A bluff catcher is a hand that beats your opponent’s bluffs but loses to all of their value bets. It cannot be raised for value, and it does not need to bet. Its only job is to decide whether to call.
A bluff catcher example
You hold K♣ J♣ on A♥ K♦ 7♠ 4♣ 2♥. Your opponent bets big on the river. Any ace beats you, and a missed draw or a bluff loses to you. Your second pair is a bluff catcher.
The math: how often must you be right?
Use pot odds. You need to win at least:
Call ÷ (pot after the bet + your call)
- Half-pot bet: you must be right 25% of the time.
- Pot-sized bet: 33%.
- Twice the pot: 40%.
If your opponent bluffs more often than that, calling makes money. The pot odds calculator works this out for any bet size.
How to choose which bluff catchers to call
- Call with hands that block their value hands.
- Fold hands that block their likely bluffs, such as the missed flush draw.
- Consider the player: many low-stakes players bluff far less than they should, so folding bluff catchers is often right.
See more terms in the poker glossary.
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