How to handle an angle-shoot in a home game.

[Toronexti]

I was playing in a 1/2 Home game last week and the following hand occured:

Board is A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 5 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] k [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

On the river the player goes All-in and I call with AQo (taking like 1-2 minutes on the call). The player calls out flush, I wait to see his cards then he says "you got me, good call" and flips over 98o. I flip over my AQ and scoop the pot. Now I don't know anyone at this game whereas the AI player was a regular and knew most of the people. How should I handle this obvious angle-shot?

[headtrauma]

Tell him that misdeclaring your cards is a dick move. I'm pretty sure overdeclaring your hand even overrules cards speak, so he would have to produce the flush he declared to take the pot,even if he had 2 small pair the pot should be yours (somebody correct me if i'm way off base on this).

[pfapfap]

Overdeclaring results in forfeiting the pot if the other person mucks because of it. The OP didn't, so cards speak.

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about this. It's not really an angle-shoot, just someone making a last pathetic bluff. It's difficult to know how serious it was based on your telling, and since you don't know most of these people, I'm sure you don't know enough about them to be able to put this in a larger context.

You protected your hand, so you're fine. Relax, scoop the pot, smile, move on.

[Gonso]

You played it right and all is well, but I'd call this an angle. Plus, you're the new guy and most of the other people know each other, I'd let it be but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Things like this eventually cause problems in home games.

[plzleenowhammy]

you sure he wasn't asking you if you had a flush?

[Grasshopp3r]

This is why you bring your glock (just kidding).

This is a pathetic angle shoot. I would leave after the hand if the player is not punished.

[threeonefour]

this is so lame, why even play in a home game if its going to be hostile. angle shooting like that is a hostile action. especially if he would have actually taken the pot (i am sure he is going to say that he was just kidding and that he would never do that, but you're never going to know).

i would basically express to the group what i just expressed above. finally, i would suggest if playing 1/2 is such a big deal that people feel compelled to cheat their brother then maybe you should just be playing .10/.20 and use the money that would otherwise would be on the table for booze and food (because you are going to need more entertainment for such unexciting stakes i am guessing).

[The Sower]

It's very common for live players to ask "flush?" in this situation. I would have to be perfectly sure that wasn't his intention before saying anything.

[Humble Pie]

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I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about this.

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you sure he wasn't asking you if you had a flush?

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[PantsOnFire]

Normally, this is a "let it go" situation. You knew how do deal with it, made him show his hand and won the pot. If it was a lame angle-shoot, he probably won't try it again.

If you are in an aggressive mood or, for whatever reason, feel you need to show people you are not some rookie who can be messed with, then I might have have done something like this. After he flips over his 98o, ask if a misdeclared hand is ruled dead in this game and is my hand now the winning hand without the need to show it. It's hard to say what the reaction would be to this, but it's definitely a "push back" at someone who may have been messing with you.