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My 13th EMBARGO. “I’m surrounded by Dans”

Thursday, January 16th

Kristina drops Sandi and me off at SJC.

Sandi brought some delicious chicken sandwich for us to eat at the gate.
I finish my part and finally figure out that it is a chicken bake from
Costco.

Easy flight to Las Vegas.

I’m booked at Circus Circus.
I warned Sandi that it’s icky so she booked two “free” nights at the MGM.

She takes a shuttle to the MGM.
I Uber to Circus Circus.

Self check-in? I hate self check-in.
Thankfully there is a nice lady running around helping people.

Room 450 in the Casino Tower. Cool.
Last year, I was in some other tower another 1/2 mile from RW.

The carpet in the hallway is kind of wavy.
The room seems okay. Bathroom looks to have been remodeled in the last
10 years or so.


Start my walk to Resorts World.

I see Slots of Fun. I’m not in a rush, so I walk inside.
Hey, they used to have a foot-long hotdog for 99 cents.
QB checks 2007 BARGE report… 1/2 pound hotdog for 99 cents.

Walk over to the bar. $2 hotdog. 3 or 4 ounces? Not bad.
They also have $2 beer, popcorn and a shrimp cocktail.
I took a look at the shrimp cocktail Maybe 7 little shrimp. Pass.

I figure I’ll have to tip $1 on the hotdog, so I might as well
get a beer too to optimize the $1 tip.

It’s a pretty small hotdog, but not bad at all.
I grab my beer and continue my walk to RW.
It’s a good long walk to the poker room.

Kyle and Ron are the first ARGers sighted.

Mickdog gets the coveted first hug and is excited to have made the trip
report.

Nancy gets the first boy-girl hug.

He tells be that at one of the early Chowaha championships, he
“made the final bed.”

Payoff $20 to Un. It means Cal won a football game, so it is money
well spent.

Patrick shows me proofs of some of the chip sets he and others have been
working on. Some pretty clever stuff. No spoilers.

Keith has his toke-delivery car set up. And he’s giving away Hot Wheels
as bust out gifts. Nice.

Rich Bremer walks in. We can’t agree on the handshake or fist bump.
Go for the hug instead.
Rich tells me he’s pretty buzzed. I can’t tell. Maybe he always is?

Oh, Nolan owes be some money from sports bets. This means Cal lost. Boo.
He can’t make it to RW, but will send my money with a trusted person.

The Aronson’s want me to join them for food. I should have. Next time!

Back to CC.

Friday, January 17th

Pop-Tarts for breakfast.

Time for the World Chowaha Championship.

Each player gets two cards and must play two from the hand and
three cards from the boards. Boards?

3 flops, 2 turns, one river. Final boards look like this:

F1 F1 F1
             T1
F2 F2 F2          R
             T2
F3 F3 F3

Turn 1 can be used with the top or middle flop.
Turn 2 can be used with the bottom or middle flop.
River can be used with any flop.

Okay, away we go…


The table:
Lennie, Dean W., Me, Dr. Doof, Bremer, Mickdog, Larry, Grizz and Dean K.

Dean White wins the first hand. Also his first ever hand of Chowaha!

Lennie is eating Pop-Tarts! “Strawberry frosted?” Yes!
I always liked Lennie.

Vernon again has two eyes. Yay.

Dr. Doof says he is one PowerBall win from being up lifetime.


Jeanne takes GamboMouse back to her table. Gambo is a happy mouse.

Doof tells us about an $18 can of dehydrated water he saw for sale.

RCD (Random Comment Dept.): “Walgreens gin.”


I’m drinking Diet Coke and Jameson.
Actually, I’m getting the Diet Coke from the dispenser and adding
shots of Jameson from the waitresses. It works out well.

RCD: A “Where’s Waldo” book with no Waldo. Kinky.


Notes say Jeanne surprised by one of my plays. She’ll know.


Break. They have little shelves for drinks in the bathroom. Nice.


A dealer puts all four jacks on one board. $1 toke.

I also toked $1 for a 12-card board with no aces or faces.


New table:
Eileen, Heldar, Chivas, Ron, David A., Dean W. and Me.

I think Chivas is that Hawaiian guy from last year. Ron was fooled too.

We hear squealing from the next table. It’s Carol.

Ron: “What are we drinking?“
QB: “A shot of Jameson.“
Ron “What are we, 12?”

RCD: “I’ve been drinking, so I haven’t been thinking.“
Ed Baker, what do you think?

I tell Jeanne and Prock that they have the best hair at EMBARGO.
Prock then calls me a “silver fox.” I like it.

Heldar takes most of my chips as I try to run a bluff.

I take my flush all-in against Jared. He has 2222. Oof.
Give him a shot glass. It later finds it’s way to Heldar, I think.


Ron gives me a can of Coke Zero. I end up returning it hours later.
Just no need for them at RW.
This reminds me… I don’t think I saw Russ Fox all weekend.
I e-mailed him and he assured me he was there, just not when I was.


Tacos El Gordo with Mickdog and Un.

I think we all got carnitas items. I decide to get a Diet Coke too.
The three tacos were about $12. Great. The Coke was about $4. Oof.
Anyway, great food and a fun conversation. Thanks guys.

Un wants to take a look at Slot of Fun.
Seats open at a $5 blackjack table. Oh, Okay. Sorry Mitch.

Un gets on a little roll. I’m up $5. Lose a hand.
“Damn! I should have quit” I think to myself.
Win the next hand and pick up to “lock up the win.” Sorry JZK.
Un picks up. He’s up $20 and tosses the dealer a $5 toke.
She barely acknowledges the tip. This has to be the biggest tip this
lady has gotten all day and she can’t even look up? Sheesh.


SheShe tournament.

We each get five cards. Break them into a 2-card hand and a (yes,
you guessed it) a 3-card hand. Can play 0, 1 or 2 cards from each hand.

Best 2-card hand with the board and best 3-card hand with the board
split the pot.

Bremer and I discussed my non-PC name for this game.

The table:
Mike, PRM, ME, Mickdog, Crunch, Chaos, Prock and Ellis.

Say hi to Ellis. Glad he could make it after all.

Prock tells me to write down that I said:
“BARGE is a lot of fun.” So it must be true.

RCD: “You’ll have to grab him.” So I did.

I win half a pot with 88 making trips.

RCD: “Not even Grizz would play that hand.”


New table:
QB: “I’m surrounded by Dans.”

Oliver, Dan G., Me, Dan N., Jesse, 99, Jared, Mark H., Crunch.
99? Oh! Don Adams wife, Karen.

Around here, the new waitress starts bringing me double shots.

Dan G. orders me to pay a penalty dollar for not remembering.
Coincidentally, I don’t remember what this is about.

QB: “Dan is my life coach.”

Oliver: “Are you sober?“
QB: “Nooooooo!“
Oliver: “Then it’s working!” Fist bump.

Three hours into the tournament. I have 4100.
I put 4000 in. I had TT in the 2-card hand. Take a flop of 5-5-5
against Ron and Dan N. We all check.
Turn is some low card.
Dan checks, I bet my last 100. Ron calls. Dan folds.
River X. I believe Ron had AA and XX5 for quad 5s and a big boat
to send me packing. Shot glass to Ron.

Remember that half pot I won with 88 three hours ago?
That was my only positive hand of the tournament. No other wins at all.


Dean K. and I get called for the mixed game. Grizz is there.
I took some notes, but can’t find them at the moment.
Dan G. joins later.

The game is a lot of fun and I’m still drinking.

I get my ass kicked. Just can’t make a hand or when I finally make a hand,
someone has a better one. Win a few half pots here and there.

The game breaks up around midnight maybe?
Suddenly, I’m not feeling well.
Like I better not even move for a few minutes here.
Grizz sticks around to babysit me. We have a good talk and commit
to going to BARGE through the year 2050. “2050 at least!“
Grizz is a good guy.

I finally feel a little better and cash out.

I start walking through RW and spot Dan G.
He gives me a police escort to the door of RW.

Back to Circus Circus. I need to get a sandwich. I wanted to get
a club sandwich, but got something close to that. The fries are great.
The sandwich is decent. $17 or something.

Good night!

Saturday, January 18th

I have to skip the morning NL tournament. Oh yeah, Sandi is in town.

Pop-Tarts for breakfast.

Oh, room 452 (next to mine) must be a break room for employees.
There is noise at 4am. Worse, there’s noise at 8am.

I switch to a room on the 5th floor. Closer to the elevator and
no loud voices or noise through the walls. Some weird noise
from the sink faucet, but it goes away.

Uber to the MGM Grand.

Meet up with Sandi. We play some slots.

The plan is to go to a place called “Canes” for chicken.
Similar to Chick-fil-A.


On the way, there are all these people in line for BetMGM.
Sandi tells me she talked to this nice lady earlier and that BetMGM
has some nice special for new sign-ups.

Okay, what the heck. Here’s the deal…
Open an account. Fund it.
Bet up to $250. If you lose, you get Five free $50 bets. Okay.

This all takes close to forever as I have to get $250 into my PayPal
account, open the BetMGM account, fund that and then make a bet.

What to bet on?
Warriors are a 13.5 point favorite over the Washington Wizards.
The Warriors have been playing like crap for the last month.
I can’t imagine them beating anyone by 14+.
Okay, $250 on Washington.


We make it to Canes. This place is crazy busy.
We finally get our meals for about $11 and $13.
Fries are great. Chicken strips are fantastic.
We only sample as we are planning to go somewhere else for lunch.


Next we go to the Bellagio as we want to go for Chinese food at Noodles.
It’s not there? Oh, moved across the casino. It’s closed? Oh hell.
We eat the rest of our Canes food while playing slots.


Sandi wants to play Bingo at Palace Station.
She’s nearly broke so I give her all my extra cash.
I keep $150 to cover the $130 tournament and $20 for tips.

Uber again. I ask the guy if he can drop Sandi off and take me to CC.
He says I can add the trip! I figure it out.
New achievement unlocked.

We drop Sandi off and back on the road to CC.


Drop Sandi’s bag at the room and head back to RW.

Time for the SHORT tournament.
Yeah, yeah, I should do well in this one. You are just hilarious.

Geez, what were the games? Stud, Hold’em, Omaha-8, Razz and Triple draw
2-7.

I know all of these games. I can play them. Can I play them well?

The table:
PRM, Tonya, Dean K., Dave Low, Me and Caryl. 6-handed game, BTW.

Low and Caryl go 5-bets pre-flop in H. Flop goes check-check.


QB: “I won a hand.“
Barbara the dealer: “That’s more than last tournament.“
Table cracks up at that one.

7:52 win 76. I don’t know why I wrote that.

The Lions game is on. It’s a good sign when I hear Bex scream.


I’m broke. I need to borrow $20. I decide to ask Sabyl.
QB: “Hi Sabyl, can I borrow $20?“
Saybl looks at me quizzically. Saybl: “Sure.”

She thought it might be a gag.


Around here Prock and Ron are just cracking up.
They just can stop laughing. I got a quick pic of them that I’ll post
on Poker Peeps.


Oh, my Warriors bet.
I checked in the first half. Wizards were actually ahead.
Mid 4th, the game is close. Perfect.
13 seconds left. Warriors up 8. Extremely perfect.
Warriors win, but don’t cover. I win my $250 bet! Yay!


New Table
Bex, Prock, Mickdog, Me and Nancy for 8 minutes.

New Table
Ron, Sabyl, Chic, Me, Eileen and Oliver.


Text from Sandi… she’s won $200 at Bingo. Yay!


Around here Peter Secor wins the No limit tournament.
Man, I was thrilled that Peter made it back to Vegas.
Didn’t expect him to win a tournament too!

Remember that $20 I borrowed from Sabyl?

I pay off two ADB last-longers to Peter with it. Glad to do it.

I am pretty broke now. Might have $8 in toke chips left and $5 cash.


“I’m a nomad.”

New Table
Bob L., Me, Crunch, Mike T. and Grizz for my BB and SB.

Back to the old table:
Ron, Sabyl, Chic, Me, Eileen and Oliver.

Sabyl: “You really are a nomad.”

Oliver (talking to someone else): “Give me all your money.“
QB: “All your hugs and kisses too.“
Another fist bump with Oliver.

Chic Chics Sabyl’s AA with 55 hitting a 5 on the turn.

New Table
Joe, Dan N., Me, Dan G. and Jesse.
QB: “I’m surrounded by Dans again!”

Omaha. Double through Jesse when I hit a wheel with an A on the turn.

Omaha. I have QQXY against Jesse. Flop is Q-9-2. Sweet. I check and
call.
Turn is a 5c putting two clubs out. I’m afraid he might take a free card
so I bet out. He calls. River 9. Bet, call. I scoop.
I’ve crippled Mr. Capps, but he stages an amazing comeback.

BTW, I’ve been drinking just Diet Coke all day.

Table update:
Bremer, Dan N., Me, Bob L., Dan G and Jesse.

2-7 triple draw.
Something like 2-3-4-7-K in the BB and call a raise. Three players.
Catch a 9. Other two draw two. I bet. First folds. Rich calls.
I stay pat. Rich draws one.
I bet all-in. Rich calls and draws one again.
I show my 97. Rich has about 8-6-3-2 and catches a good card to bust me.
Awwww.

Some question about whether I should have ditched the 9 and drawn again.

I give Rich $10 in toke chips to pay off the ADB last longer.


Sit with Patrick for a while. Patrick has obviously lost some weight.
Turns out he’s lost 88.8 pounds since PeterBARGE on 11/02/2023. Wow!
“Ozempic?“
No. Healthy eating and tracking food intake with the myFitnessPal app.
I’m so impressed.

Patrick also gives me a very cool FSM chip. Thanks.

BTW, Patrick is sweating Eileen who is at the SHORT final table.


Somewhere around here Un calls be over saying he has money for me.
I’m confused for a minute. Oh, he has the money from Nolan.
Yay! Thanks Nolan. Thanks Un.

I have a bankroll again.


Let me see if I can construct the SHORT final table from memory…

Bex, Dan N., Capps, Dan G., Bremer, Eileen, Sabyl.

The tournament is paying 5 places. A save is floated at the start
of the final table. No agreement reached.


Around here I hang out with Jared for a bit.
We talk about missing our dogs, golf and dentistry.


Like at least an hour later and no one has busted.
I think every player has been the chip leader and every player
has been a short stack.

Sabyl is building a big stack and has Rich all-in in 2-7.
Almost the identical hand he beat me on. He hits his draw against Sabyl.

On they go…

Eileen is now the short stack and I’m just sick.
Look at this freaking table.
Bex, Rich, Jesse and Sabyl are all BARGE champions.
Dan N. took 2nd at BARGE NL. Dan G. has some big WSOP cashes.

And Patrick has been dutifully sitting at the table behind Eileen for a
long time. An hour at least. If someone told be two hours, I’d believe it.

After a 10-minute break, Dan N. comes up with another save proposal.
$60 off of the top 5 spots. $150 for 6th and 7th.
Some hemming and hawing. All agree on the save.

Hooray! Much applause.

Please everyone agree to those saves.
You won’t remember that $50 or $60 that was taken off, but that player
who hung on for deal life and got that min-cash will remember it and
appreciate it for a long time.


I get into a ring game with Harker, Doof, a couple of dealers (Carmen)
and a guy (Mark) who I think looks a bit like Matt Damon.

I mention this.
Doof says that he looks like a Temu Matt Damon. Ha.

Man I have terrible luck. We are playing a rotation.
Dramaha, I get crap hands.
A-5 triple draw get dealt A-A-A-K-9. Then on the very next hand
I get dealt A-A-A-J-5. Sheesh.
I make a 7. Someone has a 6.
I have trips, someone has a straight.

About 90 minutes in I finally scoop a decent pot in Dramamha
with 9-8-7-6-5 in hand and on board.

Harker leaves. We play four handed.
Doof Leaves. We play three handed. I’ve lost my mind.
Thankfully I come to my senses and quit maybe 10 minutes later.
I think Carmen and Mark kept playing!


Sandi is still at Palace Station.
I think she’s is afraid to use the Uber app.

I walk by Suns Up, Buns up. They have a club sandwich for like $16.
I order it. I’m waiting for it and realize this isn’t CC or Binions.
Sure enough, the sandwich is less than half the size I wanted.
Oh well.

I decide to Uber to Palace Station to rescue Sandi.

I find her quickly and we split the sandwich. It is good and gone.

We are playing a Buffalo slot.
We finally hit a decent bonus round for $70. Maybe 2am?

QB: “Let’s get out of here.“
Sandi: “But it’s just warming up!”

Uber back to CC.

Sandi says the room smells. Really?
She’s always had a better sense of smell than I do.

She survives the night.

Sunday, January 19th

We eat some snacks and check out.

We play some slots at CC.
We do well on this one with a prospector with a cart full of gold and
jewels.

I grab two hotdogs for $4 + $1 tip. I take care of my lady.
We have a drink or two while playing.


Now we walk over to the Fontainbleau.
The contrast between Circus Circus and the Fontainbleau is huge.

We sign up for the slot club. $25 free play! Nice!
I play video poker and cash out for $16.25.

Sandi is playing her usual goofy slots. She’s winning a little.

Man, we need to leave for the airport soon.

She sends me to take photos of the beautiful ceiling and chandeliers.

I ask a well-dressed worker where the Uber area is.
Worker: “There are two.“
Can you see the disaster coming?

We walk and follow the signs. I swear to you, there are two signs
about 40 feet apart showing “<- UBER” and “UBER ->“
Another worker says go to the left. 6 miles later going through
twists and turns we arrive at the Uber area.

I order the Uber. Gray Nissan. License plate starts with 200.
He is 3 minutes out.
Not a minute later the Nissan rolls right by us. He’s not stopping!

I tear off running at full speed. I’m pretty fast for 62.
I’m waving my arms. He must not see me. He makes a slow turn.
I catch up at yell “HEY!” really loud. He stops.
Sure enough, he was headed to the other Uber area. Jeez Louise.

We get to the airport almost two hours before our flight.
Of course now there is no line at all for Southwest.
Maybe three people ahead of us at the TSA area. Arrrrgggh.
Through security 80 minutes before the flight.
I’m happy to be there that early. Sandi is not pleased. Oof.

We have leisurely lunch at Carl’s Jr. Nothing but the best for Sandi.

Flight home and Uber home are easy.


Hugs: Nancy, Bex, Carol, Caryl, Sharon, Karen, Eileen, Patti, Sandi.
Manly hugs: Grizz, Peter, Adam, Mickdog, Rich B, Harker.

I think there were one or two more.

People I at least said hi to or waved to:
Aaron, Bwana, Doug, Tom B., Mary and Sam.
Mary and Sam? Is this a 1940s film?

Missed all of my friends who couldn’t make it this time.
Hope to see you all at BARGE!


Thanks to the Resorts World poker staff and dealers. Well done.

The waitresses were very good.

Missed Rodney!

Thanks to the organizers for another great rec.gambling event.
Great job. Keep doing what you are doing.