Date: Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:57:51 -0600 From: Joe Long Subject: [BARGE] 2011 Trip Report Well, I just stumbled into work late after sleeping 14 hours and still not making up the sleep deprivation. But here goes. Arrive Wednesday morning and find that I was booked at 4Q from Tuesday, and when I didn't show they canceled my reservation. I had to pay for Tuesday anyway and I found out when I checked out that they charged me more than my original reservation (I'm going to contest the higher rate, but of course I owe them for Tuesday, that was my fault). Spread around some chips at 4-8 Dealer's Choice (my favorite live game), then on to the Lowbah tournament. Had one of those nights where by the middle you just feel that it's "going right down the rails." I was at or above average chip stack pretty much the whole time. Then with about 12 left it went south, and my stack dwindled so that when we got to nine -- paying eight -- I was the short stack, about to blind out. Someone proposed a save for the bubble (yay!) and then someone objected, so no save. But then I got lucky and doubled up a couple of times. I kept hanging in there as one by one the other players went out, including the one who objected to the save, until we got down to three. Now, this is not a bad beat story and it is a bit interesting: with the blind hand next I had just over one BB, and the blinds went up putting my stack under one BB. Then they raced off the black chips and I lost that race, so now I'm more below one BB. But at least I did get a decent hand and got a decent draw, so I beat one of the other two guys buy lost by one rank to the other. No matter, my first BARGE final table (unless you count EMBARGO) and a nice cash made me a happy camper. Thursday the CHORSE, and my team almost went bust but not quite. Then more DC, then the 6-game. This was my worst finish of the week, about 35th. Sort of an up-and-down night. Then more DC. Having a great time. Friday in the TOC I thought I might get another cash when we got down below 50, but my cards dried up and I finished in the low 30s. So after the symposium where Un bought me, some more DC, then off to Karaoke. Just before I left I was feeling frustrated at getting sucked out on a lot and did one my mini-Matasow blowups when I had a broadway but there were three clubs on the board. I asked "does anyone have clubs" and when no one said anything I tabled my broadway, a few seconds before clubs hit the table. Not a slowroll, he was still studying his hand and didn't hear me. But it set me off and I ranted and picked up my chips about five minutes before I would have left anyway. I did go back and apologize. BTW, I made a New Year's Resolution this year to not whine when I'm losing. I may actually succeed after Labor Day. Like maybe December 31st. Karaoke was great fun. A small but enthusiastic group. I was wearing my "Pink Panther" tee and I'd dyed my hair neon pink last Monday, so the MC began calling me the "Pink Panther." Main event: what a ride. I always feel a little more pressure in this event knowing someone else has money riding on me, but my "owner" Un was sitting on my right during most of the tournament. I never got that "going right down the rails" feeling this time, I struggled most of the day. I was almost always near or below average in stack size, never much over average. I finally got a propitious double-up when we were a few players away from the money, which got me into the money (top 18). I made a misstep at around 15th place where I raised too much after a blind change, had an all-in behind me, and had to give it up. Went card dead after that and finally shoved with JT and was called -- and then a third player with a big stack shoved. He showed his KK prematurely and the the floor was called, it was ruled inadvertent, so the remaining non-all-in player had the choice to call or fold. He folded. Then the flop gave me hope, especially since a triple-up here would give me a strong stack. I flopped Q9 for an open-ender! I'm rooting for the KK to make his set! But alas it was not to be, and I go out in 11th place. Still a great ride and a great time. At the banquet I'm just coming back from the rest room when I hear Nick announce that they have a new award this year, Best Hair. "And we have a tie -- Patti Beadles and Joe Long." Reindeer games -- what can I say? DC, of course. With Patti and Bree across the table. We made it a "must sing" table, whenever anyone scooped a pot they had to sing a song and then we'd all join in. What a blast. We were the last table of DC to break, one of the last standing past 4am, only a few minutes before I'd have had to leave anyway to catch my flight. So back to the hotel for a shower, then off to the airport. When I got to Denver, Kat and I went straight to a picnic so I didn't get home to go to sleep until late that afternoon. What a ride! It was definitely the "Best BARGE Evah" for me!!!! -- Joe Long aka ChipRider jlong@chiprider.com A++ G+ PKR+ PEG+ B+ M+