Suppose someone looks at their cards, thinks, and then in their proper turn, announces raise or bet, and quickly puts the proper amount of chips across the betting line. Or suppose someone looks at their cards, thinks, and then waits for their turn to throw the cards forward (maybe even saying the word fold), and the dealer picks the cards up and buries them in the muck pile.
Are either of these actions an angle? No. These are the normal procedures of the game. An angle can only happen when something unusual occurs that is not normal. The bettor says raise, but slides an incorrect amount of chips forward. He makes folding motions but doesn't actually release his cards. Maybe acts out of turn, or any number of other unusual motions, actions, suggestions, utterances, etc. that do not normally occur in the course of a hand.
When something unusual occurs, your angle spider-sense should start tingling. Ignore it at your own peril. So okay, something strange happened, your angle spider-sense alarm is ringing, what should you do? Just do the opposite of the actions that will almost always ensure someone will be able to sucessfully pull an angle on you:
1) Act instantly, without even thinking if at all possible. Although there really aren't any time limits in poker, when something strange happens, or the villian acts in an unusual manner, or you are unsure of what the action is, or unsure of what has actually happened -- ACT QUICKLY!!! React instantly, don't think.
2) Always assume whatever that has occured, has happened to your advantage, and act upon that assumption. For example, you are holding the nuts and waiting for villian to act. Since you have the nuts, you are hoping villian goes all in. Villian fumbles with his chips and mumbles something you can't quite hear, but might possibly sound like "all-in". Of course! Quickly shove all your chips across the line, scream CALL!, and instantly flip your cards over. Call the floor to complain if dealer informs you that the villian hadn't acted yet, had actually mumbled "raspberry tarts", and has now folded his hand upon seeing your revealed nut hand.
3) Never ask for clarification. How much is the bet? Is the action on me? Did he raise? Did he fold? What are my options? These words should never ever come out of your mouth. If you do decide to ask for advice, never ask the only disinterested party at the table, the dealer. Rely on other players, or even the villian in the hand to tell you what to do. Obviously, they always have your best interests at heart.
That's it. Hey, wait a minute, you might be thinking, if I do the opposite of the above: If I am always waiting for the other players to finish acting, and not saying Raise before they have pushed their bet across the line, or always making sure that a stack of chips is indeed $75 instead of having a $500 chip hidden in the stack before I say call, or asking the dealer if the action is on me, or always making sure about what is going on and not believing what other players tell me, I AM SLOWING DOWN THE GAME!!!
Well, yeah. For example, if the villian says "I think you beat me" and makes a folding type motion, by not turbo-mucking your cards before villian releases his so the dealer can push you the pot quicker, you are slowing down the game. In fact, I figure all the game-slowing anti-actions above could add as much as 15 seconds to every hand. At 30 hands per hour, that is a whole 7.5 minutes per hour wasted. Instead of 30 hands per hour, you will only be getting 27!
However, that 7.5 minutes is saving you from a successful angle shot that is probably going to average at least $100. $100/7.5 minutes = $13.33 per minute = $800 per hour. Here is some good advice: If you can change your habits, or do something differently, that is going to save you money at an $800 per hour rate -- MAKE THOSE CHANGES IMMEDIATELY! And if your time is so valuable that $800 hourly doesn't mean much, then you shouldn't be wasting any of that time playing poker in the first place.
So slow down, think, don't assume (or at least don't assume that things are in your favor), and pay attention. Poker is primarily a visual game. If you have to depend on the words of a villian to determine what is going on, something is wrong. A lot of people aren't honest good sports, lying is part of the game, poker is a game of deception and incomplete information, and everybody wants your money, good sport or not. If a villian says he is betting an amount, or says he is calling, or whatever - make the dealer put the chips in the pot before you act. If someone is folding, make the dealer bury the cards in the muck. If someone says he has you beat, make him show his cards.
You will find the more angle-proof you become, the more angle shooters will look for other targets instead of you, and you won't get stuck in angle situations in the first place.
