This hand from a $1/$2 no-limit hold ’em cash game illustrates a bluffing opportunity that amateur players often neglect to seize.

At a nine-handed table with fairly deep chip stacks, the player sitting in first position limped for $2, as did the player in third position. Action then folded around to our Hero on the button, who raised to $8 with J 10.

While raising against limpers is a perfectly viable strategy, I tend to be cautious against first-position limpers, because they are the limpers most likely to limp with a tricky range that includes big hands such as A-A and K-K. I tend to call and see a flop when I have position and the stacks are deep, especially with hands that flop well, such as middle pairs and decent suited connectors.

If Hero is confident that both limpers are weak, he should raise to about $12. By raising to $8, he’s likely to be called by both players. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s better to pick up a small pot early, or to build a larger pot and try to take advantage of being in position later in the hand.

Only the second limper called. The flop came K 6 3. The opponent checked, and Hero bet $15.

As the preflop raiser, you should look to continuation-bet on most uncoordinated boards, especially with made hands and hands that have essentially no showdown value but a bit of equity (such as Hero’s J 10). However, I would have preferred a smaller bet of about $8. By betting small, Hero would keep the opponent around with marginal made hands such as 5-5 and A-J and will be able to bluff on various turns and rivers. By betting big, he’ll force the opponent to fold a lot of his marginal hands. Hero should only continue bluffing on the turn if he picks up a premium draw, or perhaps if an ace comes.

The turn was the A. The opponent checked, and Hero bet $40.

Although I would have liked to see a smaller bet on the flop, I liked the size of Hero’s turn bet. By betting big, Hero put the opponent in a nasty spot with most of his range.

If the opponent decided to stick around, Hero might be able to go all in on the river. Shoving on the river will probably force the opponent to fold all hands worse than two pair, and Hero will win the pot almost every time, especially since many amateur players check-raise the flop or turn with two pair and all better made hands. The only time three-barreling won’t work out is if the opponent is a calling station and happened to turn an ace, or when the opponent gets lucky to river two pair. That said, this line of play will almost always print money against players who typically play in a straightforward, honest manner.

This time, the opponent folded, and Hero picked up a decent pot with only jack high.