From: Stephen Carbonara Subject: [BARGE] My BARGE Highlights Trip report to follow (after I recover fully), however, I did want to post a few highlights, before they escape my tiny, little mind... First, it was great to see everyone again. And, I'd like to thank Chuck and Peter for putting this together, and making it a success. I know that a lot of effort went into organizing the event, and I, for one, appreciate it! Speaking of Chuck... my first highlight was busting Chuck out of the NL tourney (sorry, Chuck) with PRESTO, and a 5,2,2 flop. Unfortunately, I spew-ed away his chips at another table, when I busted out 20-something with AK . It will be hard to go back to playing limit poker, after spending most of BARGE playing Pot-Limit HE/PLO with Eric, Russ, Sippy, Quick, Andrew, and Frank, and all the other transients (including a few locals, who tried, in vein, to r00l us) that came & went. Mostly, I folded, and watched Russ' money make its way over to Frank - through Quick. However, I did hit one hand, and got to stack-off a local. Pocket Jacks on a J,4,x flop, where the local went all in, Andrew called, and I couldn't get it all in fast enough. Sippy, having played with me for 2 days, immediately knew what I had and got out the pot. Andrew called (he had 44), and the local stormed off after I tabled my hand - and drug the pot when the case 4 didn't come on the turn/river. The bulk of my time was spent at Bellagio, playing 15/30 with Eric. If you read Action-Bob's report, you already know about the idiot we had in our game the first night. We all tried to bust him, however, at the end of the night, he had most of the money - and a dent in his forehead, from being repeatedly hit in the head with the deck. . I did get to play in another 15/30 game with Cissy, and another local semi-pro. Highlight of that game was when the local kid whispered to another Asian local-rock, woman (loud enough for me to hear), "They're only in town for one f*cking week, and I can't get a f*cking hand." Showing up with BARGE badges, racks of chips, and cocktails-in-hand has a way of stimulating action :) Vince Lepore sat between Eric and I, the next day, and we had a good time in that 15/30 game. I won a monster pot with AQ in the BB. All day long, everyone took shots at my blinds, and I never woke up with a hand, and had to fold - making me an easy target. Not this time. I just had KK cracked, by a local who called my pre-flop raise with 45s, and spiked a 5 on the river (thanks for not raising me when I bet out, BTW) - and was hoping they would think I was defending on tilt. A local raised the pot after a limper, and was called in 2 spots before I found my AQ, and called. Vince called, and another local (who played almost EVERY hand) did, too. The flop came K,J,T rainbow - obviously giving me the nuts, and making me wonder how this would be pushed up my ass. The limper bet out, and was popped by the raiser. I just called, Vince hit it again, folded to the raiser, who raised again. I put the 4th bet in, and Vince called. The three of us saw the turn. The turn was a blank, and I bet. Vince raised, the original raiser raised, I raised - and we all saw the river for 4 bets. The river brought an Ace. I though for sure I'd be chopping the pot. I bet out, and was called by Vince and the raiser. When I turned my hand over, Vince threw his TT face up into the muck, and the raiser threw his KK, face up into the muck. *** SCOOP *** I needed a snow shovel to bring in the mound of chips. The local guy says to Vince and me after the hand, "You guys should have slowed down, and waited for the board to pair." Ha! That was my "hand of BARGE", and the end of these brief highlights. I'll try to compile a more thorough trip later, but I did want to share these now. I look forward to reading everyone's trip reports, and reliving memories of another great BARGE. When does registration open for next year??? -steve