Warning to B&M newbies on the meaning of "table stakes"!

[burningyen]

The past few days were my 1st playing poker in a B&M casino, and yesterday I became painfully acquainted with a cardroom rule at Mandalay Bay. In the $200 buy-in $2/4 NL game I took a big hit with AQ vs. KK (Q on the flop, of course) and was down to $17 in chips. I asked for another stack of $100. After my request was noted, but before I received the new stack, the next hand began, and I looked down at yet another AQ. I tossed in my $17 and said "all in." My intention was to go all in for only $17. The dealer said it was $17 to go, but then another player pointed out that I had $100 more coming to me and that my entire stack was committed. The dealer agreed. I asked for the manager, who confirmed that my $100 was in play. Oh well, I had completely misinterpreted the meaning of "table stakes" and was resigned to my fate. Then, in a great show of sportsmanship, the other players at the table agreed to lay down their hands. The guy who took me down with his KK told me he had AKs, and I believed him (he couldn't show me his cards because he wasn't last to act). It ended up being a profitable day for me, but it would have been tough to come back if that hand had gone the other way. I hope this anecdote serves as a lesson to my fellow B&M newbies.