"Negreanu vehemently rebukes prominent poker player for alleged unsportsmanlike conduct in the Main Event"
In the recent WSOP Main Event, poker player Ike Haxton caused a stir by tanking for an extended six minutes with just one chip remaining. This move, which saw Haxton carefully considering his next play, was described by fellow poker pro Daniel Negreanu as a clear example of angle shooting.
Angle shooting, a term used to describe ethically questionable tactics that bend rules or exploit loopholes to gain an unfair advantage, is a contentious issue in the world of poker. Negreanu, who has been vocal about such matters, considers angle shooting as bending the rules in a slimy way to benefit oneself.
However, it's important to note that Haxton's specific actions during the WSOP Main Event, particularly his preflop tanking, have not been definitively classified as angle shooting or smart strategy based on the available information.
The tanking incident occurred at a crucial point in the tournament, with Haxton hoping to ladder up. The 99th place paid $70,000, while 98th place offered a payout of $85,000. During the tank, one player even took the opportunity to eat his dinner.
Negreanu, who has been critical of players stalling for a pay jump, particularly around amounts like $15,000, finds such moves detrimental to the game. He compared Haxton's move to actions that angle shooters would appreciate, stating that Puggy Pearson and other angle shooters would have loved the move.
The controversy did not go unnoticed by other players. Johnnie Moreno took Haxton's side in the debate, while some pros, such as David 'ODB' Baker, supported Negreanu's stance. Negreanu himself has been vocal about issues happening at the WSOP, including the cases of Martin Kabrhel and Will Kassouf, who has been widely criticized for slowing down play in the Main Event.
In response to the incident, Negreanu published a 20-minute video about the issue back in December. He also advocates for the normalization of the use of the clock in poker games, expressing his disappointment that the decision to call the clock is left to players, especially in high-profile situations like Haxton's.
As the poker community continues to debate Haxton's move, we invite our readers to share their opinions on whether Haxton's actions were angle shooting or just smart strategy. What do you think about tanking in poker games, and should there be stricter rules to prevent such incidents? Let us know in the comments below.
The incident involving Ike Haxton's tanking during the WSOP Main Event generated much debate about the line between smart strategy and angle shooting in sports like poker. Negreanu, who has been vocal about ethical concerns, compared Haxton's move to actions that angle shooters would appreciate, making a point that such tactics can be detrimental to the game.
