How to Tell If Someone is Bluffing

Whether your in an intense game of poker or a friendly game of BS, theres always a good amount of bluffing going on, and in order to keep on top of the game you have to be able to call them out. Unless somebody is extremely good at bluffing, it should be fairly easy to pick up on the nervous ticks or other variations in their normal activity.

When somebody is bluffing, their personality changes. They may become very boisterous, overconfident, or extremely quiet. It helps to know the person you’re playing with before hand. Watch each person the whole game. If your just learning, maybe target one person and just watch them until you learn to pick up on the little things.

Watch their face. Not their eyes, but just a little below that. Some people, when getting nervous, will get these odd little nervous ticks about them that they can’t control. Maybe their lip will start to twitch, or they will start flaring their nostrils. Just keep an open eye. You shouldn’t pay too much attention to their eyes because that is the one thing they are always in control of. They might be looking around nervously to fake you out, but the rest of their face is moved without any real thought.

Another thing to look at is their hands. There is a good chance they will be pretty shaky if they are bluffing. They might also start tapping incessantly, or every now and then (usually when bluffing) they suddenly pick up an odd habit. This could be itching, twiddling their fingers, or anything really. Watch how they play their cards too. For example, when playing BS most people count ahead to see what number they have to put down. Most people would pick out their cards before hand and usually put them between different fingers of their hand. Bluffing players usually wait till the last moment before really deciding what to do.

Another thing is to listen to their voice. If they talk out of character (ie; really loud, kind of quiet, with a weird tone) theres a good chance they’re bluffing. Listen to them the whole extent of the game too so you can notice any differences. This is crucial, because you don’t want to jump the gun, so it’s better to wait a couple turns before making any serious accusations.

Now that you’re thinking about bluffing, what do you do when you have to bluff? Avoid acting out of character. Act confident, but not too confident. Pay attention to everything your body is doing to avoid letting off signs like the nervous ticks we were talking about earlier. Basically take all the information previously mentioned, and apply it to yourself to avoid detection of your bluff. Develop your own “poker face.” Maybe every now and then have a little fun with it and throw in some odd things to make your opposition think your bluffing. But overall, don’t get caught. So have fun and enjoy the game.