Suddenly He Bets HUGE -- Is it a Bluff?

Suddenly your opponent bets huge. Why?

It's a bluff. Not likely, but its possible.

His hand just improved. Like picking up trips (invisible) or 2 pair (invisible) or a flush or straight (generally pretty visible)

Aces or other royalty just hit the table, and out of a bunch of limpers, suddenly one suddenly speaks with a strong voice.

He had a strong hand all along (slowplaying) and decided now was the time to cash in or risk losing it.

Was he perhaps waiting until there was enough money in the pot to be ABLE to make a decent bet -- or bluff?

Why? Did a second heart or diamond suddenly hit the stack, or a 3rd card in a possible straight? See if you can figure out why he wants out NOW! This gives you a very good idea what hand he may hold.

More garbage hit the table. His hand became stronger by default. Does your opponent often do this, a predictable march from $1000 (flop) to $2000 (turn) to $4000 (river?)

He's bluffing. Well, was there a check around, more garbage, someone placing a very LOW bet and everyone else simply calling it? What else might "trigger" a bluff in this situation.

He's semi-bluffing. He's holding two pair and hoping, praying for a second ace to fall to turn it into a full house, and hoping to drive you out in the meantime.

He's stupid. He thinks this is a hand where the player with the higher two pair is going to win when in fact trips or a straight is going to win it.

So many questions, so few answers. But remember, bluffing paranoia WILL destroy ya. It's ok to lose a pot to a(nother) bluffer since you only contributed 20% of it, it's NOT ok to lose 100% your entire stack trying to bring one to justice.

And here's the other thing about trying to trap bluffers. Unless you have a pretty much unbeatable hand (straight, flush, trips.) you shouldn't have even still been IN that hand! Quit playing weak hands!