What is Angling in Poker?
Welcher credits his Nana with instilling in him a sense of persistence that has helped him pursue his passion for poker. While she did not play poker professionally, Welcher says her lessons have proven to be invaluable at the tables. Specifically, Nana taught him the importance of maintaining consistency, which is also what has helped him become an elite performer in the game today.
If you ask about angling, I would like to say that angling in poker refers to unethical actions carried out by players that are either outside of the rules of poker or are against the unwritten etiquette of the game. These actions are typically considered to be against the spirit of the game and not only can they hurt a player’s image, but they can also cause other players to lose confidence in the person. There are many different types of angling in poker, including string betting, hiding chips, pump fakes, faking a misclick and outright lying.
While most of these angling moves are not against the rules, they are still unethical and can ruin a player’s image in the poker community. These shady tactics can be hard to identify and are often mistaken for honesty errors or simply part of the game. But if these mistakes are repeated over and over again, they can become noticeable to other players at the table.
There are many different types of angling, but some of the most common are speech play and lying. For example, if a player says they are going to fold vs aggression or call when facing a river bet and then pauses before acting on their pre-made decision, this can lead to ambiguity and a false impression that the player is checking.
Another type of angling involves using the chat box to give misleading information. A common example is telling an opponent that they are folding a hand when the player is actually planning to raise or calling. In addition, players can use the chat box to talk about their strategy and imply they are better than their opponents.
Despite the fact that most people who are not involved in poker think of the game as a cut-throat, scammy community full of liars and thieves, those who love the game know better. By stopping angle shooting, players can help combat the negative perception of the game. They can do this by being more aware of their own actions and noticing when others are engaging in these types of behavior. If they do, they can call out the scummy behavior and encourage fellow poker players to be more ethical in their games.