Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 16:59:56 -0600
From: Joe Long
Subject: [BARGE] ChipRider Trip Report

This has been a busy week.  But I'm finally getting around to writing
what will be a brief trip report.

Arrive Tuesday, check into The D (old Fitzgeralds).  All I need is a
place to shower and sleep.  Played a little 4-8 HORSE before the Lowball
tourney, up a bit.  All week people asked me about why no dyed hair this
year:   because some nutcase who committed murder at a theater in
Colorado was showing up on TV with dyed hair, I felt uncomfortable about
it just now.  Got about halfway in the tourney, then played some 4-8
Dealer's Choice until 3am.  Down a bit.

Wednesday, missed Egg & I but played in the Binion's 10am tournament. 
Chopped for first place.  Lost some at HORSE, then another half-way or
so run in Pot Limit Binglaha.  Finished with some more DC, down a bit. 
While playing I got recruited by Peter to play on the McLibtards team
for CHORSE.  I wasn't going to play this year, but how could I resist that?

Thursday, CHORSE.  The McLibtards gave me a blue "Liberal" button to
wear, I was an Honorary Liberal for the day.  They had someone playing
Crazy Pineapple so I took Razz.  Increased my stack during the first two
rounds, but got only one playable hand in the last round and lost that
one.  Still in the black a bit, though, in my time in the box.  Our team
was ahead going into the final NLHE round, but the all-in fest on the
last hands took away the trophy.  That story's been told elsewhere.  We
did make a profit, though.  I moved to the Nugget because Kat was
arriving that night.

Up a bit in HORSE before the tournament, another mid-pack finish in
6-game.  Then the first serendipity of the week:  Kat  wanted to go eat
when she got there and I wasn't hungry.  So instead of going with her, I
said I'd see if a DC seat was open and she should come get me after she
was finished.  That led to this:

We were playing 4-8 "murder."  I played a hand with a 5 and one 5 came
on the flop in the middle row.  On the river two fives came, on the top
and bottom row, giving me quads.  I also had low so I scooped a nice
pot.  Then on the next hand Scott on my right in the big blind is
encouraging me to straddle.  I never straddle, but I was feeling high
from the quads and said "Oh what the hell" and straddled.  Then as the
action comes around he says "I'll call because  Joe will never raise his
straddle."  Well, I couldn't resist, I raised.  Then it got capped and
five of us saw the flop for $100 in the pot before the cards came out.

I had prospects so with the large pot I stayed in.  I had a nine and a
ten (I forget the other two) and the  river came 9-9-ten.  I was afraid
of a bigger full house so I just call, and as I table my cards I declare
full house and say "I hope there isn't a bigger boat out there."  Then
someone says "You have quads."  I say "I do?" and see the case nine was
on the other row on the turn, I'd completely forgotten about it in my
relief to see that I'd filled.  There was no low, so another scoop.

So that was two quads in two hands, in a game that I was only in because
I decided not to eat with Kat.

Friday, TOC.  Another so-so run.  This year was not good to me in BARGE
tournaments.  Down a bit again playing DC after.

Saturday, the other (BIG) serendipity.  I'd qualified in an online
tournament on the legal subscription site "Face Up Gaming," a tournament
which had a seven-day Card Player poker cruise as prizes.  But it was
running Saturday afternoon so I wasn't going to be able to play it. 
Well, I went out of NLHE early, after a little over two hours, so I was
able to play the online tournament after all.  And I won a cruise plus
$500 cash.  The cruise does not include airfare, but the $500 covers
most of that.  So Kat and I are going Sep. 15th, a Western Caribbean
cruise on the "Oasis of the Seas."  (Pickles is sailing on the same cruise.)

Kat had a great run in NLHE, but finished 18th with 16 paid.  We were
paired in the calcutta and I'd been telling people that she was a strong
tournament player, that she'd do better than I would.  I like to joke
that I taught her everything I know about poker, then she learned more. 
(She doesn't like me to say that.)

After the banquet Kat decided to play a little video poker, and she put
in a Benjamin.  She thought she was playing ten-cent, for 18 plays per
pull, but  she'd had a bit too much to drink at the banquet.  She was
playing dollars 18 plays per pull.  In about five minutes she wondered
why the hundred was gone, then saw what she'd really been playing!  She
decided to go back to the room and take a nap before playing live, then
was out for the night.

I was up a whopping twenty bucks in the Reindeer Games, playing until
4am.  Had a great time at it as usual.

We didn't fly back until Monday morning, so we got to go to the
Goldman's party.  Later we checked out the Ariat and played some 1-2 NL,
but I find that place gloomy and somewhat depressing, so we didn't stay
long.  Then an uneventful flight home, and another great time in the ol'
memory banks.

Thank you organizers, Binions, and everyone who had a hand in making
this such a great experience.


-- 
Joe Long  aka ChipRider
A++ G+ PKR+ PEG+ B+ M+