Lesson 6 · The Duck's Course
Basic bluffing
Calling truco with nothing, at the moment the table believes you: right after taking the first round.
When the table believes you
Bluffing means calling truco with a hand that doesn't pay for the bet, counting on the other side to fold. A bluff doesn't work at any old moment: whoever calls before a single card has been played, with nothing shown yet, usually gets paid to see it. The moment the table believes you is right after you take the first round: you lead the second, you call truco, and whoever is behind needs both remaining rounds to take the hand. That's a lot to risk over 3 points, and the Tame Duck folds. Rule of thumb: one bluff per hand, at the start of the second round, with the first one already taken. A cousin of the bluff shows up at the real table: from the second round on you can play a card FACE-DOWN. It loses to everything, but nobody sees what it was — it hides the fact that your hand has run out, and lets the other side believe you saved the best.
The right moment to bluff
When is a truco call with nothing behind it most convincing?
Take the first, then call
The vira is the K of diamonds: the manilhas are the aces, and nobody holds one. You have the 3 of clubs and two queens: one card that takes the first round and two that lose to anything. Played out to the end, those cards lose the hand. Lead with the 3 and, once the second round opens with the first already taken, call truco.
Bluffing every time
The bluff worked. Is it worth repeating in every hand?