From: Monte Christensen
Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2013 17:05:13 -0700
Subject: [BARGE] Barge trip report

I had planned to get to Vegas on Tuesday night and stay 3 nights at the 
mirage and 2 nights downtown.  I had some work stuff come up that made 
leaving on Tuesday out of question.  I moved the flight to Wednesday 
morning.  I called the  mirage and changed my reservation.  
Luckily I did that as otherwise they had only booked the room for Tuesday and 
Wednesday.  I had a 3 room comp offer I had used so I have no idea how they 
only booked 2 nights.  I meet Steve at the airport and we catch a 
cab.  There is a long checkin line (looks like 15m).  I never check in 
if there is a line and just leave my bags and get a key around 4-5am.  
Steve doesn’t like this plan so we wait.  I could have played some BJ and 
had a drink while waiting.  I plan my Barge trip all year.  I had 
meant to bring my ADB hat and Alcohol Hawk for BAC testing.  I also left my 
bust out gift (some smoked salmon from Seattle) on my bed.  At least I have 
my bankroll.  I used 2 SW free drink coupons on the plane so I am +2 beer units before we hit the strip.

While Steve puts our bags in the room I head to the 
tables.  I am going to play some BJ today.  Steve plays at mirage 
poker room.  I find a $25 game and get a $1k marker.  I play for about 
3-4h.  At one point steve and John walk up and I order a round of patron 
shots.  They aren’t even playing but no problem they say.  I had 5-6 
beers and then we go eat dinner at the Pizza kitchen.  I have a comp.  
Steve gets a $10 newcastle beer.   When the check comes I sign the 
comp.  I think both Steve and John thought I was adding a tip but I didn’t 
and you can’t tip with comp points that I am aware of.  After dinner I head 
over the HL room to play some more BJ.  The $100 table is open so I sit 
down and get a $2k marker.  I lose that in about 10m and then sign another 
one.   If you want to drink/gambol the HL rooms in vegas are 
great.  They have a private bartender and you just ask for a drink and the 
pit calls and it shows up.  I order a few more parton shots and start 
drinking double stoli/cran drinks.  About 11:00 or so John comes over and 
plays a few hands.  I think he bought in for $100 and plays a few 
hands.  I bet all of my remaining chips and have to split and double.  
I was going to take another marker but they haven’t process my other ones so I 
pull out $2k and  buy chips.  I win both hands when the dealer 
busts.  I start to win and build up some chips.  I decide to not stack 
my chips but put them in a pile.  I am betting between 100-800 with wild 
bet changes.  I often bet rainbows of black/green/red/blue saying it is good 
luck.  The casino hosts who comped dinner comes by at 1 and is shocked I am 
still playing (3h later) and have 2-3 drinks on the table.  I have been in 
vegas for about 8 hours and I have had 10-15 drinks and bought $7k in chips so 
he leaves a card.  John finally loses his chips and goes to bed.  I 
was going to play until 3 and then hit the palace station where I was barred at 
last Barge and the pit boss posted the story on the forum.  Out of nowhere 
that I could see the casino manager is behind me @ 2:30.  I just finished 
another shot when I hear, “Mr Christensen”.  This doesn’t sound like the 
bartender.  She says she is the casino manager and I am flat bet for 
BJ.  I tell her I am too drunk and need to go to bed anyhow.  “Good 
night” she says.  I get back my markers and leave with $1.8k in chips or up 
$800 for the day.  I had played at Bellagio, and Monte Carlo in February 
with no heat at $100 tables.  Maybe too much time is my problem.  Oh, 
well I can’t play at MGM with my card anymore or 
credit.  I actually just head to bed as I probably have had enough to drink for one day.
I get up Thursday and go jogging.  I have to drink water at a few casinos as I job from the Mirage to near downtown and then come back.  I play 15/30 O8 at the Venetian and lose chips slowly for $375 loss.  I then head over to the Bellagio and play some 20/40 HE for about 3-4h.  I lose almost every pot.  I see one player who is winning and she is playing every hand.  Old Bellagio players are berating here on every suckout.  I have AA and 3 bet pre-flop and bet the flop of: q-4-2 - she calls6 - she calls6 - she check raises me
She said 6h8h is her favorite hand.  Old local mentions can you believe that sh#$&.  I laugh and love her playing that way.  I dump $890 in this game only winning 2 small pots. 

We have dinner at the noodle bar.  Casino manager was nice enough not to charge for room or take away my comp points.  I mention to Steve and John to make sure they leave a tip.  ;-)  After dinner they head back to Mirage to play 1-3.  I put my name on the 20/40 list which is quite long and only 1 40/80 doesn't look to inviting as even I know most of the players.  I decide to play/drink some more.  I catch a cab to the Orleans.  They have the lucky ladies sidebet.  I check Stanford wong's CBJN before I leave.  I love this side bet.  In seattle you can be up to $300 at any point.  This is a total sucker bet but it can get to +10% edge around 5% of the time and you don't have to be it every hand.  I get to the Orleans and see a sign that says max side bet is $25.  I usually bet $300 on BJ and $150-300 on the side bet.  Orleans is fairly empty but they do have video poker with Newcastle on tap.  I play $20 and order 2 20oz beers.  I win $20 at VP and head to the BJ pits.  I buyin for $500 and plan to play $25-300 and maybe $400 as that is what they can usually handle.  I win a little over $1100 when I get 2 BJs in a row with $150 and then $250 on them.  The penetration is really odd here.  Some dealers deal only 1d others are dealing 1.5d.  I am pretty sure the casino policy is to cutoff .7 of a deck.  I swing by the video poker bar and play 3 hands of VP and get another pint of beer.  I can't quite finish before the cab comes but give my glass to the valet parker as I get into the cab.  I decide to head back to the Palace Station.  This place really is a dump but they do have the 8th rated BJ game in las vegas using the score system.  I plan to stick to the $25/200 ratio here as this places really sweats all action and they barred me last year in 2.5h when I had 13 drinks in that time period.  

I get a big count right away and bet $175.  I get 66 and split against a 3.  Another 6 comes out.  I end up with 3 16s and dealer has 13 and gets 23.  I see pit boss head right to the phone.  Count is down so I bet $25 and he comes back to look at that.  I could care less about this dump so I will just play for a bit.  I see 2 more pit bosses come over.  I have been here less than 15m.  I decide to flat bet.  I initially ordered a shot and beer.  When boss comes by I order a black coffee and a mineral water.  I realize I have the same Man U jersey and hat as last year.  I notice the dealer has moved the cut card up to 1d instead of the station casino normal .5d policy.  I flat bet for 15m with bosses standing right there.  When I color up the casino manager walks over and mentions I am barred from BJ.  He respects me trying to make a living playing 21 but not to come back and keep it professional.  I don't say much and just leave.  I guess I was too noticeable last year?  (Who would have thought so) It is 4:00 and I cab back to the Mirage.

We head downtown on Friday morning in time for the tourney.  TOC is may favorite tourney but I just don't get many hands. I do make a steel wheel when I am all in but only get 3/4 of the pot.  LOL.  I never have more than starting chips and when I do get my hands on I am always 2nd best.  I bust out early and I owe John, Steve, and Oliver buffet at the GN.
The only highly rated BJ game downtown is at the El Cortez.  Since you can't find poker games that I like downtown I will play some BJ and then come back for the $500 hoser event.  At the El Cortez we are playing pretty crazy.  Bets ranging from $10-300.  John and I do pretty good.  I get blackjacks on a bunch of hands and end up winning $1400 before we need to meet Oliver for dinner.  Steve is still in the tournament by some very bad beats he performed I would guess (LOL).  After dinner I play some 4/8 HO.  I tell myself I will try and play normal but when I play 4/8 I just end up straddling, going for suckouts, and not really playing poker.  Nothing new at this game and I lose $70 before time for the hoser tourney.  

I made last longer bets with Bill Chen and David Kluchman for $100 each.  Dave is a no-show for this event so I have booked a $100 bet against what I would imagine is by some margin the best player against the only player drinking consistently here.  This tourney was a lot of fun.  I notice the level of play was quite high form my estimation.  Everyone was positive and funny.  I sit next to Bill for quite a bit of the tourney and Sabyl.  In the middle I pick up some good O8 hands.  I don't play any Razz hands other than blind steals.  We play hose as nobody likes Razz and HO is my most common game.  When we get down to 1 table I get another pretty good hand when I have AA2 split and Kenny has split kings and neither of us improve and win a pretty nice pot.  Bill has a cold run of cards and ends up 4th.  I can't remember who came in 3rd but I somehow luckbox into 2nd.  Scott Byron has about 85% of the chips or more.  Even when I am all in with a pretty good draw if I scoop I would only have 25% or so.  But I don't hit on 2 cards and I get 2nd.  I hope this tournament happens each year as I would play every year.  From what I saw I had more beer than all other 16 players combined between 8-2.  I think about bed but decide to play 2-3h more at the El Cortez.  I win another $300 but only have 2 more beers before bed time.  This is first Friday and between El Cortez and 4Q I see 15 cop cars and lots of arrests.  A cop takes my beer saying these 2 blocks you can't drink.  I have had 15+ beers so no problem officer as I stumble home.   I am too worn out to even run on Saturday.  I get to the tourney just in time and find David Heller is at my table.  Only 2 players from Seattle area play right next to each other.  David helped consult my on my legal standing when an Indian casino in Seattle backroomed me by force and was going to keep my cash/chips.  He also is a former Barge champion.  The table was fun and I get to remind ADB BigBoy the home brew he promised me for some software discounts has not arrived in Seattle and Bruce promises to make good.  I don't get too many hands and bleed off some chips while drinking a few beers.  I get moved to a new table and shortly I pickup KK with about 2.3k left.  I raise and Nick calls from the SB.  Bob herlein goes all-in.  I can raise all in and Nick calls. Nick- Q10 (I think but definitely a Q)Bob - A8me - KK
Flop Qxx, turn Q (I go home now), river x

I see that Nick hit the money so he did better than I probably would have with the only 2 bargers with that sounding last name.  I had beat Nick on a total suckout on O8 tourney at Embargo to win eventually, so I get it.  Nick is a great guy also though needs to working on drinking form with that last name!  I do win my gold for goldie bet and it is nice when he is at your table so you just collect on the spot.  I also gave $50 to Peter for some ADB last longer bet.  Given that I am the main member of the "D" team I have no idea what I paid for or if I get any return.  I have played at every Barge since 1994 (luxor) and never cashed.  That could be a record in and of itself.  So many drinks so few cashes.   John and I eat at the Binnions bullpen.  Michael Maurer joins us and we can use up all of John's comp points from playing poker.  We are heading back to the El Cortez before banquet.  Steve will join us soon.  When Steve gets there we start drinking pretty heavily.  We want to order Patron shots.  The waitress says they don't have that.  I know they do you just have to get a boss permission.  We talk to pat a young PB and he knows I am already in $1300 so he approves it.  We keep ordering round after round of patron.  After the 3rd round a 25y old supermodel shows up with a 45-50 man.  He is playing 2 hands as $10 and gave her $60 to play $10 a hand.  She is really flirting the part and obviously exposing her assets to everyone around including us and the older man.  The gentlemen gets up a few times for 20m and then comes back.   Steve and I talk quietly about their situation.  We assume she is a paid escort.  After they leave the pit boss comes to talk to us.  She wants to know what we said.  We mention maybe she was working.  The female pit boss says he came in with another women and was playing back and forth at 2 tables with them.  I am now thinking if this was an escort why bring them to the El Cortez?  What do you drink more than me.  We also see Michael at the Cortez.  They have some ATM rebate deal he has figured out is +EV.  I skip that and keep playing.  The 4th and 5th round of patron shots arrive.  I am working my way to almost even.  When the 5th round arrives Steve spills the whole thing.  Patron running all over the table.  Some patron ends up in the discard tray.  Cards standing in a puddle of patron.  I would have taken a picture if they allowed that.  When I turn to ask the waitress for a towel Steve pounds my shot.  WTF?  We laugh.  We decide to leave.  Steve and I get lost and end up at craps.  We roll so many 7s I lose $750 in 15m (I am so drunk I think I bet yo, horn, hardways, hop bets) but only 7s roll.   As we are leaving the casino manager asks where we are going and will we be back.  (Funny when I left the Mirage and Palace Station they didn't seem to care I was leaving) We txt John we will be at the banquet around 6:30 and hold a seat.  I mostly drink water and for the first time in my life I had no drinks at dinner at Barge.  I am pretty drunk during the banquet that I can't here my name in the song but I was told it was there.  
I talk to Bozo during dinner looking at pictures.  He mentions he wants to play in my 4/8 game.  I am not sure that was a compliment.  I also compliment him in person for his total destruction of me on the exact electoral college votes last fall.  I remind him how bad the country is because of that but I am not sure he agreed or I didn't slurrrrr my speech so bad he couldn't understand WTF I was saying. I wish Northshore good look at the final table.  He is the only guy who likes soccer/beer as much as me!    After dinner we play some more at the Cortez.  I have bought a cigar and we share it.  Dealer can't believe this.  We have known each other 22 years and we are so drunk we don't care.  We order Patron shots (of course).  The new waitress says we can't have any here.  I ask the pit boss he says, "Hell, they had 50 this afternoon why would I cut them off now".  We laugh really hard.  This is the same table where Steve spilled earlier and you can see/smell the tequilla.  LOL  He sits down and talks to us.  He pretends to give us advice like taking even money on BJ with a 8 up and standing on 4-3 so you don't take the bust card.  We laugh.  We are more moderate after dinner and only have 3 more shots and 4-5 double drinks.  I was in $1500 and then start winning.  I have $2k in black chips before I know it.  By 1:30 I am pretty drunk and kind of tired.  4th night in Vegas can be like that.  I tell steve one more good count we jack up our bets and then leave.  They have quit calling our checks play.  Earlier even if I bet $100+ they would call checks play.  I bet 2 hands at $245 each and steve bets 2x$175.  I use to see Steve only bet $50 max.  I almost fall out of my chair (for at least 2 reasons).  We get 4 stiff hands.  Dealer has a 10.  I hit A-4 and get a 6 to push on the hand.  All of the rest bust.  I win $650 and steve loses $350 or so.   Overall barge is great every year.  Sorry to see some old friends pass away and some who don't return.  I always enjoy when a barger comes to Seattle and we play poker or have a drink (or two).  I also notice when I get home that I have $8 in chips from Binnions so I have to come back for Embargo.  I am starting my usual 30d post barge on the wagon program.  (Don't laugh last year I made it 8d)   Monte