Well another Barge (Big Rec Gambling Excursion) poker weekend is in the books. I had a blast getting together again with 200 + new and old chat frendz. One again I was not disappointed with my experiences at this outing.

I showed up Weds night as soon as I could logoff and get out of here (my current extended stay hotel and office). I was able to get to Binions Horseshoe (downtown Vegas) in about 15-20 mins. In another 15 mins I had managed to check into my hotel room and drop off my bags. Before I knew it I was sitting down a poker table playing poker with several old chat frendz.

Nothing substantial happened right away other than I decided to move between a couple games trying to find the most optimal and fun cash game to play in. I was sitting besides my good buddy Marc "The Occupant" Gilutin when Dave Fruchter showed up and said Hello to us. I quickly asked Dave if anybody had pointed out Maverick (online super jerk) and he said no so I pointed out Mav to him and got an instant $100- pre-determined bounty. DING, this was without a doubt the quickest and easiest $100- I have ever made in my life. One of the best parts of it too was the rest of the Barge weekend anytime Mav saw me he asked where his cut was BWAHAHA (Mav would have received $200- if he was the first to introduce himself rather that somebody else pointing him out to Dave Fruchter).

I must admit that the $100- bounty helped me out as I lost $21- playing cash games before my first official Barge event team Chorse. In this team event I played three hands all night as the Holdem leg of the Chinese Poker Rulerz team. I was drafted by this team who was last years team Chorse champs. This year we sucked and lost all our buy in in $70- per person plus a $10- last longer with Don Perry's team, which was a major bummer ;'((

So on Thursday morning at 11 AM I was set to make some amends in my first individual tourney effort. It was the TOC event based on the old Tournament of Champions event that rotated between the three poker games of Holdem, Omaha 8 or better, and Stud high. This was another $70- buy in event and I played a pretty solid game and was rewarded by my patience and not losing too much at my weakest game stud. In fact, I was fortunate to make it to the final table of this event!!!

This was a great accomplishment especially when I was rather short stacked when we were down to two tables. I waited very patiently when I was getting no cards at all. Finally I got so short stacked I had to take a stand with K7 off against Ploink's pocket sixes (two sixes in his hand) and I was able to double thru him when I hit a seven on the river card (last card dealt). Once again I had to wait awhile longer for some playable hands. Finally when Bulbert made a substantial raise I found pocket Kings and moved all-in. Jim folded to this raise but this made me very healthy again.

Before I knew it we were at the final table and I had an average stack. The very first hand I got pocket Kings again. I raised it to $20k when the blinds were $3k & $6k but I got no callers. In hindsight perhaps I raised it too much here but at least I didn't loose with this nice hand! I still wasn't getting great hands but was able to semi-steal a few blinds with AJs and pocket 8s when I everybody folded to my raises. On the pocket eights hand I pushed all-in and Barry T almost called me with what he told me later was Q9s.

About two to four hands later I was dealt two Jacks and I raised it to about $12k or almost half my stack and Barry T moved all in. I thought for about a sec then decided to call. He had something like A10d and the board came with no Aces Tens or Jacks and one diamond. The turn brought another diamond but the river was a blank and I busted Barry out as he had the exact same amt of chips as I had when this hand began.

Now we were four handed as Dave Fruchter (big stack), Bulbert (smallest stack), Ploink and I (we had similar stack sizes) continued onward. Soon afterwards Bulbert who was obviously looking for a hand moved all-in when I was in the big blind (blinds were $5k & $10k. Everybody else folded to me and look down at two fours in my hand. I went into the tank thinking about what hands Jim might actually have here. Normally this isn't the best spot to call an all-in bet with such a low pocket pair. But something told me after studying him that I had a much better hand and when I looked at the prizes I saw that the difference between fourth and third place was only a couple hundred dollars so I called this bet (I also had a little less than a 2-1 chip advantage against Bulbert here).

Jim turned over pocket and twos and was certainly not happy to be called with my two fours. On the flop Jim got now help but the turn brought a very ugly two and I got no help on the river thus doubling up Jim instead of eliminating him when I began this hand as a huge favorite. From there the blind basically ate me up and I had to take a stand with a less than perfect hand and I lost thus busting out fourth in this tourney. I hated losing that pivotal hand against Jim but felt great about my days play and my $1,300- payday in the end!

I played in two more tournaments and several more cash games over the rest of the weekend. In the stud shootout tourney I was at a big disadvantage against Peter Secor and Scott Byron and the other players at the table who knew this game way better than me. I definitely gambled it up too much and busted out sixth place at our table. In the NL HE event I played extremely well considering I was dealt very few playable hands. I ended up busting out 88th out of 206 players. The highlights were raising with my best hand Pocket Aces only to not getting called at all. After patiently waiting for a hand getting AKo and jamming with it only to get a split pot when my opponent's AQo got lucky when a second pair hit on the river. And finally when I was very short stacked not even looking when I was in the big blind playing against the little blind shoving in with 26o and doubling through. Once again I had to take a stand soon afterwards with 73o when I was in the big blind and did not have enough for another orbit (round of poker) and my opponent dominated me with his K7o and busted me out of this final event.

I still had a wonderful time and got a chance to enjoy scotch tasting with several of my good RGP friends. I also went on the first part of the ritual craps crawl netting a little over $120. I truly enjoyed just visiting and laughing and joking around with so many great people who showed up for Barge this year. It was real interesting this time being a Las Vegan when I used to fly or drive in for this event in the past. This time I felt a little more relaxed as I did not have to squeeze everything into one weekend since all the great poker and other gambling is always minutes away. Sadly so many of my dearest RGP chat frendz have gone home and another successful Barge has concluded...

Gambling Totals:
Tournament Poker +$960
Cash or Ring Game Poker +$120
Maverick Bounty +$100
Asst Other Gambling -$130
Total +$1060

The entire Barge Experience PRICELESS!!!