I was just checking out the "fishing" at party, and happened to notice Fel_Monk was online.
I was just talking to him in the chat window, and watching him play on a 25 NL table, when I noticed that the wait was small.
I joined the table, (just to give him a chance to put me on his buddy list if he wanted to, I do not have the BR to play at these stakes), and said as much in the chat window.
I thought I could play one hand, and not cripple my stack.
I typed in chat: "I suppose I could play 1 hand".
Fel_Monk typed "Maybe you'll catch AA".

Next orbit, I was in middle position, and was dealt 10, 10.
Not the best starting hand, but one to see the flop with.

The Big stack at the table(135+) had already folded, so I led out $2, the average pf raise on the table.
I probably should have limped with it, but that was not the image I wanted to project.
I had only 2 callers, and had position.
The flop came A x x rainbow, and it was checked to me.
I bet the pot (of course), and they folded.

Thanks Monk for planting the seeds of doubt in their heads.
I have $3 more to play .5/1 limit with now.


I think this might have been just them not having a hand, but I know that I had (in a very short time) built an image of being tight, and when I raised pre-flop, they might have thought that I could have the rockets.

I think it is more likely that they thought you had AK or AQ. At the $25 NL table there is much less reading people and much more playing the cards that you get.

I think subconsciously people can get spooked, though. If I've just shown down two stonking hands then people want to call my raises way less. I mean, a 'rush' is perpetuated not 100% by superstrong cards which hit the flop, but an aura of unbeatability that makes you able to dominate.

Another time I was on a Party 25 NL and this girl (well, you can't tell, but..) kept saying stuff like 'could I have two queens' on a AQx board. Well, she showed trip queens. So she keeps announcing her possible holdingsm like 'I have really good cards' or 'I am suited'. And it spooked the table for sure! When she was caught, the spell was well and truly broken though.

Stonking?