# Semi-Bluff

> Source: [Semi-Bluff in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/semi-bluff)

## Definition
A Semi-Bluff Is A Bet Or Raise With A Hand That Is Probably Behind Now But Has Real Outs To Improve, Such As A Flush Draw Or An Open Ended Straight Draw. It Wins In Two Ways: The Opponent Folds Right Away, Or The Draw Completes. That Combination Makes Semi-Bluffs The Backbone Of Most Balanced Bluffing Ranges.

- **Category**: Postflop
- **Term Code**: `semi-bluff`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [Outs](https://smarter.poker/glossary/outs) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/outs.md)): Outs Are The Unseen Cards That Improve Your Hand To The Likely Winner. A Flush Draw Has Nine Outs And An Open Ended Straight Draw Has Eight. A Quick Estimate Of Your Chance To Hit Is Outs Times Four On The Flop, With Two Cards To Come, Or Outs Times Two On The Turn With One Card Left.
- [Fold Equity](https://smarter.poker/glossary/fold-equity) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/fold-equity.md)): Fold Equity Is The Extra Value A Bet Or Raise Gains From The Chance That The Opponent Folds. It Equals How Often They Fold Multiplied By The Pot You Win When They Do. Fold Equity Is Why A Semi-Bluff Can Be Profitable When Calling Cannot, And Why Short Stacks Lose Much Of Their Bluffing Power.
- [Equity](https://smarter.poker/glossary/equity) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/equity.md)): Equity Is Your Share Of The Pot Based On How Often Your Hand Would Win If All Remaining Cards Were Dealt With No Further Betting. A Hand With 40 Percent Equity In A 100 Chip Pot Owns 40 Chips Of It On Average. Equity Against A Whole Range, Rather Than One Hand, Is What Drives Sound Decisions.
- [Backdoor Draw](https://smarter.poker/glossary/backdoor-draw) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/backdoor-draw.md)): A Backdoor Draw Is A Draw That Needs Both The Turn And The River To Complete, Such As Holding Two Hearts On A Flop With One Heart. It Is Worth Only A Few Percent Of Equity On Its Own, But It Adds Reasons To Bet Or Continue And Gives Bluffs Extra Ways To Improve On Later Streets.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [Hijack Opening Range In 6 Max Cash](https://smarter.poker/learn/hijack-opening-range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/hijack-opening-range.md)): In The Smarter.Poker 6 Max Cash Reference At 100 Big Blinds, The Hijack Opens 13.2% Of All Starting Hands By Frequency And Plays 20.5% Of Them At Least Some Of The Time, With The Full Chart Below.
- [How To Check-Raise In Poker](https://smarter.poker/learn/check-raising) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/check-raising.md)): A Check-Raise Is Checking And Then Raising When Your Opponent Bets, And It Is One Of The Most Powerful Lines Available To The Player Out Of Position: Raising A One Third Pot Bet To 110 Into 100 Needs To Work 45.3% Of The Time As A Pure Bluff.
- [Counting Outs And The Rule Of 2 And 4](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-outs) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-outs.md)): An Out Is A Card That Improves Your Hand To The Likely Winner; From The Flop, 9 Outs Hit By The River 35% Of The Time, And The Rule Of 4 Estimates That As 36%.
- [Expected Value (EV) In Poker](https://smarter.poker/learn/expected-value) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/expected-value.md)): Expected Value Is The Average Result Of A Decision If You Could Repeat It Forever: Calling 50 To Win 150 With 30% Equity Is Worth 10 Chips A Time On Average, Even Though It Loses Most Of The Times You Make It.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.
- [Jarvis And PokerBrain AI Coach](https://smarter.poker/features/poker-ai-coach): Street-By-Street Postflop Hand Analysis And Leak Detection.

## Compliance & Fair Play

There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.