In Confessions of a Winning Poker Player, Jack King said, “Few players recall big pots they have won — strange as it seems — but every player can remember with remarkable accuracy the outstanding tough beats of his career.” Seems true to me, ’cause walking in here I can hardly remember how I built my bankroll, but I can’t stop thinking how I lost it. – Mike McDermott (Rounders)

Isn’t that the truth. Just this evening, playing No Limit Texas Hold em, I happened to find myself in one of those tough beats. Of course the blame was all mine. I was dealt Ace Jack offsuit and decided that I would play. After being raised I decided that I would come over the top of him and a group of us stayed in for the flop.

The flop came and it was Queen Three Queen. Now, here is where the stupidity rolls in. For some peculiar reason I decided that my Jack wasn’t actually a Jack at all but was a Queen instead. And in my selfish pride, instead of actually double checking that I had the Queen I decide to start pushing him in for all I can. He eventually moves all in and I call. So he lays down pocket Threes and I assume that I’ll be able to pull my Ace on the River but then I look at my cards and see that it was Ace Jack, not Ace Queen.

My heart sank. It wasn’t about the money. We only play with a $5.00 buy in. It was just the fact that in my selfish pride I didn’t check the damn cards and ended up burning myself because of it.

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