PROPAGANDA

It was my goal never post a hand analysis -- that my poker blog would be above that sort of thing -- but I've decided to do that now.
It was the final stages of a $40 buy-in freeze-out -- four players left with one out of the money. I'm big blind and I pick-up A-J off, I had a feeling that if I moved all in, the guy who made the baby bump would fold and the big stack woman who just called would call my all-in with a lesser hand.
"You don't believe in the moon landing, do you?"
"What?"
"You know that the moon mission and the whole latter stages of the Apollo program were just theater and propaganda -- meant to inspire patriotism in a time of intense political tension."
"Are you serious," she asked.
Of course I wasn't serious. That statement ranks very low on the list of things I'm ever likely to say with sincerity. It's way down below statements like "That darn genie only gave me two wishes," and "Fire torpedo number nine, Your Holiness."
"Yes, I'm serious. You need to save yourself some chips. I'm all-in."
I was right. He folded and she called with As-9s. She caught her 9 on the turn, and I finished -- yet again -- on the bubble.