A bluff catcher is a hand that isn't necessarily strong, but strong enough to call an opponent and beat them if you believe they're bluffing. It's a hand that's not good enough to value bet, as you'll have to fold if raised as it isn't good enough to beat your opponents value-betting range. Nov 10, 2020 The simple definition of a bluff catcher is a hand which beats all of your opponent’s bluffs but loses to all of your opponent’s value hands. But what’s not simple is recognising this in-game. Sometimes you’ll accept a pricey first-class ticket to value town, while other times you’ll fold the winner believing you’re behind when. Sep 04, 2020 By definition a bluff catcher is a hand that’s behind your opponent’s entire value-betting range. So because you can only win against a bluff, it’s paramount to be able to spot players and situations where bluffing is common. Quite simply, the bluff catcher will never work against someone who never bluffs. What matters then in the distribution of this bluff-catching range is the card removal effects of the two cards you hold. Because of this, sometimes a one-pair hand could actually be a better bluff. As a result, their bet may appear polarising (bluff or nuts) to a competent player, causing such regs to call with their “bluff catcher” type hands. At showdown, however, they find out their opponent was just randomly betting a hand that was marginally better than theirs (in a spot most people would’ve checked a hand of that strength).
Neil Gibson
Each week, the Talking Poker series will highlight a particular poker term. We’ll give you a clear, to-the-point definition of the term and an example of the strategic concept to which it refers, so that you can start using the term and implementing the related strategy into your game. This week we look at what is meant when a hand is described as a bluff catcher and related strategy.
Definition
Simply put, a bluff catcher is a hand that can only win by calling a player who has bluffed. The term is generally only used to refer to the last round of betting, such as on the river in hold’em. The strength of a bluff catcher can vary — from the near-nuts down to just ace- or king-high — depending on the cards and how the action has proceeded.
Often when a player calls with a “bluff catcher,” the call is described as a “hero call” — that is, a tough call that requires extra courage to make.
Example
In a $1/$2 no-limit hold’em cash game, Player A, a very loose player who has been playing many hands and bluffing a lot, open-raises from the button for $7. Player B calls from the big blind with .
The flop comes , giving Player B a pair of eights and a flush draw, and he check-calls a continuation bet of $8. Both players then check the turn. The river brings the and after the big blind checks, Player A bets $20, about two-thirds of the pot.
Player B’s hand is not strong enough to bet, but he strongly suspects Player A not to have an ace or king, nor anything else that would beat eights and fives. Player B’s hand is a bluff catcher.
Strategic Considerations
A hand only becomes a bluff catcher after the action has proceeded in such a way so as to suggest a player’s final-round bet could be a bluff, thereby making the potential caller’s hand strong enough to win by calling. Generally speaking, calling with a bluff catcher should only happen rarely and only if the sequence of betting and your read of your opponent strongly indicates that player to be bluffing.
Bluff catchers usually should be folded against tight or passive opponents. Meanwhile, against especially loose or aggressive players, calling river bets with bluff catchers like second- or third-pair or even ace-high might well be profitable. However, be aware that at lower stakes especially, many players are often less inclined to bluff, which means talking yourself into making such “hero calls” with bluff catchers can be very costly.
Another way to think of the bluff catcher is as a kind of “value call” (as opposed to a value bet) when playing from out of position against a single, loose opponent prone to bluffing at rivers.
Say you’ve reached the river with a hand not strong enough to value bet — e.g., you hold , the board shows , and after checking your opponent has bet. Your opponent has played the hand in a way that suggests he’s made his river bet not for value but because he cannot win the hand unless you fold. That is, you’re reasonably certain he hasn’t got a queen, a trey, or a pocket pair higher than nines, and more likely has a busted straight or flush draw. Your check allows him to bluff at the pot, and you call and collect with your bluff catcher.
Watch and Learn
Earlier this week, Sarah Herring spoke with WSOP-bracelet holder Jason Duval about an especially interesting hand he played during the early levels of Day 1 of the European Poker Tour Malta Main Event that illustrated him facing a river bet and holding a bluff catcher.
Bluff Catcher Poker Rules
The hand found Duval reaching the river versus Bartolomeo-Fulvio Tato holding while the board showed . After turning two pair Duval had rivered a flush — although not quite the best possible one — but was facing an all-in shove by Tato of 15,000 or about twice the size of the pot.
As Duval explains, despite holding a strong hand, he was forced to accept that his flush had essentially become a “bluff catcher.” Hear Duval’s explanation of why he came to that conclusion and what happened next:
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Jason Duval
When you’ve played poker for years, it’s easy to forget that technical poker speak may as well be a different language. Many players just picked up a deck of cards for the first time and are wondering what the hell a reverse implied range merge against a large stack to pot ratio is.
Maybe you are new to poker as well and want to start analyzing the game at a deeper level, but the lingo and foreign concepts get in the way. To help, _Card Player_ brings you this brand new series, Explain Poker Like I’m Five.
Every issue, we’ll take on a new term or idea, perhaps one you might come across elsewhere in this very magazine, and we’ll break it down to its simplest components.
The Concept: Bluff Catcher
What Is It?
A hand with marginal strength that is not good enough to bet or raise with, but strong enough to go to showdown against an opponent’s bluffs.
Okay, Now Explain It Like I’m Five
Bluff catchers are also known as value calls. When you make a medium-strength hand that cannot be bet for value, it is often the best play to turn your hand into a bluff catcher. You let your opponent bet and call, hoping your opponent was bluffing. The strength of a bluff catcher can vary depending on your opponent’s betting range.
Bluff Catcher Poker Play
Give Me An Example (Or Two)
You are playing in a $2-$5 no-limit hold’em cash game and the cutoff raises to $20. You call from the big blind with K Q and the flop comes down A K 6. You check and your opponent makes a continuation bet of $30.
You call with second pair and the turn is the 5. You check again and your opponent checks behind. The river is the 5, and you miss your flush draw. This might be a good opportunity to turn your hand into a bluff catcher.
Your opponent checked behind on the turn, so it’s possible that your pair of kings is the best hand, however, if you bet, he will likely fold all lower pairs and all of his missed draws. So instead, you check. Your opponent might bet a better hand, like a pair of aces. Or your opponent might check behind with their lower pairs and missed draws.
Bluff Catcher Poker App
Or, your opponent might take your check as a sign of weakness and bluff. If your opponent does bluff, you can call with your bluff catcher and take down the pot.
When deciding whether or not to try a bluff catcher, you must consider your opponent. If your opponent is passive or tight, you should lean towards folding. If your opponent is especially aggressive or loose, then you should lean towards calling. The amount your opponent bets should also be considered when deciding to call with a bluff catcher. ♠