Llew's FARGO Epic Part 4

by Llew213

This page is part of Ken's Poker Page

On 23 Oct 1998 13:49:01 GMT, in rec.gambling.poker llew213@aol.com
(Llew213) wrote:

Llew's FARGO Epic, the Unabridged Version. Part 4

Despite having been up for about 36 hours, after my tournament win I was
in no condition to sleep. I was completely wired!! RGPers kept telling
me to come and play in the juicy ring games (Saturday night, holiday
weekend, etc.). But I knew that I was in no shape to think clearly, so I
passed. I went downstairs to play video poker for awhile to unwind.
After about an hour, I was falling asleep at the machines, so I decided to
go back to Two Trees. It was at that moment that my stomach chose to
remind me that I had not appeased it in about 9 hours. Whoops.

All of the restaurants and the food court were mobbed. Looked like at
least an hour wait, which I knew I was in no condition to endure. I took
the shuttle back to Two Trees. Peter Secor (foldem) was on the shuttle
and we had a wild, wonderful conversation on the way. Peter is a great
guy and a good friend. He was almost as happy for me as I was!

Back in the room, I called the front desk and begged, "Pleeeeeease tell me
you have room service. Pleeeeeeease." Nope. S**t! Starving, I
schlepped down to the restaurant. The host said he would put me on the
waiting list. He must have seen the desperate look on my face (or maybe I
just looked like hell from hunger and lack of sleep), because he said I
could eat at the bar. In the bar area, there were 2 small tables, both
occupied. Luckily, one was occupied by Rocco and...... (damn, there go
those memory cells again.....sorry). I asked if I could join them and
they graciously invited me to share their table. Thanks, guys!

Well, not only was the company the best ("we" talked a blue streak about
poker in general, the tournament and the Big Fish/Mother hand table), but
I had one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The "surf and
turf" was a petite filet (my favorite cut), cooked perfectly, and broiled
salmon, another of my absolute favorites. Fresh steamed broccoli and a
wonderful rice pilaf completed the meal. I was actually glad that I was
not able to get close to a restaurant in the casino. Bellisimo!

I returned to the room. Robb came in a few minutes later and I told him
the good news. On the way home on Monday, I proceeded to tell him all the
gory details of the tournament. He "listened" intently, although he only
understood about 1% of what I was talking about.

I told Robb I had to crash. My plan was to get up really early and prey
on the folks who had stayed up all night at the tables ;-). When I told
Robb I was getting up a 4:00 A.M. (went to sleep about 9:00), he looked at
me like someone else had taken possession of my body. You see, I am a
night person. Arising anytime before 10:00 A.M. is difficult; before 6:00
is shear torture. Of course, I don't usually go to bed before 11:30. And
I don't usually have a good incentive to get up early. ;-)

Up at 4:00, showered (boy, did I need that!), and kissed Robb goodbye (he
was going to the Pequot museum, then to the RI shore that day). Then off
to the casino. I stopped at a food stand to get a bagel and a Danish,
then off to the poker room. Got seated at a 5-10 hold'em game with a kill.
Some RGPers there, including Peter Segal and Tom Goodwin. I tried to
give Tom the money he bid for me at the BARGE calcuH^H^H^Hsymposium. I
felt bad that I was one tournament late. But Tom would not accept.

As I expected, most of the players were tired and I started to make a few
bucks. But then all of the RGPers left to get a few hours sleep before
the stud tournament. Most of the games broke and there were long lists
for the others. I got on a few lists and asked for a pager. Then I went
downstairs to the Game Maker video poker machines. I hit a hot one and
actually made about $100 on it (quarter machine). Played several more
without losing my initial profit. Just passing time.

A few hours later, I returned to the poker room. The guy at the desk
asked why I had not answered their page. Seems that the pagers only work
in the poker room and at the tables in the room next store. Well, *now*
you tell me! Back on the list.

*****Attention!! APC (actual poker content)

Got seated in a 10-20 hold'em game with a half kill (if one player scoops a
pot over, I think, $165, s/he posts a $15 blind and the level is raised to
$15-30). Well, this was not the fishy game we had on Friday. In fact, after
about 10 minutes, I was able to pick out at least 3 "pros". It was a tough, tight,
aggressive game. I was down almost $400. Then I made a couple of strong
draws at 15-30. I broke even just before the stud tournament was scheduled
to begin, so I racked up and left.

STUD TOURNAMENT

My plan was to play very tight and just see if I could make my chips last
long enough to have a shot at the BAAP award. I was really not too
hopeful, as stud is not my game. In the home games in which I play, all
stud is high/low 8.

Well, right from the beginning, the deck started hitting me over the head.
I never saw anything like it! I literally doubled my stack in about 20
minutes! I heard someone telling someone the "Llew's running over the
table". It was incredible.

After that run ended, I decided to back off a bit. We got to the 50-100.
I played one hand which I cannot remember. I just remember that I had a
good starting hand, but that I chased when I should have folded. Then
came the crippling hand.

Have pocket AA. Went heads up against Howard Tolman. I did not know
Howie at the time, but I had observed that he was a good player. Howie
appeared to be on a straight draw. I bet very aggressively, but he would
not go away. I caught a third A on fifth street. I bet again and he
called. Then he made his straight on sixth street. I could not fill up,
so I lost a big pot.

These last 2 hands left me short stacked. I tightened waaayyy up. But
the antes were killing me. Then I found pocket 8's and decided that I had
to try to steal the antes once before I got anted out. I raised and was
called all-in by a guy with split Q's. I did not improve, so IGHN.

I finished 26th and missed BAAP by 3 points. But, as I said in an earlier
"chapter" of this trip report, Matt Treasure really deserved it. He made
the final table in *both* tournaments. And that, to me, is what a BAAP
does. Congratulations, Matt!

End of APC......

After the tournament ended, Tammy Dean, the poker room manager, took us to
dinner at the Han Garden, Foxwoods upscale Chinese restaurant. Our group
consisted of Tammy, Michael Ward (Foxwoods tournament director), Lena
Boles (special events coordinator), Bill Alan, Matt Treasure, Howie
Tolman, Gregg Pappas, Charles Haynes, Robb and me. And, boy, did we eat!
I think Tammy ordered every appetizer on the menu! And we each ordered
an entree. We just put everything on the lazy Susan in the middle of the
table and shared.

As great as the food was, the company was even better. I, of course,
monopolized the conversation. Hey, I was still high and somewhat
sleep-deprived (well, that's my excuse and I am sticking to it).

I had a funny exchange with Greg Pappas. At one point I asked him where
he was from and he said Rockville, Maryland. About a half hour later, I
looked over at him and said, "So, Greg, where are you from?" He looked at
me as if I were the world's biggest flake (hey, hey, you guys behave!) and
said, "Rockville, Maryland......hell-ohhhhh." Doh! So, about 20 minutes
later, during a lull in the conversation, I looked right at Greg and
(deliberately this time) said, "So, Greg, where are you from?" and broke
into a fit of laughter. Well, I did not realize that poor Matt, who was
sitting next to Greg, had a mouth full of food and damn near choked to
death. In fact, it is a wonder that it did not come right through his
nose. Sorry, Matt (not!). Hehehehe.

Thanks, Tammy and Foxwoods, for the wonderful dinner. It was a nice
surprise.

*****Back to APC..........

Back to the ring games after dinner. Got in another 10-20 (half kill),
but this one was not at all like the one I was in earlier that day. There
were some really *bad* players at this table. Lots of pre-flop calling
with bad starters (even in raised pots) and lots of chasing. Of course,
also at the table were Bill Seymour and another pro whom I do not know.

Another RGP'er (who shall remain nameless sat opposite me. Now, although
this guy is a very good player normally, he was drinking waaayyy too much
beer and was playing *really* loose. I mean, like, **rreeaaalllyy**
loose. Oh, hell, he was playing trash. For a while, he was hitting with
his trash. This inspired a feeding frenzy and nice, big pots. Some of
the guys at the 20-40 table next to ours were trying to get into our game
because our pots were bigger than theirs.

Crunch ended up on my right. He entered some pots with marginal hands
because he knew he could beat the trash that the loosey-goosey guy (LGG)
was playing.

Unfortunately, the card gods were working against him. He could not
complete his good, strong draws and his better hands were getting cracked
by the fish (that's fish, plural). Meanwhile, LGG's fishy play finally
turned against him and he left with less than he brought to the table.

Meanwhile, after a few initial losses, my stack began to grow slowly but
steadily. I hit some good draws for nice, big pots. And I got lucky once
or twice. When I got comfortably ahead, I just sat back and mucked and
waited for good opportunities. By early morning, I was sitting with 3
racks in front of me. Finally, most of the fish left and the game
changed. The action slowed considerably. I was tired again and was
getting bored, so I cashed in with an $1800 profit!!!

End of APC......

I played a little bit more VP, then returned to the room about 8:00 A.M.
Robb wanted to get an early start so he could get home in time for a
meeting in the evening. When we checked out, I used my Wampum card to
deduct $111 from the hotel bill. That was nice. I did not win or lose on
VP overall, but my play earned us a nice discount on the room.

Left Foxwoods about 9:15 and, after a quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts for
breakfast, we were on our way. Of course, the sun finally came out (after
3 days of non-stop rain!) and we had an uneventful trip home to Poker Hell.

The poker room at Foxwoods is wonderful - big, roomy, not nearly as smoky
as AC poker rooms, and very well-run. My compliments to *everyone*
involved in it's management!

Thanks also to Bill, Crunch, Dave Hughes, and all of the other folks who
put FARGO '98 together, for one of the best weekends of my life!

Sign me up for FARGO '99. And ATLARGE IV. And BARGE #?. And ESCARGOT I.
And............

Cya!

Llew

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