Trip Report - ATLARGE (Very long)

[MaxPower]

A visit to TT land…Multi-tabling at the Taj…Stupid Poker… Pink Chip madness…Brown Trout sightings…grinding out a win…Fear and Loathing at Resorts…my dinner with Mike Gallo.


LuvToDriveTT and I went to the Taj this weekend to attend ATLARGE. Neither he nor I post or even read RGP and we didn’t take part in any of the tournaments. It turns out that most of the ALARGERs don’t read RGP either.

I've never been a trip report guy, but TT coerced me into writing this by driving me home and paying all the tolls.

The trip started out in Soho where I went to meet TT at his office. This was an interesting experience that could be the topic of its own trip report. TT’s boss asked us if we had seen the last episode of Tilt. Neither of us had. TT said it makes us (poker players) look bad. His boss didn’t think so and thought it must be pretty accurate. So we get in the TT and drive down to AC. We were talking a little too much and missed the exit for the Garden State Parkway so it took a little longer than expected.

We get to the TAJ and park. We are almost to the casino when TT says we have to go back to the car to get something. He searches through his luggage and pulls out a poker chip that looks like this:



He had a bunch of them and gave one to me and all the other 2+2ers we saw this weekend.

On Friday night Pokerstars hosted a dinner for the ATLARGE group. The food was surprisingly decent. Thank you Pokerstars.

Now to the important stuff -Poker. The Taj was spreading the Pink game (that’s 7.5/15 played with $2.5 pink chips) because of the ATLARGE group. TT sat in the Pink game which was mostly ATLARGERS, while I sat in the 20/40 where there were none. The 20/40 game was insanely good. It was the kind of game described in Ed Millers book. Six or seven people to the flop was common. I started out by winning a 20 BB pot when I made the nut flush.

The game was slow as hell though. All the players were slow, but there was one particular guy who was falling asleep at the table. He was a calling station so every time the action got to him he would call and fall back to sleep. When the action got back to him we would have to wake him up again. One time he actually fell asleep in the middle of calling. He stuck his hand out with the chips, put them on the felt, and just froze - he was asleep.

The Pink game that TT was in was right next to my table. The Pink game was getting shorthanded so he said I should come join the game. I told him that I wanted to but I couldn’t leave the 20/40 because it was so good. I said I would play in the game if I could play both games at the same time. The dealer said he didn’t mind, so I bought in.

I spent the next hour shuffling back and forth between the tables. I only missed about 2 hands in the 20 game because it was so slow. The tricky part was dealing with the blinds. Eventually I decided to skip the blinds in the pink game and then just post both the small and big behind the button. I could usually play about 2 pink hands for every 20/40 hand.

The players at my 20 table were a little confused and couldn’t figure out what I was doing. When they did, a couple of them got annoyed and told me to pick a game. So I went to the Pink game to play with the ATLARGERS and TT. A few of the ATLARGERS were talking about TILT and how much they liked the show. They said that The Matador was actually the good guy. I don’t know if this is true since I only saw the first episode.

The Pink game broke and I managed to book a small win in each game. TT and I decided to play craps, but we were too cheap to play at a 10 dollar table. We went to Resorts but they didn’t have a $5 table either. The dealer at the Taj had told us that they have some No-Foldem’ 2/4 Holdem’ game at Resorts so we decided to play that.

Since it is a 2/4 game we have to play like idiots. We were drinking scotch, generally acting obnoxious, and driving the players crazy with our constant raising and straddling. They have 3 poker tables but they close them down at 3:30 AM, since they do not have enough staff. The games were all full, so they could have probably kept them open all night. TT was busy schmoozing with the players. There was a large black man wearing a SeanJohn shirt. TT told him that he would teach him how to play poker if he promised never to wear a SeanJohn shirt. He said P Diddy was a prick and proceeded to explain why. The guy was loving it. There was also an older gentleman known as “big daddy” at the table.

Shortly before closing I was down about 40 dollars when they announced that there will be 3 more hands. I was in the big blind, there were a bunch of limpers and the CO raised. I called the raise with T7o in a multiway pot. The flop was T 7 4 with 2 clubs. I announce that I am on a flush draw and bet. There are multiple callers the CO raises, I reraise and everybody calls. The turn was a 7. I announce that I’m still on a flush draw and bet – everybody calls. The river was a club. I announce that I made my flush (I was playing the role of the idiot), bet and get 2 callers. So I managed to book a small win despite playing like an idiot.

On Saturday I played the 20/40 and quickly was stuck $1,500. I went card dead for the next 6 hours and was doing a lot of folding. I see Mosch strolling through the poker room and I stop to catch up with him. Mosch is on one of his business trips which always seem to be near casinos. I tell Mosch that as soon as I get unstuck we should go to Resorts and play 2/4. He thinks it’s a great idea.

A while back CrackerZack told me that he was playing the Party 15/30 game with 2+2er Action Bob. He said Action Bob was an excellent player. I remember playing with a guy name Action Bob 3 or 4 years ago in the Trop pink game, but I thought it must be someone else because this guy played like a maniac. Well, actually it was the same guy. TT was playing in the pink game with Action Bob, Matt Mattros and some other ARGERS.

I went over and told Action Bob that I had played with him in the Pink game where he had played every hand until the turn without looking at his cards. He said that he had stepped up his game, because he was now playing every hand until the river before looking. The game looked like fun and I really wanted to play, but I was just too stuck. Later I saw Action Bob standing next to the other Pink game and lobbing chips onto the table. Apparently he was playing someone’s hand blind from the rail.

I spent some talking with 2+2ers Bunky and Death Valley. I also met DrewOnTilt again – so far he is the most muscular 2+2er I have met. It was also nice to meet NJChick and GreywolfNYC for the first time.

I’ve been in the 20/40 game for about 12 hours and I’m still stuck $1500. I finally pick up a pair of Queens on the Button. A loose player limps UTG, a crazy LAG raises, a decent player in the CO (who is aware of the LAGs raising standards) 3-bets. I cap it, a ATLARGER in the BB calls 3 more and everyone else called. The flop was 8d 9s Ts. Checked to me, I bet and everyone called. The turn was the 8s. Checked to me, I bet and everyone called. The river was a Ten. It was checked to me and I missed a value bet since my hand was good. The CO had 77 with a spade. The ARGER told me he had 55 (Presto) so he had to play it.

After that hand, I won a few small pots and finally got unstuck after 13 hours. Mosch and I went over to Resorts to play some 2/4 and TT stayed behind in the Pink game. They were spreading 3/6 that night so we got on the list and told the brush that we wanted to play at the same table. The brush said that it was OK, but he would keep an eye on this. Mosch told him that if anyone had a problem with the way he is going to play it means that they hate money.

Soon we are both in the game. Big Daddy is in the game again as well as a bunch of young players. On Mosch’s first hand he posts UTG, puts in a blind raise and announces that he isn’t going to look at his cards until the river. He bets into a paired board. There are a number of callers, the button raised, the sb calls, and Mosch calls (or raises, I can’t remember). He bets the turn again, the button raises, the sb calls and he calls. He bets the river, the button raises, the sb calls, Mosch looks at his hand and says, “I going to save a bet” and folds.

It continues like this for while with both of us straddling and playing hands blind. Mosch was particularly crazy. The table thought he was nuts and big daddy gave him the nickname of “The Beaver” because he thought he looked like the kid from the TV show. On one hand Mosch looked at his cards, raised and announced that he had a five percent chance of winning. There were bunch of callers and on the river there was just Mosch and one other player left. Mosch bet and his opponent called and showed King high. Mosch turned over bigslick and won the pot. I said, “Who says AK can’t win unimproved in a small stakes game?” Mosch said that playing like a maniac was the key. I congratulated the guy for calling with King high and I was sincere – I think it was a good call.

TT calls me and I tell him to come over because there is an open seat and I just hit a runner-runner flush. When he gets into the game, the game gets really crazy. As the poker room is about to close, one of the players holds his cards up so that his opponents (who still have cards) can see them. TT says something to him about this and before we know it the guy is getting belligerent and threatening TT with physical violence. He calls the floor over to complain about TT. His big beef seemed to be that TT was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a sportcoat. He repeated this 3 times as though it justified his anger. I think this guy was very drunk and had seen one too many episodes of TILT.

The game breaks up and this guy and his buddies are hovering around the poker tables as we rack up. One of these guys walks behind Mosch and puts his shoulder into Mosch’s back. We go to the floor and tell him what is happening and ask for security to escort us to the cage. He wasn’t going to do it, but we persisted and they finally did it. The security guy escorted us to the cage and back to the Taj. Mosch tipped the security guy 5 bucks.

Oh by the way, Mosch won $260 in about an hour while playing stupid poker. 2+2 should publish “Stupid Poker for Advanced Players” co-authored by Mosch and Action Bob.

Back at the TAJ we run into big daddy and spend some time talking to him and swapping stories. Mosch and TT both have some interesting ones.

I played the 20/40 again on Sunday. Once again I lost some huge pots early and then went even more card dead than on Saturday. As I was getting reading to leave Mike Gallo walks into the cardroom to sign-up for the 6:30 tournament. We decide to go get a bite at the snack bar. Mike tells me that he needs to get to his car by 6:20 so he can pick up his pyramid and his notebook. So we are having a nice dinner and Mike is regaling me with tales of hard partying and no limit poker. Very abruptly he says, “I don’t need to be rude, but I have to go” and he hightails it out of the snack bar. Don’t worry Mike, I understand. We should catch a Mets game this summer with Fred G. Sanford.

Before we leave, TT needs to work the room and schmooze everybody.

On the way back, I’m telling TT about a new card room that just opened in my neighborhood. Of course, TT insists on stopping to check it out. They have 2 no limit games going so we don’t stay to play. It is a nice club though.

Wow, that was long, next time I will pay the tolls myself.

[Barry]

You may be one of the 1st to ever multi-table at a live game. Very nice!

[wuwei]

[ QUOTE ]
TT says something to him about this and before we know it the guy is getting belligerent and threatening TT with physical violence. He calls the floor over to complain about TT. His big beef seemed to be that TT was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a sportcoat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I guess that answers the question as to whether or not TT is gay. No gay man could wear that ensemble [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Nice report, Max.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh by the way, Mosch won $260 in about an hour while playing stupid poker. 2+2 should publish “ Stupid Poker for Advanced Players ” co-authored by Mosch and Action Bob.

[/ QUOTE ]

nh

There is soooo much more to tell, it was truely a memorable weekend. I'll add to this thread tomorrow, but so far my favorite hand was when I got JJ to fold on the river to my pair of 4's after raising my own rock-straddle blind pre-flop. YEAH THAHTS RIGHT.... I introduced the ATLARGErs to the rock, and boy was it popular! Why you may ask? Because a live straddle is against casino control rules, this was probably the first time a table at the Taj had seen a live straddle in years (the rock is a forced live straddle, but its still live none the less).

oh.... think about this for a while. Action Bob not only plays almost all his hands blind to the river, he also gets everyone around him to agree to cap it pre-flop. Amazing!

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
Well, I guess that answers the question as to whether or not TT is gay. No gay man could wear that ensemble [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Nor would a gay man go on a double date with Bunky, his wife, and her best friend who wanted to try straddling too [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img].

Gee.... can't a straight poker player dress well? LOL!

TT [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img]

[sfer]

[ QUOTE ]

You may be one of the 1st to ever multi-table at a live game. Very nice!

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true. I multi-tabled 3/6 with gonores, Bunky and James282 while also playing 6/12 with bdk3clash in November. The dealer push was from one table to the other so I got several confused looks.

[mosch]

I played an Act 1 and an Act 2 simultaneously at Foxwoods (that was the Act 2 that I won last year and parlayed into a seat).

Of course I was just going all-in every hand in the Act 1, so it wasn't too hard, and didn't last very long.

[mosch]

[ QUOTE ]
Mosch is on one of his business trips which always seem to be near casinos.

[/ QUOTE ]

They aren't all near casinos. I don't know of a good poker game in Toronto yet.

[ QUOTE ]
I congratulated the guy for calling with King high and I was sincere – I think it was a good call.

[/ QUOTE ]

He played it well. Calling me down was very, very +EV..

[ QUOTE ]
I think this guy was very drunk and had seen one too many episodes of TILT.

[/ QUOTE ]

That dude was cartoonishly mad. I thought they would've gone off to one of Atlantic City's fine naked lady establishments or something, but was surprised to see that they were hovering. I was more surprised when they wimpily checked me from behind while I was holding three racks.

[ QUOTE ]
2+2 should publish “Stupid Poker for Advanced Players” co-authored by Mosch and Action Bob.

[/ QUOTE ]

Proposed outline:
-Pre-flop:
--straddling
--restraddling
--capping
--"any two will do"
-flop:
--flopping the nut straight with crap.
--hidden outs: don't forget to think of runner runner outs!
--implied tilt odds: how much you will win in future hands, if your crap takes down this pot
-turn:
--looking at your cards
--raising some more
--ordering another scotch, but this time without so much water
-river:
--bluffing into a huge pot with seven high
--check-raising with ace high, and folding to a threebet
-misc:
--drink more scotch
--tilt is your friend
--running goot

It was fantastic running into TT and you, though I wound up passing on Sunday since I had to be in New York at 7pm, and I didn't wake up until noon or check out of my hotel until 1.

I hate to admit how much fun I have when I decide to play the part of the awful awful fish.

My trip consisted of:
-travel east coast on emergency business
-then, nothing to do on saturday.... a rental car and two hours later, this problem is solved as I arrive at the Taj, unaware of ATLARGE or 2+2ers.
-run into MaxPower, a nice surprise. He tells me that TT and some other trout are around.
-MaxPower introduces me to TT across the length of a poker table. TT proposes that we get drunk, buy into 2/4 for $1k each, and spray chips for a few hours. I agree that this is a fantastic idea.
-Operation Chip Suicide commences, and the game is 3/6, and I only buy in for $400, but make up for it by going through $150 in the first three hands. Fortunately, I was creating large amounts of implied stupidity odds, which I'd cash in on later.
-MaxPower and I drink mediocre mass-market scotch.
-MaxPower and I raise. a lot. blind.
-TT calls and asks if there's a seat, the seat next to us is indeed open, so I lock it for him.
-TT raises. a lot. blind.
-I cap with 75o and make the nuts. This earns me a sweet brown trout chip from TT.
-Hilarity Ensues
-Threats of physical violence ensue
-Security escorts us (at our request) to the Taj in a completely surreal scene
-We attempt to part ways. TT and MaxPower have lost the ability to leave the casino. It may have involved fire and/or fire alarms.
-We end up shooting the [censored] for a while and swapping stories. TT had some great stories, and MaxPower refused to tell his stories on the basis that they didn't measure up. Some day we'll get the truth from him about that bet he lost in Thailand.
-I play some low-limit holdem with an old black dude in a bowler hat.
-I wake up the next day, realize I have five hours to get to New York, and punk out on poker, on the basis that I'm unable to only play for two hours live. I know me too well.

[mosch]

You guys were playing with the rock straddle?

Oh man, I love the rock. Last time I tried the rock in a casino game, some nit took off the rubber bands and just stacked up the chips.

[MaxPower]

[ QUOTE ]
You guys were playing with the rock straddle?

Oh man, I love the rock. Last time I tried the rock in a casino game, some nit took off the rubber bands and just stacked up the chips.

[/ QUOTE ]

I forgot about the rock.

Also the reason that Mosch won so much money, other than rivering a gutshot after having not looked at his cards, is that toward the end of the session he picked up pocket aces and pocket kings two hands in a row and no one gave him credit for a real hand.

I only lost $40 despite chasing every gutshot and runner-runner draw even when the betting was capped on every round. After doing this I can better understand why people like to play this way. Its fun and its easy. Its a lot easier to just try and make you hand that it is to do all the thinking you normally need to do.