How to Bluff in 6 Max Online Poker – I Shoved 67 Offsuit!

If you’re going to bluff playing 6 max poker you better, make the story believable. In this session I went for a massive jam with a 67 off suit and I wasn’t completely sure this one would work out or not. Without giving anything stick with me so I can explain how to get more bluffs through and when you should probably give up. This was also a recent hand I was playing in a $500 cash game.

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Why Bluffing Is So Important in 6-Max Poker

6 max forces you to play considerably more hands than full ring aka 9 person tables. Since blinds come around faster you must widen your opening ranges and play more hands like j8 suited, q8 suited, etc.

If all you did was sit and wait back for premium hands you would make yourself extremely predictable to everyone else sitting at the table. But when you open things up more with marginal hands it makes you dangerous because players can never figure out if you’re holding something or bluffing. I would also argue playing short-handed forces you to become a better player a lot faster, especially since you are playing a lot more hands per hour.

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Breaking Down My 67 Off Suit

This hand was played on Ignition Poker, and I was sitting in the big blind dealing with a 3 bet to $45. Since my hand was also off suit most of the time this is just another garbage hand that throwing away makes the most sense to do. However, in this instance I had other plans for how I was going to play it. We ended up going 3 ways to flop with both of my opponents having close to their $500 starting stacks. The flop landed 988 all different suits and most likely missing both of my opponents unless someone is holding a big over pair which was possible.

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Flop

Strangle enough player 1 led out for $86 with player 4 re raising to $238 next. This left me in a weird spot because it now felt like I was most likely up against a big over pair like AA or KK. It’s also possible that player 1 led out with some type of draw like J10 suited or possible flopping trips but less likely.

So, after thinking I decided to just come over the top and take the risk knowing I was most likely a huge dog going to the turn and river but nowhere near dead at this point. You could call this play a big semi bluff where I will at least get one of my opponents to fold.

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Why I Shoved 67 Off Suit

After I jammed the flop player 4 ended up folding and not showing whatever he had. What was so strange about this hand was that it really felt like he had a big over pair, and if he laid down his over pair it was a big mistake on his part because the turn card would not have helped us and I would have been drawing super slim going to the river.

Knowing what my opponents range I was still willing to risk it on this hand to see if this ugly looking 67 off suit would pull through for us. And even though know one in this instance called us off, Im sure you can see that sometimes bluffing with mediocre to some what garbage hands can work out in your favor. Because even though everyone folded, I was still able to scoop around $200 plus in this hand having absolutely nothing but the courage to bluff shove the flop.

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Choosing Good Hands to Bluff With

Normally you don’t want to bluff with a 67 off suit and should have this type of hand at least be suited giving you suited connectors. You should also think about board texture and blockers with cards you are holding, considering missed draw opportunities, or what your opponents are likely to hold based on how he played his hand preflop.

I like to think about what I’m getting into or what my opponent could likely be holding before I go through with a big bluff. Other times it might make sense to just shut down and muck the hand to fight another day. And that’s the thing about what makes poker so interesting, every hand is different.

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The Best Players to Bluff in 6-Max

The best players to bluff in 6-max are usually the ones who are actually capable of folding. That sounds obvious, but a lot of players waste money trying to bluff someone who is never letting go of top pair. I would much rather target a tighter regular who understands ranges and knows when their hand is only a bluff catcher. And I often find playing mid to higher stake games is where you can actually get people to fold.

Players who check too often on the turn or river can also be good targets, especially when their line looks capped. If someone raises preflop, bets the flop, then slows down on later streets, there are spots where a big bet can put them in a difficult position.

I avoid trying to run big bluffs against calling stations or players who hate folding any pair. Those are the players I want to value bet instead. In 6-max, good bluffing is less about being aggressive and more about choosing the right opponent at the right time.

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Final Thoughts

If you only get one piece of advice out of this, bluff when you feel it’s going to work out. Don’t try and tell a story that doesn’t make sense if you’re holding a couple of suited connectors or even worse a 67 off suit and an ace or king hits the flop. In my situation I could see that this flop probably didn’t favor either player which made it the perfect candidate to continue rolling with. Sure, it might not have worked out, and I could have lost but I still don’t regret the way I played the hand. I was willing to go for it and see if I could hit a straight going to the turn or river.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you bluff in 6-max poker?

There is no set percentage that works in every game. I bluff more when I am against tighter players who can fold and less against players who call too much. Position, stack size, board texture, and previous action all matter.

Is bluffing more important in 6-max than full-ring poker?

Yes, generally. You play more hands in 6-max, the blinds come around faster, and ranges are wider. If you only wait for premium hands, good players will pick up on it quickly.

What are the best hands to bluff with?

Missed draws and hands with little showdown value are often good candidates. Blockers can also matter because holding certain cards can make it less likely your opponent has the strongest part of their range.

When should you bluff shove the river?

I only like river shoves when the line makes sense, and I believe the other player can actually fold. A big bluff is much worse when the opponent is a calling station.

Should you bluff with hands like 67 off Suit?

Sometimes, but not automatically. In my 67 off suit hand, the decision came down to the board, my opponent’s range, and whether my shove told a believable story.

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