Am I a Horrendous Bluffer?

Ok, before I'm scolded for going in with a bad bad hand understand I was on the button with quite a few players in the hand and felt like mixing things up a little. Going with no reads on this IBUYSTLOUIS guy:

Texas Hold'em $1-$1 NL (real money), hand #1,062,350,643

Seat 1: Mat2787 ($231.75 in chips)
Seat 2: poker426 ($91.50 in chips)
Seat 3: fastback x ($13 in chips)
Seat 4: sternburgs ($98.75 in chips)
Seat 5: Titan_22 ($134 in chips)
Seat 6: Galapogos [7C,4C] ($71.25 in chips)
Seat 7: Ryebread30 ($51.25 in chips)
Seat 8: Drew384 ($147.50 in chips)
Seat 9: IBUYSTLOUIS. ($57.50 in chips)
Seat 10: Urmeli ($38.25 in chips)

ANTES/BLINDS
Ryebread30 posts blind ($0.50), Drew384 posts blind ($1).

PRE-FLOP
IBUYSTLOUIS. calls $1, Urmeli calls $1, Mat2787 folds, poker426 folds, fastback x folds, sternburgs calls $1, Titan_22 calls $1, Galapogos calls $1, Ryebread30 calls $0.50, Drew384 checks.

FLOP [board cards 10H,7D,KH ]
Ryebread30 checks, Drew384 checks, IBUYSTLOUIS. checks, Urmeli checks, sternburgs checks, Titan_22 checks, Galapogos bets $4, Ryebread30 folds, Drew384 folds, IBUYSTLOUIS. calls $4, Urmeli folds, sternburgs folds, Titan_22 folds.

TURN [board cards 10H,7D,KH,9S ]
IBUYSTLOUIS. bets $1, Galapogos bets $5, IBUYSTLOUIS. calls $4.

RIVER [board cards 10H,7D,KH,9S,2C ]
IBUYSTLOUIS. bets $47.50 and is all-in, Galapogos folds.

SHOWDOWN
IBUYSTLOUIS. wins $71.25.



SUMMARY
Dealer: Galapogos
Pot: $72.50, (including rake: $1.25)
Mat2787, loses $0
poker426, loses $0
fastback x, loses $0
sternburgs, loses $1
Titan_22, loses $1
Galapogos, loses $10
Ryebread30, loses $1
Drew384, loses $1
IBUYSTLOUIS., bets $57.50, collects $71.25, net $13.75
Urmeli, loses $1


So anyway, the thought process: Figured I'd bet since I had hit a card and see what was really going on with everyone. Got the one caller who made that insanely weak turn bet, that's what made me nervous. Was he trying to make me think he was a really bad player here?

At first I put him on a flush draw but then with the last bet he was playing a set. Figured he saw how confident I was in my hand (or appeared to be) and figured I would call that bet.

Any insight?

I'm not totally new at this, I've been playing online for 2 months, busted out in the first and after a $15 buy-in the next month am now up to $600. What I am trying to do is loosen up my game a little and learn to play the player over the cards.[/b]

Bluffing a 7-way pot with Third pair/horrible kicker and no draws?

Yes, that would be a horrendous bluff. If you're going to call with crap you have to be able to let it go.

Welcome to the boards though....

First off: welcome.

I will usually set up my bluffs with a preflop raise so when high cards hit on the flop I can represent TPTK or top set. Without conveying this image pf, to STLOUIS you are trying to buy a $7 pot with a $4 flop bet after it's checked to you. If he got any piece of that flop he's calling your bet unless it is bigger.

To answer your question: I'd say you need to project way more strength when bluffing. A single-bet bluff usually won't get it done. I usually multiply my bets on each street and put the opponent(s) to a tough decision. Your turn raise gave him the exact information he was looking for. You raised $4 into a pot that was $16 after his $1 bet. If you wanted to buy it you would need to raise at least $10 instead of $4. If you would have bet $10-15 and got called or raised you are in trouble and need to check/fold. He may have thought you had a set and laid his hand down if you had reraised more on the turn. Good luck & welcome.

You limp in 74s with 7 hands in with bottom pair and a K on the board and you decide to bluff...

WTF is that????

you broke just about all the rules on bluffing:

* too many hands
* didn't raise PF to represent a hand
* no scare cards
* kept betting when there's resistance

If you're gonna bluff you need to play the hand like you had AK right from the start. You may still get called. If you do fold as soon as possible.

Preflop: I would only ever consider stealing the blinds with this hand, and that's with a max of one limper before me.

With a 7c4c, this is not hitting the flop. You've got bottom pair, no kicker, no draws. Don't try to bluff 6 other people out. It's not going to work most of the time. Chances are one of them has a decent hand and will put you on a steal attempt, which is what I think happened here.

lol, Okay guys I guess some people took my subject too literally, it was meant as more of a dumb joke. I titled it that because as you all confirmed that's exactly what it looked like. :)

Anyway, the intent of the post was to get your opinions on what my opponent had. Thanks for your replies and greetings. I've been reading here for quite sometime but only signed up recently.

I think you guys are right though, I really pussed out on this one!

If you're going to bluff. Set it up preflop.

-'rilla

I think you were bluffed by him missing his flush honestly.

If you're going to bluff. Set it up preflop. <TRUTH>

Answer to the topic: yes.

For a bluff, you were giving him teriffic pot odds :P Sometimes I play similar to the way you did when I play 6max, but then I'd bet more. Think of what would make you start doubting your hand if you had a middle or TPWK. It probably wouldn't be 1/4 the pot ;)