Trip Report
by Ken Sias
First of all - thanks to Goldie and the Taj staff for having ATLARGE.
I flew to Philadelphia on Wednesday night so I could be there in time for the smoker. 2 years ago I took the train - that sucked. This year I took the bus - that sucked as well. Note to self - no more publish transportation to ATLARGE next year.
Thursday I enter the daily tournament at the TAJ and see Rob Catlett. Structure is pretty fast at one point before I bust 5 straight hands someone was all-in before action got to me. I end up busting shortly after that.
Rob and I (Matt - Rob's friend but not in ATLARGE) play in a 2-4 game and it was a lot of fun. At one point Rob limps in UTG with 72o - surprised he did not raise - I forget what I had but I ended up winning the hand. I was in the 3 and Rob in the 8 seat so we were talking across the table at that point the man in the 4 seat went off. He had dumped quite a bit of money at this table and started yelling at us to "act our age" we were "acting like 4 year olds" and his right ear was sore due to my yelling. Shortly after that he left the table.
That night I go to the smoker and the food was very very good. I am not sure how the price came up however - with the table level appetizers and salads but thought $100 was a good price for the meal.
I entered the H.O.E. and my first table busts after about 5 hands and then move. Only really interesting hand I remember at this table was against 8-2 Cactus Kev in the Stud hi/lo where I had a 7 high straight and got scooped when he had an 8 high straight and an ace for a better low. I then move to another table and got into a hand with David Kuznick (I always seem to be short stacked when I sit at his table) during hold em where he raised and I had q10 in the big blind and I called. The flop was q10x - he had KK and I build my stack again. After this I move to another table with Chic on my right and I got to hear the "rubber ducky" song for a few hours. I went up and down - and amazingly added chips during omaha and then busted during the stud.
The banquet was pretty good and Nolan's speech I thought was very funny. After that I went back to a 2-4 game and it was pretty lively. At 1am I was getting tired and John (a former 8-2er) was sitting down and heard it got wild after that but I was too tired to stay up.
The NLHE event I got lucky a couple of hands early - flopping a set vs Rebuy's QQ and then making a full house with a6 against someone else with AQ. I then move and then get to hear the rubbie ducky song again. I manage to lose a lot of chips with KQ when the board ended up q4jxq to Curious's 44.
I move and bust shortly after.
I play in a game for a little while in at the Taj and was amazed at the hands I saw win - gut shot after gut shot. One guy at my table lost a lot of $$ with KK, AA, QQ, AK, JJ in about 10 hands and lost all of them. I then go to Borgata and end up at a table with Ken W, Mitch (ADB BFB) and Tiger was to my right. I had never met Tiger before just had heard about him....from my experience he was a really nice guy, funny , personable and seemed to be a pretty good poker player. One highlight at this table was one guy kept moving seats after losing big pots. The first time I check-raised him on the turn and he moved - he did this a couple other times and left a couple of times to get more money - fun table.
Sunday I play in the stud tournament and that seemed a very fast structure. I busted 20th when the levels were 600-1200 where the average stack was about 5500. Was fun - but again I busted out of the money. I then walked to Caesar's via the boardwalk (figured I should see the boardwalk at some point in AC) and found that was a mistake. Even on Sunday I was freezing by the time I got there but I was able to register for the circuit event on Monday and am very glad I did on Sunday.
On Monday it was a zoo - 940 seats sold out with 160 alternates. The line to sign up was insane. I did not make the first break when I ended up all in with AK (of clubs) with A1052 (2 spades on the board) and two callers - one had KQ of spades and the other AJ - a J hit on the river and I was done.
On Tuesday I played in the $500 circuit event and managed to get to 12k in chips by the first break - mostly on a hand with 108 on a flop of 10108 and another player had 88.
After the 2nd break I had QQ and raised - another player raised me at this point the floor came over and said we were breaking this table (not sure if this impacted my decision or not but there was a lot of commotion going on at this time). If I call it would have been about 50% of my stack - if I fold I still have 8k with 200/400 blinds. Instead I jam - he calls with KK and I bust. I was done with tournaments at this time.
On Wednesday I wander to the Taj poker room and see open seating in a 5/10 stud game so sit down - not remembering how long it had been since I was in a stud cash game. I think outside of me the average age was about 75 at the table and was wondering if it would be a bunch of rocks - but rather the opposite. It was a very loose/passive game and was a talkative table so was a lot of fun.
All in all - zero cashes in tournaments but the cash games made up for a lot of it. Had a very good time while there and look forward to seeing everyone in Fargo later this year.
Ken (Gatormet)
