Bluffing is the one weapon a player has that should be used sparingly.   Online I think it is used way to often by many players eager to win pots.  When bluffing is overused it detracts from your game and your bankroll will suffer.

Both Tony and I advocate playing a low percentage of hands therefore establishing a tight table image in the early going of a tournament.  This will set the table for a bluff in the right situation.  If you have been folding most of your hands and are playing from the button or cutoff coming into the hand with a preflop raise you will likely get more respect than if you had been playing/raising a lot of pots.  Even if you play a premium hand from early position it is likely that most players will think you have a big hand because of your lack of play to that point.

If I bluff more than 2x a game that is a lot to me.

Here is an example of a bad bluff.

I was on the button with AK.  We were mid way through the tournament and I had 1k in chips.  It folds around to the cutoff who had been playing a lot of pots.  He 3 bets the bb, I call (I think I should have raised or pushed there), the sb and bb call ?

Interesting, the cutoff is the chip leader with 34k and the sb and bb have slightly more than me.  I'm guessing the cutoff doesn't have too much and was just trying to steal.

I'm worried about the sb and bb calling because I think they might have a hand.  The flop brings 2s 7h 9h.  The cutoff min bets ?  Again I think he's just trying to buy it so I call.  The sb and bb are not buying it either and they call.  The turn is a 4 of hearts.  The cutoff 2 bets, I still think he's got zip and call to show him I'm not going anywhere but the sb and bb fold.  The folds make me think the sb and bb actually did have hands like KQ or KJ.  The reason I think the cutoff has nothing is that all game he's been playing loose and catching cards.

The river is the 2 of diamonds.  He waits for a moment and then goes all in for the rest of his stack.  If you had the flush or a premium had why would you not be more aggressive or have made a bigger preflop bet ?  Also, as I said he had a loose table image and this just smelled like he was trying to buy it.  One thing though, I had nothing and maybe one could argue a fold after a post flop bet was in order !  I can't argue that but sometimes you have to go with your gut.  Mine said he was on a stone cold bluff.  I called and he had Qs 8c.  I immediately wrote in the chat box "I knew it !!!!"

I think establishing a tight table image is most important when thinking of trying to bluff.  You will command more respect when raising preflop or betting postflop.  Bluffing is a weapon that should come into play more as the tournament goes on.  Why ?  Because you've had time to establish a tight table image and you have also had time to size up other players.  You get to know better who your bluffs will more likely work on.  When your bluffing your always trying to sell your opponent(s) on the story you are trying to tell.

Knowing your opponents and a tight table image just increase your chances of making the sale.