The Expensive Call.

A player at my table refused to let anyone steal his big blind. Every raise was met with a call, no matter what cards he held. At first, it looked fearless. Then the flop came, he missed, and another small pot slipped away. The same thing happened again... and again. By the end of the session, he hadn't lost one huge hand, he'd lost dozens of small ones that slowly drained his stack.

Watching it unfold was a reminder that poker isn't about defending every chip. It's about choosing the right battles. Sometimes the best move is letting a blind go and waiting for a better opportunity.

Moral: Don't defend your big blind out of pride. Defend it with purpose. The chips you save by folding weak hands are just as valuable as the ones you win.