From: pattib@gammon.com Subject: [BARGE] Trip Notes Obligatory Bad Beat Story and Travel Report Rolled Into One ----------------------------------------------------------- I generally don't start trip reports by describing the travel, but this one is unusual. On Monday, I haul my luggage, all 1723 pounds of it, to the office with me so that I can head straight to the airport after work. I go out for lunch with Kevan Garrett, and stop by the bank to grab cash for the trip. Whoops! My ATM/debit card is missing. Ruh Roh. Oh shit! I used that card to buy an e-ticket for Vegas, and a quick call to the airline lets me know that they aren't going to let me on the plane without the card, or proof that it was mine at the time I made the reservations. I call BofA, and they cancel the card, but they can't fax me anything to help with the flight. EEK! I scamper home, dig up the bank statement with the charge on it, and somehow manage to get on the plane without them asking for the card at all. Bad beat for BARGErs, though-- no ATM card for Patti during the week. Good Beat --------- Three low money finishes in tournaments-- 4th in blackjack, 11th in the stud shootout, and 13th in nolimit holdem. I have no clue how I managed to win my stud table, since I suck at that game. Most Fun You Can Have For $20 ----------------------------- (No, not a lap dance.) Giving out fish calls and fish tattoos. The best part was when a gaggle of dealers mobbed me in the poker room downstairs, giggling and chattering as they picked out their favorite colors. Best Play with Someone Else's Chips ----------------------------------- Bill is playing Jerrod's chips at razz. At one point, I have a really ugly looking board but decent down cards, and I suspect my opponent's hand is far worse than it looks. I'm contemplating a sixth street call when Bill pipes up, "I'll pay you $5 if you suck out on him." I call, then win the hand. Bill dutifully tosses me a chip from Jerrod's stack. Best Drunken Performance ------------------------ Spencer Sun, aka the newly christened ADB Zorak. He was so drunk that he was falling out of his chair, but still managed to beat Bill Chen in two $500 lowball freezeouts. Second Best Drunken Performance ------------------------------- The very same ADB Zorak, "helping" me play my hands in the 4-8 CHORSEL game on Saturday night. He'd look at one card, I'd look at one card, and then we'd vote on what to do. Somehow, I managed to only be stuck $200 after playing this game for nine hours. At least 20% of that was tokes. But we won the lowball hand where we snowed with three eights and the bug. Best Crowd ---------- All of the BARGErs. BARGE was a bit smaller this year than in previous years, and so it felt more intimate and close-knit to me. There were several wonderful newcomers, but I enjoyed the fact that most of the people there were people that I already knew already, either from online or from previous events. Best Backgammon Pigeon ---------------------- Pigeon is backgammonese for fish. Nissman is backgammonese for somebody you want to have across the table from you. Best Dinner ----------- The steakhouse at Binion's. Mmmmmm. I'm glad you thought of that, Mitch. Best Place to Find Scotch ------------------------- Go to the fifth floor of Binion's, and follow your nose to the smell of smoke and brine. Tiger and I had rooms right across the hall from each other, and between us we had eight different singlemalts available for sampling. Stupidest Idea -------------- Booking a 6:30 a.m. flight on Monday morning. Saving $20 seemed like a good idea at the time. Worst Degenerate Gambling Experience ------------------------------------ Sunday night at the Orleans, Ploink and I are sitting at a video keno bank next to the poker room, chatting. Suddenly, an Idea strikes. "Here, put $10 into the machine, and $10 here next to the machine. I'll do the same." "Huh?" "Video keno race to the felt. First one to bust takes the side bet." As several BARGErs look on, we start madly pounding buttons on the nickel video keno, swearing up a storm every time we hit even the smallest payout. I out-strategize Ploinkie on this and win the first bet, but he beats me in a rematch. Net for two sessions of this: Orleans +$40. On Binion's ----------- I have to say... the Horseshoe treated us very well, and I think it's still a nearly perfect location for us. I wish that they would stop being assholes to a few RGPers and the World Series, so we could stay there without the politics.