From: "Russell Fox" Subject: Barge Trip Report, Part 1 Because most people put their thank you's at the end (where few are read), I'm going to put them at the front: - To Zimmers & Chuck for running BARGE, which takes a lot out of you - To Binion's, which, for the most part, did an excellent job with the tourneys and running all the other BARGE events (they definitely "get" us) - To the Orange County/Southern California poker players who've helped me better my game to the point where I'm regularly finishing above par (e.g. at the final table) Enough of that. As most Bargers are aware, I took copious notes (but I'll try hard not to bore you). Jerrod (Ankenman) and I left John Wayne Tuesday afternoon. For those who aren't familiar with Southern California, John Wayne (SNA) is a wonderfully underutilized airport. It's pleasant, crowd-free, and, if you ignore the gliding takeoffs (this is not a joke), a much better experience than LAX (if you're heading to Orange County). And occasionally you can get good fares: three airlines fly from John Wayne to Vegas -- fares are now the same from SNA as from LAX. And when I changed our return to Monday afternoon we received our first good beat -- $110 refund! (I was able to get a $170 fare to Marge out of John Wayne via Orbitz -- lower than LAX!) We picked up the rental car (a Mazda with a crappy transmission) and headed to Binions. I think that when archeologists excavate Binions thousands of years from now, they'll still find it dark and dingy looking, with a vague aroma of tobacco. We head to the Mirage and play some ring game action. On the first hand Jerrod and ~5 others (not me) call one raise and see a flop like 334. The raiser bets and 2 call. The Turn is another low card (say a 2); the raiser bets and Jerrod pops it. Raiser calls. River pairs one of the low cards. Raiser checks, Jerrod bets, and raiser disgustingly mucks his hand. This was a great move by Jerrod, who held AQ; a move you can make in Las Vegas but wouldn't even consider in LA. One humorous (to me) hand that I held; I pick up AcAs and raise. I think I got only 1 caller. Board comes AoKcQc. I bet, he calls. Turn is Tc; I bet, am raised, and call. River is Jc. He pays off my Royal (first one I have ever hit). I played the Mirage NL tourney. This is the only event I **didn't** take notes in so I can only tell you that I busted out in the middle; headed back to Binion's, and went to sleep early (sleep, at Barge?) Wednesday I headed to the Orleans and played in their noon Omaha/8 tourney. This is my normal ring game, and probably my best tournament game. I recognize only two people at my table, Art Santella & a man who looks vaguely familiar. I finally realize that it's Henry Nowakowski, the German businessman who finished 7th in the Big one. He may play good NLHE, but he needs a lot of practice in Omaha high/low. He's eliminated 5 minutes into the second round. I end up finishing 6th, netting $112 including bounties. I go out with AQT8 vs. QJ97; board is AQT86. Jim "Bulbert" Bullard & Scottro cash higher than me (but don't win). Still, a good showing for Bargers. I head to Bellagio, to play some +EV poker. On the way in I say hello to ADB Bingo (he's heading to the Las Vegas Club). The poker room is sleepy at 7:00 pm. (I was told that it was like that after I left; this is not the high season in Vegas). I play one hand of 6/12 Omaha 8 before the game breaks; I then sit in 4/8 Hold'em. I pick up TT in Big blind; I raise & get 2 callers. A23 (2 D) flop; checked around. Turn is T; I bet, both call. river 4; I bet, 1 caller (QQ). Next hand I have KJs. 7 see flop of 973 (2 of my suit); someone bets and 6 call. Turn is J (offsuit); bet, all call. River 8 of my suit. I bet, 5 call. I leave +$112 and into 8/16 HE. Nothing much happens until I hold AKo. Button slowly calls and I pop it. Flop KTx, all D; he calls all my bets and mucks when I show my hand. Next hand I have QQ. The gentleman in seat 8 (I'm in seat 4) says, loudly, "I don't want to have pocket Queens." Seat 10 and button call; I raise; seat 10 reraises & button folds. Flop of QT6 rainbow. He bets, I call. Turn 2; I check raise. River 3; he calls and throws his Aces disgustingly in the muck as the table breaks out in laughter at my Queens. I head back to Binions and play some 4/8 Horse. One interesting hand: In stud eight I get (22)6. I complete and get 3 callers. I brick on 4th; Ken Tarvin has (??)8A and bets; I call. On 5th I catch a 2 and raise. I river a boat; much saddenz for Ken. Ken, unfortunately for us in Southern California, is moving to Colorado; a great person and a loss for our home games. One denizen of the game, the only non-Barger, needs to be described. To protect the innocent I'll call her Robin. She had to be seen to be believed. She was either drunk (drunker than Jaeger in the NLHE -- a story I'll get to) or so high you wouldn't believe it. She hadn't a clue about some of the games and, to all Bargers relief, ran out of money Thursday morning and fell asleep, standing up, watching my table at the HOP. Well, enough typing for the night. I'll resume later this week with the HOP. -- Russ Fox From: "Russell Fox" Subject: Barge 2001 Trip Report, Part 2 So I sit down at lucky table 7 for the HOP and find a typical field: Jim Bullbert, Connie Kellers, Tiger 123, myself, E Stephen Mack (Zeigen), Len Granowetter, Tom Goodwin & Harry Baldwin. The table is pleasant, and I'm able to get some chips. It started good for me: the first hand (draw) I have K's. Connie raises (required when entering a pot; from herein I'll just say "bet") & I call. I pickup a K & raise Connie and take the pot. In the big blind I get trip 4s. Zeigen bets; Tiger & 1 other call; I raise; all call. Zeigen calls post-draw (he had A's & K's). A couple hands later I get 9's & 2's; Tiger calls with AKTjoker but doesn't get there. I'm even able to bluff (with 2345 draw, not getting there) and pick up a pot. My image is helped when, a few hands later, I start with TT and draw 555 (against Connie). Into lowball where I don't get much but watch a cute hand. Bullbert calls Tom's raise; Bullbert draws 3 and Tom stands pat. Jim bets! Tom calls, but Jim picked up a wheel! One other confrontation: Tom vs. Tiger, both standing pat; Tom had a smooth 6 while Tiger a rough 7. I'm at $1275 at the end of round 2. My highlight (in round 3, draw) is when Zeigen & I each draw one and make our hands; unfortunately for him, I have a flush and he has a straight (he called my re-raise). I lose some cips in round 4 (lowball) when I pickup a smooth 8; Tom & Harry calling. Tom & I are pat but Harry's 1 card draw gives him a 6. Near the end of the round Tiger bluffs Zeigen with a pair of K's. I've got $1250 at the break (end of round 4). As far as I can tell, no one has been eliminated. I think it's Dave Croson who bust first during round 5. At our table Tiger is first to go when (during draw) his Presto loses to Jim's Q's full of A's. I get quad deuces vs. Zeigen but he doesn't call at the end. In round 6 Connie is knocked out by Tom's 7-6. Tiger's replaced by a Dead Stack and Connie by Nathan Hess (Woodstock -- I'll see more of him in the NLHE). I've got $1775 at the end of round 6. We move to no-limit (draw, to start, in round 7). I've never played NL draw (or lowball, for that matter); I decide to play it like HE (very good hands with no position and stealable hands in position). Nothing much happens to me (I'm up to $2100 at the end of round 7). I'm moved to Table 6, seat 7 and watch as Lou Krieger gets busted (6/1) on the very first hand. John Reed (2), Mark Trombley (3), Sean McGuiness (Oscar) (4), Ron Galicia (Jalapeno) (5), Andrew Prock (6). I bust Jalicia; and then comes a humorous hand. Sean ends up with a 6 and I have a slightly worse hand (smooth 8). Sean checks, I bet all-in, and then Sean realizes his error. I get my bet back (7 rule) and Sean misses his 1st chance to eliminate me. Of course, I'd have an interesting decision if Sean bets -- should you go all in? After the hand I said I'd probably have done so but who knows? I'm down to $1300 at the end of round 8. Back to draw. I get up to $2900 with A's & Q's and then Aces. Beth Even & Jeff Shulman join our table -- but on their very first hand Jeff eliminates Beth; both have aces and Jeff's kicker beats Beth's. Andrew survives an all-in with trip 10's. Oscar's set of 5's knocks out Mark Trombley. At the end of round 9 I'm down to $2500. In a 3-way pot (Jeff, Andrew & myself), I knock out Jeff (J vs. Q) but lose the main pot to Andrew -- I stay even. I move to Table 5 for a couple of hands and then move to Table 1: Spencer, W A Rulla, Thomas Hummel, John Fleming, Corey Imsdahl, Gillian Groves (who hosts some of our home games), Michael Wiesenberg and myself. But Corey & John are quickly eliminated, replaced by Jerrod & Harry Baldwin. I'm down to 1700 and raise all-in with a 7. Spencer re-raises; Jerrod calls all-in. Spencer (pat 9) knocks out Jerrod (drew 1 to get a J); I take the main pot and get a few chips. Harry is knocked out on the next hand with a pair. I'm moved again; Andrew Prock, Sean (Oscar), Crunch & Thomas Hummel are among the people at my new table. We're down to 2 tables. I lose some of my chips (down to 2700) when I face Crunch's pat 7, and then I pick up A2344. Thomas raises (to 3000?); Andrew goes all-in. I think it's clear to go in -- if I win (we're down to 15) I should have enough chips to make it to the final table. We all draw 1: Thomas drew a 3 to A256; Andrew threw away his T but got a K. I picked up a J and am done at 14th. Well, I'm never happy about getting close to the money but not cashing -- but it happens. We head to the Mirage for the Buffet (good food, better conversation with Mike McManus) and their NLHE tourney. I'm seated at 3/10, facing a mostly Barger table (Paul Phillips, Oz, NB (non-barger), Bingo, NB, Robert Hwang, and 2 NBs. Early on I raise (to 60) in my small blind with 8's; Paul calls. Flop: 77K check, check. Turn J check, check. River 7. Paul bets 75, I call. Paul shows & then mucks his AT. I bring up this hand not because it's important (it really had no impact on the end results of the tourney) but because of how one thinks in a NLHE tourney. When Paul calls one of the hands he could have is a K-T/J/Q. Paul knows I probably have something (I'm fairly tight early). After the hand Paul said that he made a mistake not betting the flop -- I'd almost certainly give up on the hand. I get pocket 10s in the BB; Oz had made a standard raise (in early position). I reraise (all-in); oops: he has AA. REBUY, table 3.... In round 3 (after the rebuys are over) I pick up AKs. A very active non-barger raises to 250; I move all-in (1000); he calls. His AJs doesn't get any help and I double through. Barry doubles up (KK) from Bingo (TT). Oz raises to 300; Bingo goes all-in, Oz calls with AA (vs. QT). The board looks good for a Schmengie: QJT. But they're all clubs, and Oz has the Ac. The 6c on the turn sends Bingo packing. I'm at $2975 at the end of round 4. During the next round we gain Crunch, but Oz loses much of his chips when his QQ faces Barry's KK. Then Paul goes out (to a NB) when his Ax is turned by KQ (board of 636/K/4). Oz (A5) is then eliminated by Barry (KJs) when there's a K on the flop. Paul McMullen, Charles Natkins, and Henry Nowakowski join our table. Charles (A7s) is eliminated by Barry's KK. I'm at 4000 at the end of the round. During the next round I witness a run of cards I've never seen before. In 15 hands I see AA, KK, QQ, JJ, and 6 AK. Unfortunately, I hold none of those cards: a non-barger named Mike gets **all of them.** I steal a couple times (I'm down to $2400) when I get KQs. A small stack in front of me goes all-in (~$1200). I go all-in. Henry wakes up to AQs. Oops. IGHN. As I leave I notice Jerrod has a decent stack. And it became a lot more than decent -- Jerrod ends up winning the tourney!!! WTG, Jerrod (hopefully he'll get around to posting a trip report). (A footnote: Henry & Mike complement my play. I'm not sure how much of this is BS but at least it's kind words). After playing CHORSE at Binion's for a couple hours (losing $21), I head to sleep. Breakfast at Main St. Station (change of pace), and then the TOC. Ahem, those who have said you have faced "death tables;" I beg to differ. I don't know about you, but would you want to face: Steve Nissman (1), Scott Barrington (2), Nolan Dalla (3), Thomas Hummel (4), myself (5), Matt Kristis (6), ADB Fitch (7), Jim Bullbert (8) and, just to top it off, some guy named JP in seat 9. When the first several hands of Omaha 8 are raised, you know it's a tough table. And several of these players know how to play stud. I didn't know the play of Scott, Thomas, Matt and Jim before this year's BARGE but I was impressed by all of them. Stay away from my table!! A humorous hand from the first round of Stud. Tom has the bring-in with (??)3. I have K(K9). Thomas brings it in and I complete. I happen to notice that Thomas meant to bring it in for the completion. Why, I wonder -- is he rolled up? I catch a 9 and Thomas a 6. When I bet and Thomas raises I quickly fold. Yep, he was rolled up. In HE, Bullbert faces JP. The board has a mishmash of low cards and a K. Jim apparently catches a draw -- and JP's facial expression is a classic (I wish I had a camera). I'd guess that JP had an A and Jim caught up with KQ? I then pick up JJ, but the dealer decides it's a stud round. It's not, so a misdeal. Aghhh! I'm at $2660 at the end of round 2; $2200 at the end of round 3. Bullbert gets the best of Nolan when each has an AJ, but Jim's doing the betting and when Nolan folds his AJ into the muck Jim shows his! (the board was KKT). Nolan then loses with Presto to Fitch's 76s when the board has a 7. Presto continues to fare poorly when Fitch loses with it to Nolan's A8 (8 on flop). I'm down to $1975 at the end of round 4. In the Omaha round that follows I'm dealt a death blow when my boat loses to a bigger boat. I'm officially knocked out -- first at our table -- when my JT9 in stud goes nowhere. I run into Dave Roemer and we head to the Mirage -- but there's no game that Dave likes their so we head further south to the Bellagio. Dave finds a sweet $30/60 HE game that he dominates (taking home a very nice win) while I find a tourist-dominated $6/12 Omaha game. I only get $50 out of it (I don't get very many decent hands) but I watch something I rarely see: tourist 1 drops $200 in 30 minutes (try it, it's tough to do in Omaha) and tourist 2 drops ~$250 in about 2 hours (somewhat easier). I'm annoyed I don't get more of their money but Omaha is a game of patience -- you must be willing to wait for good starting hands. Back to the Nugget for the Symposium, er, Calcutta. Much better job with the food this year -- it was spaced out. My pair (I'm paired with Dave Huberman's best friend, Ed Pizzarello) for $120 to Foldem's syndicate. I buy myself back for $32.50, a good investment as it turns out. I end up buying Nissman & Langdon ($130, but I get half back when Langdon ends up being a no-show) and Maverick ($70). Ok, razz me for buying him but he's a pretty good big-bet player (from what I've seen). His methodology for playing NLHE is different than mine, but it worked last year. I thought he was worth the money. Back to Binion's for the CHORSE. While Team Orange Crush (Gerry "gerdog" Petersen, Gillian Groves, Walter Hunt, Chris "Ploink" Straghalis, Clark "clarko" Olson and myself) didn't win, we sure had fun, and, by far, the best t-shirts! WTG Gillian! Part 3 of the trip report (coming after Jeff posts his final table report) will deal with the NLHE event. -- Russ Fox From: "Russell Fox" Subject: Barge 2001 Trip Report, Part 3 One correction to Part 2. In my sleep deprived state I typed North Shore Mike. I had dinner with Mike Patterson at the Mirage Buffet. I had a great time talking to him and wish him and his fiancee well in Portland. Before getting to the NLHE, I forgot to mention Bingo's jackpot -- while between CHORSE rounds he gets a pat Royal and 4000 quarters! When it hit, a throng descended around him! WTG!!!! I manage a few hours sleep and find a reasonable starting NLHE table: Walter Hunt, Al Weber (BigAl), myself, Don "Bingo" Rieck, Scott Byron (Bwana), Keith "ADB Fich" Fichtemaier, Clifford Matthews, Ray Tripamer (rkt), Stephen Benton (buckshot-b) and Alan Bostick. Except for the fact that Bwana will have the BB on my button, I like this table. It's a pleasant table, much better than yesterday's TOC. I'll again say that I don't like Scott's position (on me). Last year I could never read Scott; this year is no exception. Luckily (for me), only on a couple of occasions did he take chips from me. On the very 1st hand of the tourney Walter raises to 200. I fold AQo; Scott & Fich call. After the flop Scott bets 500 and gets no callers. He shows his aces; Walter says he had Presto. I decide then and their that it's not Presto's day. All of a sudden there's applause -- Perry Friedman has busted out! On the fifth hand I go plus when I find pocket 9's. Matthews & Buckshot call my raise to $175. On a 368 flop I bet $400; they fold. I fold Presto on my button to Matthews' early position raise. Alan raises; I look down and see QQ (the best hand I'll hold today). I reraise his $150 to $600; he folds. I'm at $3400 at the end of round 1. Scott raises to $325 on my BB. Ray & Al call; I go in, all fold. Scott said he had JJ; Al shows AJ. I'm up to $4325. I go over the top twice more in the round and am up to $6400 at the end of round 2 (and bust Fich with QQ). Bingo busts Ray -- JT vs. A9o. I believe Bingo flops 2 pair and Ray got no help. Ploink and Bob Matthews join our table. In the next round I pick up T9o in the BB. Five callers, I check and we see a flop of QJ8 with 2 clubs (you don't have any). The small blind checks, it's your turn to act. Before reading on, decide if it's time to slow-play or bet out. If it were a rainbow flop I'd slowplay, but I've had bad experiences with coordinated flops. I've got the nuts -- but their are too many callers to suit my tastes. I'll take a small win over a big loss. So I bet and take a smaller pot. I throw away $400 on the river on a bluff to Al (SB vs. my BB) when I have T9. One of two mistakes -- thankfully, this is a very minor one -- that I'd make during the day. Then Bingo gets lucky: he has 97 vs. Scott's Q9 and watches a board of 995/2/5 to chop. I get $300 back when I make a near-button raise with ATo; Ploink hesitates for a long time and folds (saying next time). Bob (small stack) A3 faces Alan's A6: the board of KQ8/8/2 chops the pot. On the next hand Bob has AQ and is all-in (again) vs. Al's KJ. But this time there's an A on the flop and a Q on the river so Bob's still alive. I make a button raise with K6. Scott goes all-in. I fold and am down to $5500. Ploink (QQ) then busts Alan (AJ?). Walter then is busted by Ploink's KK. Randy Collack moves into seat 1 and Beth Even joins us (with ~$5000) in seat 10. I'm at $5675 at the end of round 4. On thee next hand Randy's AK busts Bob's KQ. Randy's 66 on the next hand busts Matthews' AT. Spencer ($6100) and Sheri Brabec ($7400) join us. I took notes about stack sizes -- it's so very important in NLHE. I pick up QcJs near the button and raise Al's small all-in bet to $1050. Ploink hesitates for a moment and calls. Flop is 763, all spades. Ploink bets $1000 (I have him outchipped by ~$2500). What do you do? Well, I don't think he has AA/KK/QQ/JJ or AK. I think he'd reraise with them most of the time and it's unlikely he has QQ or JJ (I've got one of each). A middle or small pair is his most likely holding, so I go all-in. Say he has TT (which was his actual holding). I've got three ways of winning: he may fold (which he did, after thinking for a while), I may make the flush or I might pair up. Ploink was very annoyed when I turned my hand over (remember, Al's all-in -- he had KJo, no spades) and upset with my move which he initially didn't like. But later he agreed with what I did and thought that he should reraise pre-flop to get me off my hand. I'd almost certainly have folded. I spike a Q on the end and Al's done for the day. Soon after that Ploink (KK) gets most of Buckshot's (AK) chips. Right after Brian Alpasch (~$4400) is moved to my right I get QJo and raise. Scott reraises all-in. I'm going to learn about late position raises with QJ but apparently not today. I fold and am down to $7600. Brian wins a hand and receives a 15 yard penalty -- I think that's the distance the floor moved him.... Sheri (AA) then eliminates Buckshot (22) when an Ace hits the flop. Our table breaks (we're down to ~9 tables) and I find myself at table 5, populated by Gerry Petersen (gerdog) ($9500), Mark Rafn (Dagon) ($6500), Roy Cooke ($1900), Pete Caldes (Taki) ($9500), Spencer ($6500), myself ($7600), Lennie Augustine ($4500), Tonda Hall (lonestar) ($2000), Scott Byron ($6000) and Darrell Ticehurst ($10,000). I'm not that thrilled with this table. While I don't have Scott in the BB when I have the button (a plus) Spencer is on my right and will steal whenever possible from me. Also, several people have told me that Darrell is an excellent NLHE player (nothing I see today will cause me to waver from that view). I typed Roy's name but I needn't have done so -- he's busted just as I sit down and we go to 9-handed. I bust Tonda when I hold AK to her A2. Darrell Takes most of Scott's chips (but I don't see what happened) and is busted by Darrell a few hands later when Scott's AQ faces Darrell's AA and no miracle occurs. Spencer starts collecting chips (not a surprise to me) when he takes $3300 from Darrell & Gerry by reraising. Frank Brabec (nut-z) is moved to Scott's old seat with about $2400. Spencer continues to take chips when he reraises to $4000 (from Dagon's $1500 raise) and pockets $2100. I can't complain, though; I'm up to $15,000 when we end the $300/$600 blind level. Brian Alpasch rejoins my table, now with $8000. Frank (KQ) doubles up off Lennie (76); Lennie has a pair on the flop but Frank re-sucks out on him when a K appears on the river. But Frank ends up back where he started when his JT faces Lennie's Kh9o -- the board has 4 hearts. Spencer (TT) knocks out Brian (KK) when he rivers a straight. Then comes my second, and thankfully, last error of the day. I make a raise with A9. Gerry, who has been largely silent, reraises all-in (about $4000 more than my raise to $3500). I should immediately fold -- it screams, from my knowledge of Gerry (who is a regular and sometimes host of our home games) BIG HAND. But although I think about it for a few moments I utter the word "call." Oops.... But 1 or two hands later I'm in the BB with K6o. Spencer, in the small blind, just calls. We see a flop of something like JJ5. He bets about $3000, I call. Turn is a delightful looking K. He checks, I go all in (~$4300) and he calls. I know I'm ahead at this point -- Spencer would have raised pre-flop with almost anything (he might have slow played a Big Hand but I think he'd have made a small bet on the flop as I could easilly have a J to see where he is) so I put him on garbage -- say 83o (he actually held 85). I double up. Spencer later states that he was upset that he gave me chips. So I'm almost back to where I started before my idiotic play with Gerry ($9700). Barry Kornspan ($5100) moves into seat 7 and Andrew Prock ($26,000) moves into seat 8. I'm at $9800 when we begin the $800/$1500 round. Now it's time to watch suck-outs at work; two in a row by Barry. Barry (33) faces Darrell (KK). Barry rivers a flush. Then Barry (AJ) is dominated by Spencer's AQ but Barry rivers a straight. At the end of those hands, which I think were back to back, Barry has $22,000 and Spencer is down to $5100. I'm down to $8300 when we get down to 4 tables and I'm moved to Table 1 (Len Greenberg, myself, Bob Herlein, Robert Hwang, Shelley Louie & Lennie Augustine) bit I'm up to $10,000 as we start $1k/$2k blinds. Lennie Augustine is knocked out when his T8s loses to Robert's QQ. We're quickly down to 3 tables; Johnny D is moved to seat 9 with about $20,000 and John Fleming is moved to seat 7 with about $25,000. Shelley then goes all in to Bob; Shelley's AQ looks good when the first card of the flop is a Q but it's not so good when the second is a 6 and Bob has pocket 6's. I'm up to $25,000 when I'm moved to gulp, the Jack Daniels, er., Jaeger's table. Cocktails on Table 2. Jaeger: "I'm buying for everyone who want a, gulp, drink, gulp...." Waitress [asking Jaeger]: "What would you like, sir?" Jaeger: "Water" [Table breaks out in hysterical laughter]. The players are Barry Kornspan (?) (my notes have question marks about who was in seat 2) in 2, Bingo in 3 with $25k, Andrew Prock in 4 with $9k, John Murphy in 5 with $17k, Jaeger in 6 with $55k, Gary Brown in 7 with $12k. We go hand-for-hand (Jaeger raising almost every pot by shoving his chips, which are all in a rack, into the pot) and are down to 18 when someone busts at the table I came from. So we go on a short break. When we come back from the break the 19 of us sit down. Oops. Yes, we were really at 20 when we were going hand-for-hand. Apparently one player had decided to take a rest room break and the floor counted heads, not stacks. So someone (at another table) makes an offer that we take $100 off the top and give it to 19th. Jaeger objects. Then Jaeger proposes that we go to 10-9 tables. Ploink objects because Ming (who is about to have the big blind) must play one of the next 2 hands. Ploink, also severely short-chipped, can back into the money if Ming is eliminated. But we're at 7-7-5 and so one of the two seven-handed tables must lose a player. The floor goes to Ploink's table and high cards a player. I don't know why this was done; the rules state that a player will be chosen by position when a player is to be moved. Ploink ends up being high-carded to the short table. Luckily, he makes the money with just one $500 chip when Gary Brown call Jaeger's all-in bet with K9 (Jaeger had J6); a 6 on the board and we really are down to 18. One humorous hand from the real hand-for-hand period. Jaeger folds just one hand -- it's when I find pocket Jacks! I hope Jaeger ends up at my table as he's not long for the tourney; sooner or later someone will find some chips. I find myself in the big blind as we re-start play. The gentleman to my left (unfortunately, I didn't get his name) goes all-in UTG for $7,000. I find pocket Jacks and call. Nothing amazing happens and I'm down to $25,000. On the very next hand Johnny D raises; I go all-in with AK; he calls with JJ. An A on the flop and Johnny, a good poker player and a better human being, is done. I take almost no notes because I'm uninvolved in the key hands at this table. At the other table we lose two players (Gerry Petersen & Bob Wilson) on the same hand and we're down to 9. Here are the "official" chip counts of the Final table: 1. Myself, $29,500; 2. Peter Caldes $57,500; 3. John Fleming $41,500; 4. Mark Trombley $131,500; 5. Nathan Hess $130,500; 6. John Murphy $29,000; 7. Bingo $21,000; 8. Dave Roemer $3500; 9. Bob Hurlein $71,000. I am indebted to Jeff Okamoto for his log of the Final Table. Thanks, it makes my notes somewhat comprehendable. I start in the Big blind as one of two ADVers left (Dave Roemer the other) and the only SoCal left (Bob Herlein is the only NorCal left). Only one ADB left, too (Bingo, Don Rieck). I'm fairly comfortable with the table -- and I'm thrilled that Dave doesn't have the large stack. I think he's the best player left at the table. On the second hand John F raises to $8k, Bingo goes all-in (A9), and John calls (QQ). The board comes 658/7 making a straight for Bingo but John escapes when a cruel (for Bingo) 9 appears on the River. Dave starts his come back on the next hand when he goes all-in with 4's. Peter (A7)& John F (J9)call (for $4000) and check him down. Peter wins the side pot but the 4's hold up and Dave triples. We go up to $3k/$6k blinds and Dave again goes all in (for $10.5k). Mark calls with 87s but Dave's TT hold up (board of 9QJ/A/4). (Hand 4) On Hand 7 John F raises to $12k; Dave calls. But much of Dave's stack is done when John's QQ hold up (board of KJ7/T/2) as they call down the hand. The most important hand of the tournament for me is hand 9. Bob raises to $20k; I'm in the big blind and see 99. I go all-in (for $22.5k), hoping that Bob's on some sort of Ace (which make me an 11 to 10 favorite). He is -- he holds KhQh. I flop a set: 9K6. Turn is 7 (no flush possible) and the river's a K -- making me a boat and Bob trips. Whew! I'm up to $52,500. On the next hand Dave goes all in for $9k, Bob calls. Dave's 3's are outclassed by Bob's K's. No miracle on this board: 622/7/Q and Dave is eliminated in 9th Place. Dave, by the way, is a class guy who is a very good holdem player. He's a player you want to see in the **other** game of whatever limit your playing. On the 17th hand everyone actually folds to my BB! No flops in the last few hands. On the 22nd hand Peter goes all-in for $17.5k; Nathan calls. But Peter doubles up when his Aces beat Nathan's 8's (Board of 3KA/6/K). When we go on break (after hand 24), I'm at $42k, Peter $41k, John F $27.5k, Mark $130k, Nathan $99k, John M. $42k, Bingo $54k, and Bob $79k. I've come up at the expense of Nathan; otherwise we're really close to where we started. We start the next blind structure ($5k/$10k) with my getting a walk. I raise all-in on a steal on the next hand (I didn't write down the hand, just a notation of steal; for me, this means a hand that I wouldn't play early in such a situation) and get Pete's big blind. Stealing blinds is a necessity at a final table -- you just have to do what you can not to be called! On the next hand John M raises to $25k, John F goes all-in (JJ), and John M (AQ) calls. John F doubles up when there's no help (554/4/2) on the board. John Murphy is eliminated on hand 30 when Nathan raises all-in from the SB with Q4 and John calls from the BB for $4500 with 95. The board of 7J3/A/8 sends John home in 8th place. I get another walk in the BB on hand 33. I am very lucky to be getting it. Usually this means I've got a great table image -- I'm going to start exploiting it. On the 35th hand Peter doubles up to $32+k when his QQ beats Bob's A9 (board of 4TK/J/2). John F doubles up two hands later when he calls Bob's all-in raise of $43,000 with his all-in call of $40k. Bob's A9 loses to John's KK (board of 383/7/9). Bob's crippled at $3k and John's looking good with more than $80k. Bob's eliminated on hand 39 when he's all in for $3k from the BB. Nathan raises with QQ; Bob actually has a decent hand with KTo but the board of T74/J/2 sends Bob home in 7th Place. On the next hand my BB is raised by Mark to $25k. I reraise all-in when I spot JJ; Mark calls with Ac7c. The board of 48T/9/5 doubles me up to $115k. I take the blinds on hands 42 & 44 (Presto on 44) and then comes "the hand." Mark raises to $25k. I look down and see AsQd. I re-raise all-in. Mark quickly calls. "gulp," I say when I see his AcKc. But luck is with me when the board starts 3J3/J.... so at the turn we're splitting the pot. Mark is unlucky (and I'm very lucky) enough to see a Q on the river sending him home in 6th. Mark's a good player who deserved a much better fate than my catching a 2-outer on the river. But I'm now in the chip lead. We move to blinds of $10k/$20k. Peter has just $27k left so when it's unraised to me I almost have to raise all-in with any sort of random hand...and that's just what I've got: 5s3s. Peter survives, though, as his Q7 holds up (board of K88/K/7) and I'm down to $205k. This is still a substantial chip lead, as the other stacks are Peter $54k, John F $80k, Nathan $135k, and Bingo $39k. On hand 50 I raise (from UTG); Bingo shows 74o. I reciprocate on the next hand when John raises all-in; I deliberately show my 82o. I normally don't show hands I fold with but I do show my BB when I get a walk (in the BB). I get a walk on hand 56 and take the blinds on the next hand. Bingo survives one all-in (he raises all-in for $49k and I call from the Big Blind with A9o); Bingo has AKo. The board of 468/A/2 sends Bingo to nearly $100k. On hand 62 we get down to 4-handed. Peter is all-in in the BB for $14k. Again, I must call from my SB with any reasonable hand; 9s5s certainly is. Peter's A6o isn't helped by the board of JQ2/5/2 while I turn two pair and send Peter home in 5th place. On hands 69 & 70 I eliminate Nathan & Bingo. First, on hand 69, I raise to $80k with Jd9h and Nathan calls all-in with KhJs. I turn a straight with the board of 687/T/3; Nathan ends up 4th. Bingo raises from the SB all-in for $59k with QTo and I call from the BB with 4's. I flop a set (board of 34Q/6/2) sending Bingo home in 3rd. I've got around $450,000 to John's $60,000 (exactly) when we start heads-up play. John survives 2 all in's before the end comes on hand 78 (blinds of $20k/$40k): I raise (effectively all-in) with As7s. John calls with JTo. We both flop pairs (5JA). The turn doesn't help either of us (5) but I river two pair (7) and in 78 hands I've won the 2001 Barge NLHE championship. John played very well to get to and survive to where he did. I was amazed when he told me that this was his first tournament! We will all be hearing more from John in the future as I'm convinced his name will appear on the cash-out lists of future tournaments. I've been lucky enough to be at a few final tables this year but, by far, this was the most pleasant final table I've played at. The quality of the players was as good as any I've been involved in and the complements of everyone (to me) from my peers made me feel great. I got a chance to talk to most of the players at the final table except for Mark, Nathan and John Murphy (mainly because of seat location -- I was in seat 1). What a great group of people! I will conclude the marathon trip report in Part 4 later this week. From: "Russell Fox" Subject: Barge 2001 Trip Report, Part 4 (conclusion) So I have just won the Barge NLHE tourney. Whenever I play in a tournament (poker, or bridge for that matter -- I've played tournament bridge for over 20 years) it takes me about a half-hour to get "un-hyped." First, of course, the various forms are filled out. I get a nice WSOP suede jacket (albeit size XL -- the smallest they have!). And a W-2G with a bunch (over $4,000) in chips. (And yes, I did tip although I was assured that the Barge tips were adequate.) So I go to the main cashier's cage to get a check for my winnings -- I don't want to carry that much cash around. I'll give you the dialogue as best I can from memory: Me: "I'd like a check -- I just won this in the Barge poker tournament." Cashier: "A check?" [has quizzical expression on her face] Me: "Yes, a check." Cashier [to male cashier working at the back of the cage]: "Can we do a check for someone?" Five minutes pass as the two cashiers -- the only two working in the cage -- talk to themselves at the back of the cage about how to write a check. Meanwhile, a line begins to form behind me of people wanting to cash out their winnings. Cashier: "There's nobody here now who knows how to write a check. Would you take cash?" Me: "When will there be someone here who can write a check?" This sort of conversation goes on for several minutes, but, eventually, they tell me that someone in the next shift should know how to issue a check. In the meantime, the chips go into a box. I'm also paid (by Chuck Weinstock) my 25% share in myself in the Calcutta. First prize in the Calcutta, by the way, was about 15% less than the actual first prize. Still, it was a good $32.50 investment. I dump my ADB shot glasses in my room -- and this brings up a disappointing aspect of the Barge NLHE tourney this year. VERY FEW PEOPLE GAVE OUT BOUNTIES!!! I thought it was a Barge tradition -- when you're knocked out, you give the victor a small prize (mine was an Orange County, California pin -- pre- bankruptcy). Come on people, we can do better next year. I only received two -- from the two ADB'ers I knocked out: Fich & Bingo. Anyway, I come back downstairs, get congratulated by everyone in sight (thanks to all of you), and head over to the Nugget with Jerrod. The banquet was great, especially Tiltboy Perry's insertion of the "extra" slide into Phil's presentation. Give Phil credit, he handled it with remarkable aplomb. During the tournament Andy Latto told me that if I came in 3rd in the NLHE I'd win Best All-Around Player (which I did) and I got a nice trophy. Thank you. Getting to the Banquet early I sign up for 4/8 CHOSEL (after the banquet). I decided against Chowaha because, well, because I'm too thrifty to donate in a game I don't know. What a mistake. Instead of one game I don't know, we start with a game I thought I was learning -- Crazy Pineapple. I quickly donate $75 to Jerrod. Others, too, donate to Jerrod -- he's up at least $200 in CP. I also raise (that didn't work), call (that didn't work) and call some more (really bad). Folding worked OK, though. So around midnight I decide to get my check. As best as I can, here's the conversation: Me [to cashier]: "I put some money into a box from a poker tournament I won here today. I'd like a check for that." The cashier is different from the one I spoke to at 7:00pm. Cashier: "A check?" [Quizzical expression on her face] Me: "Yes, a check." Cashier [looks to back of cage] "Can we issue a check?" The cashier goes to the back of the cage and talks to a man in a suit who I hope is a manager who knows how to write a check. A couple of minutes later they come to the window, I repeat my conversation, and they agree that I can have a check. It takes 20 more minutes, including a trip to my room to retrieve my W-2G, but I finally get my check. The good thing was that I missed most of the stud high round in the CHOSEL game! I do nothing more in the CHOSEL game, and, around 2:30, cash out, and get some sleep. The next morning I take care of some personal business, and sit down in a 4/8 O8 game. Foldem is on my right so it's a good game (actually, Peter's a pretty good O8 player but the five locals who are seeing most every hand aren't). I take some money out of the game (enough to offset my nearly $200 loss in the CHOSEL last night), and Bill Chen, Jerrod, Andy and myself go up to my room (apparently the cleanest/neatest of the bunch) to play some cheap rubber bridge. Bill Chen has already mentioned (in a post) the hand where my partner (I think Andy) opens 1S and Jerrod overcalls 2NT (showing both minors). I'm looking at 8 clubs, AQJxxxxx. I innocently pass. I think Andy ended up playing 4S -- a poor contract I put him in because I thought the opponents could (and as it turns out, they would) make 5D. I also get to play Chinese Poker for the first time. I'm not too fishy and lose just $3. I head over to the Orleans (with Bill & Jerrod) to play in their Sunday night TOC LHE qualifier. First, I have dinner with a good non-poker playing friend (and his wife) at the Orleans coffee shop. I don't take many notes during the tourney (I guess I'm noted out). I do sit next to Chris Colby who doesn't get many cards. I go out when my AK loses to AJ. I reraise the AJ (from my BB). The flop, though, looks good for me but isn't: KQT. The turn is a K (making it worse for me). I can't see myself getting away from this hand but I'm basically done when it's over. Jerrod, by the way, ends up cashing in this tourney as do Patti & Dieter, I believe. So we head back to Binion's. I sit down in a 4/8 O8 game that breaks. But as I sit down a 2/5 PLHE game begins with Phil Hellmuth, Mike Laing, and two others I don't recognize. Bill Chen soon joins the game. I'm sitting right behind Bill who quickly takes chips from Phil & Mike. Then comes the hand (I'll repost what Bill has already posted in a condensed version): Phil raises (QT), Mike reraises (KJ) to $165. Bill says, "I hope I have aces," then looks and moves all-in. After some hesitation, Phil calls; after a lot of hesitation, Mike calls. Bill wins the pot and quits the game! After that hand, Mike has one $1 chip left (he was using it to protect his hand) and wants to gamble with it against Phil. Monday, I play some Omaha-8 while waiting for Jerrod and Ploink (who along with Gerry & Gillian had a r00ling Craps session and won $1200! at the Las Vegas Club). The player on my right buys in for $150 and manages to lose it in 28 minutes playing every hand. I, unfortunately, get 28 minutes of garbage during that time. We have lunch at Landry's (still good), drop off the Mazda, and head home to Orange County. One other vignette I didn't bring up was the water. Some of you who stayed at Binion's may remember a note that said that the water in the West Tower Rooms would be off for repairs one morning. Well, I caused that (sort-of). Wednesday morning, I get up and turn the shower on. I try to lift the lever so the shower comes out of the shower, rather than the tub, but it won't work. So I call down to the front desk and within 1 minute an engineer appears (good job, by the way, Binions). About fifteen minutes later he's replaced the tub faucet and the shower works. I thank him, but we're then both hit on our heads by a drop of water. We look up and notice a large rust stain on the ceiling -- where the metal plate is. So the engineer loosens a few bolts, but then a lot of water starts dripping down. Major water leak from 519 into 419. I get a new room, one without water leaks. Enough. I had a great time at Barge. Even if I hadn't won money in non-Barge activities and even if I hadn't won money in Barge activities I had a blast. This was my third Barge and, by far, the best. I could add up the moneys won but who cares! I come for the same reason that most do -- the people. I'm lucky enough to live in a poker heaven (Los Angeles) where I get to, on a regular basis, interact with some great people -- the players in our local home games. I get to play in games filled with people who apparently don't care about winning and are happy to donate to us poor, downtrodden Orange County residents. Put simply, Bargers are the best. If you've considered coming to Barge but haven't because of [fill in the blank], you need to try an ARG event. Barge is the biggest, but I hear that Marge (in Biloxi this fall, 11/8-11/11) is just as good. I want to thank everyone who came up to me and congratulated me -- but I think that might have been everyone at Barge! So I'll thank all of you, because without you I wouldn't have had such a good time. -- Russ Fox