Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 01:05:25 -0700 From: Patrick Milligan Subject: [BARGE] BARGE 2004 Memories (long) I haven't posted a lengthy trip report since my 2000 BARGE Virgin experience, still online at http://www.oakleaf.com/family/ptm_barge.htm In light of the limited number of trip reports I've seen so far, it seems appropriate to inflict the list with my BARGE experiences this year. For those of you that want the view from 5000 feet, here is the the condensed version: -- I sucked at tournament poker (during BARGE week). -- I did OK at ring game play. -- BARGE 2004 was too short to do everything that I wanted to do. These points will be expounded in great and gory detail to the those who read the remainder of my "memories" report. Read on if you are interested. I drove to Las Vegas from Cupertino, CA. Since I needed to be there a couple of days early (to set up the tournament timer that was used for all of the poker tournaments), I started out early (10 AM) on Sunday, July 25th. While I was in transit, the BARGE Chip Committee (BCC) was sorting out chips and then holding their annual BCC NLHE tournament. The r00ler that I busted last year on the first hand (Russ Fox) went on to win the tournament this year. Too bad I didn't have a suited Ace to go up against his QQ this year. ;-) I went the "long way" via I-880 to I-680 to I-510 to I-5 near Stockton since the Gilroy Garlic Festival was in full swing. This probably added at least an hour to my driving time. Better that than the 30 minute "parking lots" approaching Gilroy. I had planned to have a driving companion and driver for the trip down to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, my home game friend Ken Zarifes (aka "Herfinator" online) bailed on me, so I was forced to make the drive solo. Thank God for "Books on Tape": I enjoyed most of Ridley Pearson's "Middle of Nowhere" on the trip down. I arrive too late to contact Timmer Stine (who is getting up at 5 AM to do to work these days), so I settle for getting checked in and looking around at the "new" 'shoe. Sleep comes easy after 9+ hours on the road. Monday, July 26th: I meet with Ben McGee, our tournament director, and get thing moving with respect to the setup needed for my Tournament Timer. A laptop computer had been loaned by Charles "ADB Chaz" Haynes for this purpose. (Thanks Charles!). While Ben is making arrangements, I sit in the $2/$4 Holdem game. I end the session up $40, which encourages me to sign up for the 2 PM NLHE Tournament. I buy in for $70, but decline the $40 Add-on. I had already more than doubled up at the break (thanks to a nut flush suckout), and none of my table mates added on. I regretted this decision as I went card dead. I ended up playing K 10 off under the gun only to get called by A 9 off in the big blind. He caught his 9 to seal the deal... I later sat in a r00ling $4/$8 Holdem game at the time that they were calling coupon numbers for the drawing associated with their 2 PM Holdem tournament. Too bad I didn't get any cards for this session. One "suit" was raising or reraising with garbage and continuing to bet or raise if he caught any piece of the flop (like bottom pair). Grizz gave me his ticket since he wanted to play in the Nugget tourney, but our numbers didn't come up. Down $9 when the drawing is called. Tuesday, July 27th: I have breakfast in the Binions Coffee Shop with Randy Collack. We talked about many topics, including the BARGE chips. Randy had made a stand in 2001, forming and leading the BARGE Chip Committee, whose purpose in life is to keep the BARGE chip tradition alive. I signed up at the start (in 2001) and I've had a blast each year being the creative spark behind the BARGE chips each year since then. I don't manage to play any ring games or tournaments today, getting ready for the Limit Triple Draw Deuce-to-Seven Charity event. I manage to survive past the first break in this tournament (outlasting Randy Collack), but I end up giving my BCC Bounty chip to Andy Bloch. Unlike many, I had actually played Triple Draw 2-7 at UltimateBet as well as in Patri Friedman's home game, so I wasn't a complete newbie. But I still suck at triple-draw. Stevan "Goldiefish" Goldman arrives and promptly buys 20 of the 2004 BARGE Lapel Pins. Goldie is my *very* best customer for BARGE Memorabilia. I'm happy to serve his needs. Thanks, Goldie! Wednesday, July 28th. I play a little in the $3/$6 HOSE game. It is filled with BARGErs, including Mike "Howler" McBride and others. Howler makes blind straddles and plays several hands blind, tilting the locals when he wins. I end up +$40 for this game. (Thanks, Howler!) Wednesday evening is the Team CHORSE event. I'm hacking the structure for the data used by my Timer since Foldem hasn't given me the game order until the last minute. My team ("Presto!) manages to place 3rd this time to the tune of a +$50 profit. That's with the flop table (Holdem/Crazy Pineapple/Omaha/8) being basically card dead for the entire event. Thank God for the Stud players! (Flashback to 2003: The Team Presto! flop players save the day as the stud players use up all of their chips in the final round. We ended up with a profit last year as well, even though the stud table had NO chips at the end). Look out for Team Presto! next year! We will r00l! You have been warned! Thursday, July 29th: Things get hopping with more and more BARGErs hitting town. I suck in the TOC, finding an initial tough table with Foldem and Greg Pappas, among others. One of these years, I'm going to *really* learn to play stud! [See below]. I also suck today in the $3/$6 HOSE, dropping $36. Oh well... WABOR! I'm off to the Rio for the Buffet and "Penn & Teller." I enjoyed the buffet (although I'm currently on the "South Beach Diet" which is low carb), and I very much enjoyed Penn & Teller. I'm a long-time fan. The last time I saw them live, they were a trio called the "Asparagus Valley Cultural Society" playing in a little theater in San Francisco. I'm told (from Kim S.) that Penn Gilette gets "twitchy" if you mention "Asparagus Valley". Too bad I didn't get the chance. ;-) Friday, July 30th: Have I mentioned that I suck at Stud? That's still true for the Stud Shootout. This is ironic, since the game that I used play in Las Vegas was $1-$3 Stud, back before I realized that poker was more than just "what beats what." I manage to collect some chips with a Queens full boat, but I give them back to Taki (Peter Caldes) and others when my draws don't get there. Don Perry seriously dents me when I get wired aces with no improvement (he catches a straight), and finally puts me out of my misery when I'm all in (for the antes), catch split jacks, and lose (again) to Don's two baby pairs. WAR! I attend the Symposium and buy back by action. I'm paired with Spencer "ADB Zorak" Sun, so I'm hopeful that at least one of us will do well in the NLHE on Saturday. I don't remember much of Friday past the symposium... I hung around to see the final table action of the Binion's evening NLHE tournament (when Barry "Mr. Raise" Kornspan made his brain fart with 55), and finally pull the plug on my timer so I can go to bed). [At the risk of committing blasphemy, I'd like to note that Presto (pocket fives) is a dog of a hand, when your opponent has an overpair, (or even over cards). Some have told me that I have a talent for stating the obvious! ;-)] Saturday, July 31st: I'm hopeful that my bad tournament experience of the week will be forgotten. Unfortunately, that was not the case for the NLHE event on Saturday. I bleed chips early with AKo in the small blind. "Big Al" Weber raises in late position, and I smooth call to see the flop. It is all hearts. After a check-check on the flop, I try to steal on the turn when the board pairs. I should have slowed down, but the river gives my a King for top pair, best kicker. I bet 500 only to have Al call me with the nut flush. Nice hand, sir! A little later, I'm under the gun with black pocket kings. I make a standard raise, David Heller Re-raises, and Steven "Marlin" Cohen makes another raise. I should have figured one of them for aces, but I'm short stacked and push all in. David tells me later that I'm drawing dead, since he mucked the two red kings. Cohen turns over AA in the big blind, and I'm gone... I sign up for the Binion's 2 PM tournament. (I know, I'm a glutton for punishment). Since I wimped on the $40 rebuy last time, I consult Howler for tournament advice. He suggests that I make the immediate rebuy this time, and I do. I see our "Virgin Queen" Asya in the same tournament and make a $5 last longer bet. I hope that it will encourage me to play g00t. (Wishful thinking). I see a bunch of fishy players and bide my time. A player to my left slow plays his aces and wins: I think this is not a good play. A little later, a short-stacked lady player pushes all-in and I push all-in with JJ. The slow playing player also calls. He has aces AGAIN! and the all-in has Queens. She catches a Q on the flop to triple up, but I don't catch a J to be saved from the aces. IGHN, and pay $5 to Asya. I played less than an hour in the BARGE NLHE; I'm out in the first 30 minutes here... (I must really suck at tournament play). I run into Beth Even and get a famous "Beth hug." I have a sinus headache, and beg off, planning to meet her at the PokerStars suite later. By the time I arrive, Beth is long gone. When I see her later, she is deeply engaged in conversation, so we don't connect. I make it to the banquet at the Four Queens and sit with Howler and friends. The sea bass is good, and I load up on Chardonnay + Cognac for the dinner + desert. I make a presentation to Paul Person for his input into the 2004 BARGE Chip design. I very much enjoyed Greg "Fossilman" Raymer's speech. I remember playing with him at FARGO 2002, when Tina "DILLIGAF" Gonzales sucked out on his slow-played aces. He has also consulted with the BARGE Chip Committee on image rights issues over the last few years. I head back to Binions to set up the timer for the final NLHE table, only to discover that they have gone ahead without me! I set up the timer for the final, heads up battle, and play tournament director when Ben McGee is called away. It is a blast to see the match between Frank "ADB NUT-Z" Brabac and Gavin "Raffi" Smith. I had hoped that "Tiger123" would win the match (since I'm a *BIG* Tiger fan), but he had busted out before I got back from the Four Queens. After the NLHE match is complete, I pack up my laptop and check on the Binions evening tournament. Still in progress... I head up to the Scotch tasting... I may have mentioned that I'm a big fan of Tiger123. He was a gracious host when I visited Atlantic City for an installation of my tournament timer software at the Trump Taj Mahal last year. He introduced me to the joys of single malt scotch. (Thanks, Tiger!) Tiger was holding court in the PokerStars suite. I had many samples of fine Highland Single Malts, and enjoyed the company of Tiger and others. [A side note: I have an inner ear condition that suggests that I abstain from caffeine, alcohol, and sodium/salt. I've been able to limit the sodium intake in my diet (1 out of 3). I'll probably never be an ADB due to this condition, but that's probably due to the fact that I'm a nice guy, not a "bastard." I qualify on the "alt" criterion, and in a suitable environment, I can be "drunken" with the best of you!] I returned to the poker room in time to pack up my second laptop (used in the Binions evening event) and signed up for a $4/$8 HORSEL game. For those of you looking for A-5 Lowball at BARGE, this is where I found it. After a certain point, since none of the remaining players liked to play either Razz or Stud/High, this became a HOLE (Holdem/Omaha-8/Lowball/Stud-8) mixed game. The game broke at around 4 AM, with a +$60 profit for me (after generous tokes). I opted out of the early morning breakfast, since I needed to drive back to Northern California on Sunday, and I thought it would be good to get some sleep. (I know: A foolish thought) Sunday, August 1st: I manage to grab breakfast in the Binions Coffee shop with Larry Stone. I've put off packing until after breakfast, so I'm late checking out to meet with Brian Goetz. He has offered to drive back with me, and we've arranged an 11 AM meet. It is after noon when I connect with Brian at the airport car rental return, and it is close to 1 PM before we get on the road to leave town. After 9+ hours on the road, I drop off Brian in Menlo Park and make it home just before midnight in Cupertino. Things I wanted to do, but lacked time and/or motivation: -- The shrimp cocktails at the Golden Gate -- The craps tour -- Microbrews at the Main Street Station (not on my diet, alas) -- Sushi at Main Street Station -- The Bellagio Buffet -- A visit to the Gamblers General Store -- A visit to the Gamblers Book Store -- NLHE Tournaments at the Orleans -- NLHE Tournaments at the Sahara -- NLHE Tournaments at the Gold Nugget Given my tournament experiences, it is probably just as well that I missed out of some of these events... ;-) I'm already looking forward to next year... --Patrick (aka "JazzLover" online) P.S. Many Thanks to Chuck Weinstock and Peter "Foldem" Secor for attempting to herd cats each year. And a big thank you to PokerStars and Paradise Poker for throwing money our way. Keep it coming!