Angle Shooting in poker is making use of unethical tactics and intentionally deceiving usually novice opponents to excel in the game. Technically, it cannot be called cheating because the legitimacy of angle shooting in poker is ambiguous, but in spirit, it is cheating.
It’s against the conduct of the game because it influences an opponent’s action and gains more information from an opponent while the poker hands are being played to assess the strength of one’s hand. To ensure that angle shooting isn’t practiced during a live game, several casinos and live card-rooms have set strict house rules.
Even so, players still try to push and bend the rules to win a game unfairly. Let’s take a look at a few instances of angle shooting in poker live games. The lack of clarity and ambiguity in a player’s actions makes it possible for angle shooting in online poker games to take place.
Enlisted below are the different angle shoots in live poker games:
- Being ambiguous with the checking motion due to multiple options being accepted as a check. Making a small motion which causes the dealer to think the player has checked and then denying it is one example of angle shooting.
- Putting out incomplete bets and suggesting that the bet wasn’t completed so that it isn’t counted as a binding call. To combat such mischief, Casinos have set the following rules in place: live poker rooms make it mandatory to make a complete call as soon as a chip is put forth, Incomplete call money is to be left in the pot and the player to fold or he/she will have to complete the call for the entire amount to continue playing.
- Pushing the cards forward enough to make the opponents think that one has folded and then denying that the move didn’t constitute a fold.
- Another form of angle shooting in poker is putting out the calling chips and saying raise and then going back on your words, knowing well enough that the first verbal action holds true and has to be followed. One makes a case that they have made a betting mistake and plead to be excused. Ivan Freitez is famous for such shenanigans.
- One more dirty angle shooting tactic that players use is tricking the opponent to show their hand prematurely before oneself and using it to one’s advantage. Thankfully, Casinos have made it compulsory for players to show all hole cards at the showdown in order to be awarded the pot, leaving just the verbal declaration, null and void. Acting out of turn, berating opponents, peeping, hiding larger denomination of chips are a few more examples of angle shooting in real money poker online games.
Online Poker and Angle Shooting
Disconnecting the internet until the hand is over is a common practice of angle shooting. However, online Poker platforms continue to play the poker hand and puts the additional bets into a side pot, considering the disconnected player all-in. Still, angle shooters plead to be excused.
Also See: How To Play Poker
To reduce such cases, websites have allowed only X number of minutes as part of the disconnect protection protocol per day while some have completely eliminated the feature. Exiting the table after a big win to protect the winnings and re-joining the same table with limited number of poker chips another one of angle shooting strategies of insincere players in the game.
If you happen to be a victim of angle shooting in free poker, you can confront the player or bring it to the dealer’s attention. Being clear with your action is the only thing that can help you not being counted in the league of angle shooters and earn other’s respect, if not money.
