[JDesab]

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O

Rule #1 is Protect Your Hand. This manifests in many ways, but putting a chip on them to protect them is top among them.

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no, the best way to protect your hand, and what i do until all preflop betting is complete, is to keep your hand on your cards. whether it be three fingers on the felt in front of the cards and my thumb behind it ... or my fingers over half of my card (allowing the table to see i have cards).

this has been my practice ever since i had a hand killed in a similar way that OP describes. when the action gets to me i can quickly check my hand... then i put a chip on top of my cards if i choose not to muck.

the highest probability of your hand being hit by mucked cards is during the preflop round of betting.