From: "Kevin" Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 20:21:55 -0500 Subject: Re: [BARGE] BARGE NL In the Money Recap. Here's my version of the final 2 tables. I've tried to proof read, but I am in a hurry, as I just got home and have to catch another plane tomorrow (and those things go pretty fast, from what I hear)! Please forgive the typos. Enjoy, Un The 2006 edition of BARGE (Big August Rec Gambling Excursion) took place in Las Vegas at the Venetian hotel this past week. There were several tournaments throughout the week including Lazy Pineapple, Lowball, 7-Card Stud Shootout, a team CHORSE event, and a "Tournament of Champions" style tournament, modeled after Mike Sexton's original Tournament of Champions, where Stud, Omaha High Low and Hold 'em are all played. The Championship event, a $100 buy-in No Limit Hold 'em tournament took place on Saturday, August 19th. It is quite easy to find a $100 buy in tournaments in Las Vegas these days, but this one was quite different from what one might expect to find at a random tournament. Though lacking the presence of former BARGE participants Howard Lederer, Phil Hellmuth, Eric Seidel, and 2000 Tournament of Champion winner Spencer Sun, this years' tournament exhibited another star-studded field. Participants included: Phil Gordon; Bill Chen (winner of two 2006 WSOP bracelets); Sabyl Cohen (the last woman standing, or should I say seated) at the WSOP 2006 Championship event; Andy Bloch runner up in the 2006 WSOP $50,000 HORSE event; Gavin Smith WPT player of the year; Perry Freidman (former WSOP bracelet winner); and Andrew Prock, an almost WSOP bracelet winner! The BARGE No Limit Hold 'em tournament has been called the toughest $100 tournament in the world, and rightfully so. 218 players were seated as event kicked off right on schedule. Yours truly exited with somewhere between 40 and 50 players remaining. 18 players made the money. It was a difficult accomplishment and all18 players are to be congratulated. Here's how the final 18 fared: Steve "BIA" Nissman was short stacked, and went all in in the dark. His 9-5 off suit went up against an A-5, and a board of two pair meant that the ace high was good. Nissman collected $150 for an 18th place finish. The blinds were at 1500/3000 with a 200 ante when, on Table 18, David Huberman made a 3000 pre flop raise. Don "Bingo" Rieck went all in from the BB for 7800 more and was called by Huberman. Rieck appeared to be in decent shape as he held AQ over Huberman's K7. After a board of 5s 6s Td 9d Jh, Rieck's Ace high allowed him to survive. Over on Table 17, Kyle Minnis went all in with A9 and was called by Tom "Tomcat" Overton's AJ. An ace flopped, but the final board contained no 9, and Kyle received $150 for his day's efforts. The next all in pitted Dan Goldman of Pokerstars (dot tape) against Bob Irons. Goldman raised to 13500 preflop and Irons went all in for 3200 more. Goldman called with Ac Jh, and Irons showed Ad Kd. The final board was 3h Qs 3c As 6d, and Iron's dominating AK kept him in the tournament. On Table 18 Frank "Harmonica" Brabec was all in against Corey Imsdahl (check Spelling). It was TT for Corey, but Frank showed KK. Corey received no help, and Brabec survived, at least for the time being. David Huberman was the next casualty as his AT was dominated by the AK held by Chic "Chick Magnet" Natkins. A king on the flop sent Huberman home in 16th place. Shortly thereafter, Rick Bevan exited in 15th and collected $200.00 after his AK lost to Natkin's QQ. Frank Brabec was moved from Table 17 to Table 18, and 14 players remained. Back on Table 17, Matt Repinski was all in against Sabyl Cohen and David "Heldar" Heller. After a flop of 2d Ts 8c, both David and Sabyl checked. The turn brought the Qs, and again the hand was checked by both players. David checked after the Kd fell on the river, but Sabyl moved all in. Heller folded, and Sabyl's showed AJ. Repinski also showed AJ, and the two split the blinds, antes, and Heller's chips. The big stacks on Table 17 were (approximately): David Heller - 68,400 Sabyl Cohen - 58,800 Adam Bachrach - 57,500 Andrew Prock - 31,800 While on Table 18 the approximate counts were: Edmund Hack - 55,000 Mordecai Schwartz - 47,000 Chic Natkins - 34,000 Don Rieck - 27,000 Frank Brabec - 20,000 Dan Goldman - 17,000 The blinds moved to 2000/4000 with a 200 ante. On Table 18, Bob Irons moved all in, and everyone folded to Dan Goldman in the BB. Goldman folds, and Irons showed JJ. On Table 17, Tom "TomCat" Overton needed chips. His T4 went up against David Hellers KQ. A king flopped, and Tomcat left in 14th place. Shortly thereafter on table 17, Matt Repinski moved all in for 3900 total with A8. Corey Imsdahl calls with K9 and after a flop of JK67K, Corey stacked the chips. Matt had more chips, so he avoided elimination on this hand. Over on Table 18, Dan Goldman moved all in with A4 and was called by Frank Brabec, who held TT. The flop was 3s Qh 4c 7c 7d. Goldman received no help, and was crippled by this hand. Meanwhile, on Table 17 Corey moved all in for 8100 from the button, and Adam Bachrach called from the BB. A7 for Corey, 62 for Adam. An ace flopped, and Corey survived. On Table 18, Chic Natkins moved all in with AKs, and Edmund Hack called with QJo. JS 4C 5h 9h x meant that Chic (one of the biggest stacks at the table) had been eliminated in 13th by an even bigger stack. On 17, Matt Repinski moved all in, and Adam Bachrach raised from the button. David Heller folded. It was AT for Adam, and Ac4c for Matt. The board brought Matt no help, and he was sent to the rail in 12th, collecting $250.00 Next, Dan Goldman went all in for less in the BB with K2, and Mordecai Schwartz called from the SB with As5d. The board was: A2JK9, and Dan exitted in 11th, just missing the final table. He received $250 - not bad, but hardly enough to even see a Binglaha flop if Sharon is in the game! We now have our final table: Seat 1 - Edmund Hack Seat 2 - Bob Irons Seat 3 - Don Rieck Seat 4 - Frank Brabec Seat 5 - David Heller Seat 6 - Andrew Prock Seat 7 - Adam Bachrach Seat 8 - Corey Imsdahl Seat 9 - Mordecai Schwartz Seat 10 - Sabyl Cohen The blinds remain 2000/4000 with a 200 ante. The big stacks are Hack, Cohen, Heller, and Bachrach. They structure dictates that the play will be fast and furious, and these players clearly understood that. Hand 1 Heller is the button, and the action is folded to Rieck, who goes all in. Heller raises, making it 20,000 to go, and Brabec and the blinds fold. Bingo has 22 and David has Q4o. The final board is 2s Ks 7h 6s 6c, and Bingo more than doubles up. Hand 2 With Prock on the button, Sabyl goes all in. Andrew calls. It's KK for Andrew and AQ for Sabyl. With no ace appearing on the board, Andrew survives and adds some much needed chips to his stack. Hand 3 Adam is now the button and Bingo goes all in for about 27,000. Everyone folds, and Bingo picks up another pot. Hand 4 With the button, Corey Imsdahl goes all in when it is folded around to him. He has Ah7d, and Sabyl calls with Jc5c. A final board of 6s Jh 8c 8d Kd means that Corey is first to exit the final table. The guy who busted me out gets a $250 reward for his 10th place finish. Hand 5 There's a level increase. We are now at 3000/6000 with a 300 ante. Life just doesn't get any easier as play moves on. Mordecai has the button, and he after everyone folds to him, he seizes the initiative and moves all in. Sabyl folds, but Edmund Hack calls from the BB. AdKh for Mordecai, and As9c for Edmund. The flop helps neither player, but a king on the turn gives Schwartz a pot of approximately 28000. Hand 6 Sabyl is on the button. Frank open raises to 15000 and everyone folds. Frank collects the pot, and shows AK. Hand 7 Edmund is on the button, and open raises to 18K. It must have been a pure bluff, because when Bingo raises 32k more from the BB, Edmund folds. Hand 8 Everyone fold to Bob Irons, who is on the button, and Bob goes all in for 7300. Bingo folds from the SB, but Brabec calls form the BB with 8d 4d. Irons has pocket 7s. The board brings no help for either, and Irons survives. Hand 9 Bingo is now on the button. Mordecai moves all in for 51000, and takes the pot when everyone folds. Hand 10 Brabec is on the button, and Adam moves all in for approximately 30000. Bob Irons calls for less, and David Heller moves in over the top. It's 66 for Adam, AJ for Irons, and pocket kings for Heller. The board comes 3QT24, and Adam retires in 9th, while Bob finishes 8th. Hand 11 David Heller is the button, with seats 2, 6 and 7 now being vacant. All muck to Mordecai Schwartz in the BB who flashes AQ, and takes the pot. Hand 12 With Andrew Prock on the button, everyone folds to him. Prock also folds, and Mordecai jams. When Sabyl calls, we see that Mordecai has Ac 8h and Sabyl has Kd4c A Board of 66AJT means that Sabyl (the last woman seated in the 2006 WSOP championship event) is also the last woman seated in the 2006 BARGE main event, but must now vacate that seat, finishing 7th. Hand 13 Schwartz has the button, but everyone folds, and Bob Irons gets a walk. Hand 14 Another level increase. We are now at 5000 10000 with a 500 ante. There's a dead button in the 10 seat, and when it's folded around to Andrew Prock, he jams approximately 35000. When no one calls, Andrews grabs the pot. Hand 15 Edmund Hack is now the Button. Heller open raises for 29500 total, and everyone folds Hand 16 Everyone folds to Edmund Hack, who moves all in from the cutoff. No one calls. Hand 17 Frank Brabec is on the button, but folds when everyone folds to him. Heller limps from the SB, and Prock checks. The flop comes 9s As 3c, and with possible post flop action for the first time at the final table, we are disappointed when both players check. An Ace of hearts on the turn threatens to finally produce some post flop action, but again both players cautiously check. A Jack of hearts on the river, and once again, no one seems excited. Both players check, and when Heller shows 8s 6c (nothing), Prock mucks. No wonder no one was excited! Hand 18 Heller now inherits the button, and open raises to 40000. The blinds fold, and David picks up some more chips. Hand 19 With Prock now having position, Frank Brabec jams his remaining 22,800. Heller, and Prock fold. Schwartz fold from the SB, and Edmund Hack, in the BB asks for time. He decides to call with 33. Frank shows 99. A board of TJA78 means that Frank picks up some much needed chips at Edmund's expense. Hand 20 Schwartz is on the button in seat 9, with Hack in the SB and Bingo in the BB. Schwartz may be a BARGE virgin, but he is no ARG virgin, having attended both FARGO and ATLARGE. When everyone folds to Schwartz, he moves all in, and Bingo calls for less (about 33,400). Mordecai has Qc 7s, and Bingo has him dominated with Ac 7d. Mordecai flops a queen, but can get no further help, as Bingo takes the pot. Hand 21 With Edmund Hack on the Button, Bingo is the SB, and Brabec is the BB. David Heller open raises to 40000 and Hack goes all in for less. Hack is dominated A3 vs. As4d, but small aces tend to result in split pots. A flop of Qs 2s Ks gives David a flush draw, but a Tc on the turn and a Td on the river yields the pre flop expected result of a split pot. Hand 22 Bingo grabs the button, and Andrew Prock moves all in under the gun. Heller calls. It's Ah9d for Andrew, and Ad3c for David. A flop of 3h As 3d, gives David a huge edge, and when the board is completed with the Th Qd, Prock is sent home in 6th, the victim of a brutal flop. Hand 23 Brabec is on the button. Everyone folds to him, and Brabec decides that now is not the time to die, so he mucks. Heller raises to 35000 from the SB, and Schwartz folds his BB. Hand 24 With Heller being the button, Schwartz is in the SB, and Edmund Hack is in the BB. Heller open raises to 35000, and after Schwartz folds, Hack decides that he doesn't mind risking all of his chips before the dinner break. It's Qh 9c for Heller, who is dominated by Hack's Qs Js. The board helps neither, and Hack gathers some much needed chips prior to grabbing some much needed food. After the dinner break, the final table now looks like: Seat 1 - Edmund Hack - 77,500 chips Seat 2 - Don Rieck - 66,000 chips Seat 3 - Frank Brabec - 36,000 chips Seat 4 - David Heller - 226,000 chips Seat 5 - Mordecai Schwartz - 31,000 chips. The players did not actually reposition themselves, but the seat numbers refer to relative position, which made it easier for me to take notes. With the level now moving to 5000 15000 and 500 ante, there would be no time to waste for Schwartz and Brabec. Hand 24 Schwartz has the button, but no one wants to play, and Rieck gets much needed walk. Hand 25 Hack is the button, and Schwartz jams after Heller folds. Hack folds. Bingo asks for time, and also folds. The leaves Brabec, who apparently, without much of a hand, also folds. Hand 26 Rieck is the Button. Schwartz folds, and Hack open raises to 30000. Everyone folds. Hand 27 Brabec is now the button. Heller open raises all in (he's got the huge stack, remember). Schwartz sees an opportunity to get some chips, and calls for less. Everyone else folds. It's 45 s00ted for Heller, and AQ s00ted for Schwartz. The flop is empty for both, and when Schwartz pick up a queen on the turn, he also picks up another nice stack of chips, as Heller is drawing dead on the river. Hand 28 With his newly acquired chips, Schwartz becomes the SB and Heller the button. Everyone folds, and Hack gets a walk with J8 off suit. Hand 29 Schwartz now receives the button. Brabec is first in the pot, for all of his chips. Heller decides that he wants to face Frank heads up, and also moves all in. Schwartz folds, but Hack asks for time. He rethinks, and folds. Rieck folds, and we see that Brabec has A5, while Heller holds pocket 9's. The flop is bad for Brabec, as both players completely miss, but an Ace on the turn gives Brabec the pot. Once the huge stack, it seems that Heller simply cannot catch a break at this final table. Hand 30 Hack has the button, and Heller is first to act. He folds, and Mordecai jams approximately 89000. Hack calls, the other's fold, and Schwartz shows 33, while Hack reveals AcTc. The flop comes Jd 6c Jh, which helps Schwartz, but the 3c on the turn seals the deal, and Edmund hack is first post-dinner victim, exiting in 5th, while Mordecai's stack continues to grow. 5th place paid $1,960.00 Hand 31 Bingo now becomes the button, with Brabec and Heller the SB and BB respectively. Schwartz open raises to 50k, and takes the pot. Hand 32 Brabec is the button. Heller is the SB, and Schwartz is the BB. Rieck, making no secret that he has gone completely card dead, grimaces in frustration as he mucks his hand. Brabec calls, Heller calls, and Schwartz checks his BB. The flop comes 6c 4c 9c, and neither Heller or Schwartz is willing to risk more chips. A 5s on the turn provides no further inspiration, and when the river is the 4h, everyone is content to show down their hands. Brabec shows Kc Tc. He flopped a flush. Heller shows Ad 3c, and Schwartz simply mucks. Brabec survives.. Hand 33 Brabec inherited the last pot, but Heller has now inherited the button. The lack of inspiration has carried over to this hand as well, and Bingo gets another walk. Hand 34 - 6:24 left in the round With Schwartz on the button, Heller has first action, and action is exactly what David has on his mind. He makes it 55000 to go. Schwartz folds. Bingo folds, but not before offering a sigh of continued frustration. Brabec folds, and David wins the pot, uncontested. Hand 35 - 5:10 left in the round. Rieck now has the button, and after Schwartz folds, Rieck jams for 48000. Both players fold. Hand 36 - 3:51 left in the round Everyone fold to Heller in the SB who wins the pot when his 55000 raise is not called. Hand 37 - 2:30 left to go in the round Brabec folds, and Heller once again applies pressure, making it 50000 to go. Schwartz folds, and Bingo mucks his 3-2 face up. Hand 38 - 1:20 left in the round Schwartz is on the button, with Hack in the SB, and Rieck in the BB. Brabec folds, and Schwartz asks Rieck for a chip count. Rieck has 39000 behind. Schwartz makes it 80000 to go, and both blinds fold. Hand 39 - :05 left in the round. Blinds will increase to 10k 20k next hand. Button = Hack SB = Rieck BB = Brabec UTG = Schwartz Schwartz folds. Hack folds. Rieck jams into fellow ADBer Brabec, who calls all in for less. Pocket 4s for Rieck, Kc 5s for Brabec. Board is 2c Jc 8c Kh 9h, and Brabec is forced to settle for 4th place and $2,350.00 Hand 40 - Blinds are now 10k 20k with a 1k ante Rieck has the button, and is first to act. SB = Heller BB = Schwartz All fold and Schwartz gets a walk. Hand 41 - 22:20 left in the round Button = Heller SB = Schwartz BB = Rieck Heller limps, Schwartz folds, and Rieck checks the BB. After a flop of 8c 2d Ad, Rieck jams about 20,500. Heller calls. The turn and river are Ts and 8h. Rieck's 7-2 beats Heller's Qh3h. While stacking the chips, Rieck claims that junk hands are all that he has been getting. Hand 42 - 19:25 left in the round Button = Schwartz SB = Rieck BB = Heller Schwartz jams from the button, and after Rieck asks for a chip count from Heller, Rieck folds, and Heller folds. Mordecai's aggression is rewarded. Hand 43 - 18:20 left in the round Button - Rieck SB = Heller BB = Schwartz Rieck begins the hand by jamming about 82k. Heller folds, and Schwartz calls the additional 62k. It's As 7c for Bingo, but Schwartz dominated him with Ah 9c. The flop of 5s 3h 4d helps neither player, and after a turn of 9s, Bingo is looking for a 2 to chop or a 7 to win. A river card of 3d is of no help to Rieck, and he finishes a solid 3rd. He receives $2,940. The action is now heads up between David Heller (1999 Virgin) and Mordecai Schwartz (2006 Virgin). Hand 44 (SB) Button = Heller BB = Schwartz With 16 minutes to go in the round, David Heller folds. Hand 45 >From the button, Mordecai makes it 60k to go. Heller goes all in, and it's 40,500 for Mordecai to call. With Ac4s, a call is certainly in order, and Mordecai dies the expected.. Heller shows Kh 9c, not a bad hand heads up, but an underdog in this situation. The flop is: Qs 2h Qd The turn is: (Qs 2h Qd) 3d When the Jack of hearts falls on the river, there is no suck out, and Mordecai Schwartz, the shortest stack at the beginning of the final table, is the 2006 BARGE No Limit Champion, collecting a $4,900.00 first prize. 2nd place pays $3,920.00. Congratulations to all of the players who made the money, and thanks to all of the players for allowing me to sit at the final table and make notes. I hope that this recap provides enjoyment for all who read it.