In every specific life setting, there is usually a set of unwritten rules that you are expected to follow. The same goes for poker etiquette.
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And poor poker etiquette for the sake of gaining a small, short-term edge won’t win you any popularity points.
Angle shooters usually aren’t looked upon kindly, and other players will try to avoid them as much as possible.
In fact, it can even prevent you from getting into some of the best games if you get a reputation for it.
This is because angle shooting can create a toxic environment where recreational players, who are crucial for the games to run, refuse to sit down and would rather spend their time and money doing something else.
It negatively impacts everyone, including persistent angle shooters, who have no one to blame but themselves.
Although most of the poker community play by the rules, there will always be some players who try to cut corners and take advantage of unsuspecting victims.
For example, a player wins a big $2,000 pot playing $1/$2, and they decide they don’t want to risk it all in later hands.
So, they remove a few hundred from the table when no one is looking.
Another problem is that it’s hard to prove if you don’t notice it immediately.
This is one of the most common angle shoots you’ll encounter when playing live cash games as there are players out there who do it routinely.
The reason why this practice is frowned upon is that all chips that are at the table should be in play at all times, unless a player decides to get up and leave.
Sadly, calling someone out for going south can cause a lot of tension at the table and lead to some unpleasant situations.
That’s why many players decide to let it go and allow others to get away with it to keep the game going and avoid any drama.
By doing this, the angle shooter fools their opponents into believing they have fewer chips than they actually have, which can significantly impact someone’s strategy.
For example, you find yourself in a hand against someone you believe only has 15 big blinds.
You flop a top pair with a decent kicker, and when they bet into you, you decide to put them all in.
It’s only after they make the call that you see with horror the full stack of big chips sliding from behind.
While the other player was supposed to keep their big denomination chips in the clear view, the usual punishment for this is a slap on the wrist for them (maybe a few hands away from the table in a tournament and pretty much nothing in a cash game).
WinwithhallabetIt may be annoying at times, but it helps avoid these things from happening.
When something like this happens to you in a big tournament, and ends up being the reason you bust, it really feels bad.
So, be sure to protect yourself, especially against players you know have done this in the past.
In poker, information is gold, and obtaining the relevant information during a hand isn’t always easy.
So, some players will go to extra lengths to try and gauge a reaction from their opponent – including bending the rules.
The pump fake is one of the most common moves from this category.
This is when the angle shooter will pick up a stack of chips and move them forward while holding them in their hand, seemingly announcing a bet or a raise.
This is when the angle shooter will pick up a stack of chips and move them forward while holding them in their hand, seemingly announcing a bet or a raise.
This move is treated differently at different venues.
At some places, you can’t get away with this kind of behavior, as any forward motion with your chips will be binding.
However, some casinos and poker rooms aren’t as strict and won’t force the player to stick to their action.
The main goal of this move is to try and gauge a reaction.
Lesser experienced players may even go ahead and fold their hands immediately when they see the big stack of chips in the opponent’s hand, which gives the angle shooter a massive advantage.
Most casinos won’t let someone get away with this repeatedly.
So if you find yourself at a table where someone is doing this over and over again, make sure to complain to the floor.
Even if there isn’t a specific rule to address the issue, they’ll usually talk to the player and warn them that if they do it again, their action will stand.
Once all the bets are in and there is no action left, it’s time for cards to speak.