Bluffing a Calling Station - PokerLaws.Org

There are people that play the game of poker that just do not believe anyone. These players seem to always think that someone is trying to bluff them. Because of this they call every bet. These players are known as “Calling Stations”.

Calling stations are not skilled players and they do not consider pot odds or implied odds. They do not put other players on hand ranges. They only think about their own hand. They will draw to any possible draw. Bottom pair, middle pair – even NO pair (but they have an ace in their hand). Honestly, inside straight and runner runner flush draws are all different types of hand combos a calling station will attempt to hit. It does not matter what, they will draw to it.

You really have to love playing against these players even though on occasion they will draw out on you. They will from time to time catch that inside straight or hit a second pair to go with their bottom pair. Calling stations rarely bet, they just call. They almost never raise the pot and a check raise from a calling station is almost completely unheard of. As you are a skilled player you know that poker is a game that is measured over time and not on a single hand so you really have to love playing with these calling stations.

When is the Best Time to try to Bluff a Calling Station?

There is really never a good time to try to bluff a calling station. If you feel like you absolutely have to try to bluff a calling station then the only possible chance that you would have would be after the river. Before the river the calling station may still find a possible draw, no matter how remote the possibility of making it is.

Because of this the only time that you can possibly get this player to lay his hand down with a bet is on the river and then only if he has absolutely nothing. If you consider for a moment that the only chance that you have of the calling station laying down his hand is if there are no more cards to draw and he has absolutely nothing then why are you trying to bluff him? The high card in your hand will probably win on a show down.

Best Strategy against a Calling Station

You have to love playing with a calling station as you would love playing with any unskilled opponent. In fact, these types of players are probably the best of all unskilled players that you could want to play against. They are very predictable and will send a lot of their chips to you over time.

When you are playing with one of these it is best to not try to get too tricky or sophisticated. You are best served to just play them very basic. Bet into them and as time goes on you can increase your bet sizing to determine if they have any kind of a tolerance for risk. Most of them do not. Bet when you have a hand and check when you are drawing or if you have missed. Remember it does not hurt to let the calling station win a hand from time to time. You want them to keep coming back for more, don’t you?

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