From: "Ronald Nutt" Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:29:36 -0700 Subject: [BARGE] Trip report and thoughts Finally caught up with the emails, it time I put down some thoughts about it all. In my thank yous I forgot the Binions staff. Thanks guys! Highlights from BARGE 20: 1) Hit a royal flush on a 5cent Deuces Wild machine at the Main Street Station (where we were staying). 2nd year in a row that I've hit a royal on the first night in Vegas. 2) Did well in the BARGE tourneys, even cashing in the NL event, 13th for $220. Also finished 16th in the Badugi and made the final 4 tables in the TOC. Also did a good showing in the 6 game event also. My 3rd BARGE cash(with an ESCARGOT cash as well). 3) Tried the spam and eggs (cue Monty Python) at Magnolias. Haven't had it since I was a kid. Not too bad. Carol had the teriyaki strip steak and eggs. It was pretty good as well. Those Hawaiians know how to eat. Also enjoyed the Egg and I and I Love Sushi. Also tried Hash House a-go-go. My God those plates are Huge!!! 4) Nice to meet up with old friends. Hardly reconized Sabyl and Goldie. OMG guys well done. Carol asks if Goldie's brother has come to BARGE. I say no that's Goldie. No way she says. 5) Enjoyed Barry's speech and then proceeded to try and use his lesson at the reindeer games. 4-8 dealers choice. Ron G calls Crazy Pineapple. I attempt to use ASS (Always Start Slowly) but the deck doesn't cooperate. It hits me until I see stars. The rest of the table tries to use ACM (Always Call Morons) but I manage to out smart them by drawing out on them. 6) Get pictures from Rodney. Did I mention that he Rocks!! 7) The Sunday night after BARGE I was in Binions poker room. I hit 4 queens for $282. I also got pocket kings but failed to hit that quads for the same amount. The game breaks and as I was leaving the drunk woman sitting next to me asks if I'm going to the Nugget to play. "No, I'm going to my room." "You want some company?" "I don't think my wife would like me to disturb her sleep but thanks anyway." She gets unfriendly real fast. I head to the MSS and go upstairs. Carol is not there, the room is empty. If I had only known. :>) But then again it would have been awkward if she came in in the middle of it. It's around 1:30 AM and the Binion's room is empty. Mama, Barge is over!!! BEST BARGE EVER!!!! The only downside to the trip was the flight home. We were supposed to leave LV at 5:05PM. 3 things wrong with the plane and we didn't leave until almost 7:30, about the time we were supposed to arrive in Bellingham. No apologies, only a free bottle of warm water. Also the plane came from the hanger, not from somewhere else. You'd think they would have found these things out before bringing the plane over to the jet way.So instead of arriving home around 10:30 it was closer to almost 1AM when we got home. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My 2 cents worth on changes: Tournaments: No changes on the games. Continue to rotate unusual games on Tuesday. Keep the 6 game tourney on Thursday for at least another year. Buyins are reasonable. I wouldn't want to lower them and if they increased slightly it wouldn't bother me. Symposium/Banquet: 3 options come to mind. 1) Eliminate the symposium. Have the banquet on Friday night instead. Have a silent auction at the banquet 2) If possible have a breakfast buffet on Friday morning. Then start the TOC tournament at around noon and break at 5PM for the BOD and dinner. Or keep the symposium and have the break around 4. 3) Have a breakfast buffet on Saturday morning. Have Rodney do the group shot and then start the tourney. Break from 5:30 to 7 for dinner. Start the reindeer games at 7. Reindeer games: Have file cards and pens instead of a signup sheet. People write their game of choice and name. A volunteer can sort the cards by game choice or have boxes with the games on them. Shuffle the cards to randomize them. At 7 take the cards or box to the table and call out the first 8, 9, or 10 names depending on the game. If people are still in the tourney or don't show up within a few minutes their card goes to the bottom of the pile and other names are drawn. Dealer choice games should be 8 or 9 handed. If it's 10 handed some games can't be called or some people will have to sit out. I love BARGE the way it is but it could use a little tweaking here and there. Ron N A++ G+++ PKR+ PEG B++ TB-- ADB- M+