Doug Lee Accused of Angle Shooting

Poker pro Doug Lee has amassed over $1.3 million in live tournament earnings in a decade-long career that includes two WSOP circuit championships.

The first of those titles came in 2005 in a $10,200 buy-in event at the Rio Las Vegas Poker Festival that resulted in Lee's largest cash of his career --$695,970. However, that career includes some questionable tactics at the poker tables over the years, the latest allegation centered around possible angle shooting during a $565 buy-in, $500,000 guaranteed tournament in the PHamous Poker Series at Planet Hollywood.

The charges were levied by fellow poker pro Jimmy Fricke, whose live tourney resume shows more than $1.6 million in lifetime cashes. Fricke has been cashing in tournaments almost as long as Lee, with a 2nd place finish in the 2007 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Main Event good for $795,279 his largest score to date.

"All-in, two million"

The angle shooting incident in question occurred at the blind level of 30,000/60,000 when an UTG player shoved all-in for about 600K in chips. The table's big stack called the all-in bet, leading to Lee making an announcement that he was “all-in, two million.”

The big stack asked Lee if his chip total was indeed two million, Lee replied in the affirmative, which prompted the big stack to fold his hand. Lee's big slick beat the pocket fives of UTG, allowing Lee to scoop a huge pot --more than 1.2 million in chips.

However, Lee didn't actually have two million in chips. His total stack was apparently less than 1.5 million. Lee seemingly misrepresented his chip count hoping to prompt the big stack to fold, an apparent angle shoot that found success.

2 + 2 posters chime in

The incident prompted a thread on 2 + 2 that resulted in a debate over whether Lee's action was an angle shoot, or whether it was big stack's responsibility to confirm the actual chip count. Big stack failed to ask for confirmation from the dealer, taking Lee's word for it that his chips totaled two million.

As was alluded to in the thread, it is out of the ordinary for a player to announce an all-in followed by his chip total. Lee being an experienced pro, it appears his intent was to deceive.

The posters who side with Fricke and claim Lee was angle shooting point to Lee's intent of misrepresenting his chip total. Other posters were of the mind that big stack erred in confirming Lee's actual chip count.

Other posters piped in with stories of Lee's reputation for pulling such tactics, suggesting that someone known for questionable conduct on the felt should not be taken at his word. Fricke also called out the tournament directors for standing pat when Lee threw a number of insults at Fricke for bringing up the possible angle shoot when Fricke was not involved in the hand.