to Bluff and Win at Poker (Paperback)

by Matt Lessinger (Author) "Most of this book will focus on specific situations..." (more)
Key Phrases: bluff victim, sample bluffs, one small bet, Degree of Difficulty, High Frequency, Betting Pattern (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
DESCRIPTION: Twenty years ago, Mike Caro wrote the book on what to look for in a player's movements, gestures, and facial expressions--their "tells"--to determine if they were bluffing, and it remains one of the bestselling poker books of all time. But what Caro didn't do was teach players how to bluff. Enter Matt Lessinger, a professional poker player and columnist, who in THE BOOK OF BLUFFS shows players how to get their opponents to fold--no matter how strong a hand they've been dealt. Lessinger reveals how, with the correct timing and artistry, bluffing will allow a player to win while holding an inferior hand--the very essence of poker.

About the Author
MATT LESSINGER lives in Alamo, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446695629
• ISBN-13: 978-0446695626
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #150,663 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This Book Can Only Cost You Money!, February 9, 2006

By	Poker Pro "RusticHome.com" (New York) - See all my reviews

This book is pretty badly flawed: it suffers from a lack of organization, content, and focus. There are no more than forty or so sample bluffs analyzed for the reader, and almost half of them are for Omaha or 7-card Stud (and very specific to the format of those games). So right off the bat those who have a greater interest in hold em are moderately short-changed. However, what really turned me off this book is that the last 100 pages are devoted to showcasing longshot bluffs that will never work in the real world, and to discussing a handful of famous WSOP bluffs which are similarly unrealistic. So basically there's only 100 some-odd pages of actual content here; and of that, almost all of it falls into the category of either obvious (attack an opponent who doesn't seem to like his/her hand) or far too specific (i.e. here's a great play that will rarely come up).

What's sad is that the most useful advice offered here comes from Chris Moneymaker, of all people (maybe because he's got more of an everyman's perspective on the game). In a brief cameo interview tacked on at the end of the book, he counsels readers to bluff when a turn or river card is scary compared to the hand you think your opponent has. Voila! This is as clear and useful as anything else the book has to say on the subject, and is probably more than enough for real-world players.

Why I have to give the book two stars is that I'm afraid people who read "How to Bluff" will come away with the idea that they can bluff their way out of any horrible situation they put themselves into. Lessinger focuses way too much on bluffs that simply will not work in real-world play (at least at low or moderate limits), especially online. He even includes an example where a player folded pocket aces that flopped a set because the other guy in a three-handed game represented a straight that required him to have exactly JQ and to have made his hand with a gutshot draw on the turn; does anyone else think that this will NEVER work? Online players are simply not going to fold the second-best possible hand (and sometimes not even the second-worst hand, it would seem), no matter how convincingly you represent the nuts. Honestly, I couldn't fold a set of aces to the possibility of someone having made a gutshot draw against me in probably any circumstance, and neither will your other opponents. There may be a place for longshot bluffs and hail mary plays to be featured in any strategic text; that place should not be from pp. 82 to 220 inclusive.

The whole tone of the book seems to suggest that players don't bluff enough; I just have to wonder if Lessinger is living in the 1980s or something. Players today do not need a book on how to bluff: they need someone to talk them down from that ledge. Lessinger would have done better by his readers to put out a title called "Betting for Value: Cashing in on Modern Player's Absurd Bluffing." That would have been a far more interesting, practical, and profitable read.

I'd recommend The Poker Tournament Formula and Poker Tips that Pay: Expert Strategy Guide for Winning No Limit Texas Hold em for readers that are looking for a more balanced hand-by-hand approach to improving one's poker game.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to fill a big hole in your game., December 10, 2005

By	Christopher T. Schaefer (Jackson MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bluffing is a fundamental part of poker. Without it we would all be at the mercy of the cards. That being said, it is also one of the most misunderstood and misused plays in the game. Real poker is a lot different than what you see on tv. If you wonder why you get called when you move in with 2-6 when it worked on the WPT, this book is for you.

It goes through 49 different bluffs and tells you why they worked or why they didn't. It explains the things you need to look for when you make your move. It covers it all, your opponents style, chip stacks, positional bluffs (early and late position,) attacking weakness, and knowing when to abandon your bluff.

It really helped me take my game to a higher level. I would say it is a must read for anyone who considers their self a student of the game of poker.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a poker book that's worth talking about!, October 14, 2005

By	IAMTILTING "IAMTILTING" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

I've read several other poker books but this one is different. While most other books are boring, this one is actually a lot of fun to read, and many of the situations he talks about are things you don't see in other places. I think anyone who likes poker and likes to bluff will definitely enjoy it.

Speaking of which, it is written by Matt Lessinger. As far as I know, Mike Caro only wrote the foreword, but it says "By Mike Caro" on Amazon, which confuses me a little. I presume that Matt wrote the rest of it, so Amazon might want to change the byline, or at least add Matt's name.