Revealing the mucked hand

The guesses really didn't come here at the blog, but they did come from league members at our league site. Upon further review, I didn't make a good laydown at the time. I misplayed the hand horribly, as called out by my buddy Vito. I call it horrible--Vito didn't say that.

The button raise to me that I flat called from the BB was my mistake. I should have come over the top, rather than be cute. The term "Fancy Play Syndrome" is quite appropriate, and I am guilty as charged.

The hand I mucked? JJ

I hate that hand. Hate it, but if I re-raise pre-flop, I likely take it down without seeing a flop, OR I end up winning with the best hand (which would have been the case with an 8-high board, no straight or flush coordination).

It's a lesson we learn in poker--and if you aren't learning something in poker every time you play, you are simply not getting better. Some of the lessons are not new ones, just refresher courses. This refresher was just that.

Now, in my defense, the REASON I mucked there was simple. The player raising from the button made the same raise as he would make (from the amount to the hand/head/arm movements) with AA. He had already taken a pot from me with AA earlier in the night, so that was the read I had him on. Admittedly, I was off. He had a pocket pair, just not the monster I envisioned.

Even if he has AA in that spot, me with JJ in the BB--that's a shove. If I go broke, I go broke, but I just wasn't willing to go the distance with a hand I really don't trust.

Maybe I need to start believing in that hand a bit.

Likely no poker for me this weekend, as Mrs. Chipstack has a birthday! And no, she does not want to play cards.

Also, a quick shout out to Volsfan, as she is on the mend after going under the knife. I know she has some good pain meds, so here's to a speedy recovery. See you back at the tables sooner, rather than later.

~M