We’ve all seen players place chips in the pot with multiple motions, or appear to call and then announce a raise and add more chips. As we collectively gasp with frustration at this point, the “offender ” is probably unaware that s/he has committed a major poker transgression: a string bet or string raise. String bets/raises are a type of angle shooting.

So…

What is angle shooting?

Players who are trying to oftentimes underhandedly obtain information about their opponents are said to be angle shooting. In such cases, players attempt to gain information from—or “get an angle on”—other players. While angle shooting is not expressly illegal, it is highly controversial and oftentimes used by players attempting to exploit a loophole in the rules.

Some examples of angle shooting include:

• Fake folding
• Hiding a large chip beneath what appears to be a call
• Pretending to have the nuts to induce opponents to fold
• Making assorted ambiguous gestures

There are numerous YouTube videos on angle shooting; some in large tournaments which are quite entertaining.

What is a string bet/raise?

Quite simply, a string bet/raise occurs when a player calls with a forward motion but then immediately tries to raise with another motion without announcing the raise first.

Also, quite simply, don’t do this. Just. Don’t.

The term “string” refers to the fact that the bet/raise is stretched—or strung—out.

Think of it like this: just like you cannot call and fold at the same time, or fold and raise at the same time, you also cannot call and raise at the same time. You get one action when it is your turn. One.

Thus, you can check, call, bet, fold, OR raise.

We have all undoubtedly seen the infamous call-and-raise technique in movies and on television where a player announces something along the lines of, “I’ll call your $500 and raise you $1,500.” You can only do one or the other.

This particular rule came about to prevent unscrupulous players from trying to gain information from their opponents’ reaction to a call and then complete another action such as adding more chips into the pot. Now, granted, not every player who breaks this sacred rule is intentionally deceitful as, oftentimes, beginners haplessly make string bets for which we should gently remind them not to.

The bottom line

Just remember that a verbal statement supersedes any physical action. Thus, if you announce a raise but fail to put enough chips into the pot to constitute a raise, you must add additional chips. Similarly, if you announce a call but place more chips into the pot, you are only calling. And if you toss a large chip without announcing a raise, you are also only calling.