I hate with a passion. I usually muck them if re-raised.

Live $200 buyin with 3,2,2 blinds - 3 to open.

SB $210 - loose as heck.
UTG $450 (me) - ????
UTG+1 $300 good player
UTG+3 is the best player at the table.
MP1 $150 - somewhat loose and will gamble or bluff.
MP2 $320 - Loose but dangerous player.

I open raise to $15, MP1 calls, MP2 re-raised to $45, all fold to SB who calls and I call because the pot was getting big.

I said to myself, no set and I am done with this hand.

Flop is .

There is about $230 in the pot.

SB is a very loose player and bets out $105. Most likely 2 big hearts.

MP1 I don't worry about. MP2 is a loose but tricky player. He sometime bluffs and sometimes has a good hand.

Every bone in my body said to muck my Jacks but they might be the best hand. If I call the $105 and get re-raised I will have to muck them. There are two players behind me yet to act and one re-raised me preflop. MP2 could have re-raised me with small pair, AA, KK, QQ, TT or AK, AQ.

What is my best action at this point?

Muck and take my $400 and go home.

Call the $105 and see what happens.

Go all in to try to get heads up with the SB?

Is there any way that I could believe that My Jacks were the best hand at this point.

I am pretty sure what the right action is at this point, I would like some feedback.

Thanks.

Just so there is no suspense.

I called the $105. MP1 mucked 2 pair and MP2 went all in for $200 more. I hate pocket jacks without a set so I mucked and decided to go home for the day.

MP2 had for set. SB had and lost when no heart fell.

I lost $150 with this hand.

I think now that I should have just mucked them and saved $105.

As I was reading your post two things came to mind, I'll take them in reverse order:

Someone is leading into the pre-flop raiser, muck your jacks. You're either beat by a set (leader) or an overpair (raiser), there is no way both are drawing. Answer is, muck!

Also, you're at a table where you're not the best player! 2 players are good (and both have position on you!), 1 is dangerous.. only one fish and one player that seems average. This is not good table selection, get another table.

BTW. I had a pretty good read on MP2 in that I though he did not have AA, KK or QQ but re-raised me with a medium pair or AK, AQ. Too bad he flopped a set. But, even with this read I should have just mucked my jacks as planned if no set. The only hands I could beat were TT and 88.

I had been playing past my endurance level where I start to make mistakes which is 8 hours of NLHE. I saw the $335 pot and only needed to put in $105. MP2 was short stacked and might call with anything.

The problem as we now know was MP2 and he had position on me.

I really need to stop at 6 hours when I start to get tired. I am not that young any more.

Thanks guys.

One more important point. I lose a lot up front with great hands like QQ and KK being out of position. KK in the BB is a killer for me.

KK has been my bane this month.... I swear if I can't be the one pushing with it preflop, I need to just muck it, because I play it post flop so badly.

Dale,

I would rather play hands that make straights and flushes than AA and KK. I make more money with suited connectors than I do with premium pairs.

I would rather have KQs and flop top pair with a flush draw than have KK. When I get KK or AA I feel that I need to play them.

Best yet is to flop a set with something like 99. Problem is the board is almost always connected. 987.

Out of 2,400 NL hands on Pokerstars the top 6 money makers were AKo, 75s, AA, JTo, QTs, and 77 in that order. KK is way down the list.

Wow... AKo a top money maker... most people on this site (from icemans survey) are either losing with that hand or breaking it even. Any advice on your play of AKo that might differ from other players?

Flop a monster and get paid off is the best advice I can give. I had AKo 23 times and won 78% of the time.

PokerStars No-Limit Hold'em, $4 BB (8 handed)

MP1 ($389)
MP2 ($658.45)
CO ($571.70)
Hero ($350.50)
SB ($382)
BB ($940.40)
UTG ($313.20)
UTG+1 ($181.85)

Preflop: Hero is Button with , .
UTG raises to $12, UTG+1 calls $12, 1 fold, MP2 calls $12, 1 fold, Hero calls $12, 2 folds.

Flop: ($54) , , (4 players)
UTG bets $32, UTG+1 folds, MP2 folds, Hero raises to $80, UTG calls $48.

Turn: ($214) (2 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $100, UTG raises to $221.2, Hero calls $121.20.

River: ($656.40) (2 players)

Final Pot: $656.40
Main Pot: $656.40, between Hero and UTG. > Pot won by Hero ($656.40).

Results in white below:
UTG has Qh Ad (one pair, aces).
Hero has Kd As (two pair, aces and kings).
Outcome: Hero wins $656.40.