OK, it’s time to talk about BARGE (Big August Rec.Gambling Excursion) again. This series of events is a terrific way to have fun playing in low buy-in tournaments and side games against some of the best players around (and some not so great as well.)

You can find all of the information regarding registration here, but I will give you a sneak preview now.

First, here is the “Official” schedule:

Binion’s: Tuesday, 7/29/2008: NL Shootout to Limit HORSE @ 7:00pm. Entry: $50 + $10 + $10
Binion’s: Wednesday, 7/30/2008: Blackjack Tournament @ 11:00am. Entry: $50 + $10***
Binion’s: Wednesday, 7/30/2008: Video Poker Tournament @ 3:00pm. Entry: $40 + $10***
Binion’s: Wednesday, 7/30/2008: Draw Lowball Tournament @ 7:00pm. Entry: $60 + $15 + $10
GN: Thursday, 7/31/2008: Team CHORSE @ 11:00am. Entry $400 + $20 per Team (See Below)
Binion’s: Thursday, 7/31/2008: Stud Shootout @ 7:00pm. Entry: $75 + $20 + $10
Binion’s: Thursday, 7/31/2008: Significant Others Stud Tournament @ 7:30pm. Entry: $20 +$5 (**)
Binion’s: Friday, 8/1/2008: TOC™-style @ 10:00am. Entry: $75 + $20 + $10
GN: Friday, 8/1/2008: Symposium @ 4:00pm, $15
Binion’s: Friday, 8/1/2008: TOC™-style (Finals) @ 6:30pm
GN: Friday, 8/1/2008: “Second Chance” NLH @ 8:30pm. Entry: $55
Binion’s: Saturday, 8/2/2008: No Limit Hold’em @ 10:00am. Entry: $100 + $20 + $10
Binion’s: Saturday, 8/2/2008: Significant Others Hold’em @ 11:00am. Entry: $20 + $5 (**)
GN: Saturday, 8/2/2008: Banquet @ 7:00pm, $25
Binion’s: Saturday, 8/2/2008: No Limit Hold’em Finish (if needed) @ 10:30pm
Binion’s: Saturday, 8/2/2008: Expanded Cash Game Roster @ 10:30pm

I say “Official” because there are tons of other events, from Craps Crawls to Sushi Outings to Karaoke, that are not listed. Also, many fun (mostly invented by BARGERS) cash games. Also sometimes weddings, golf events, whatever people want to do.

The banquet will have a guest speaker, yet to be named. Previous years have seen Gavin Smith, Greg Raymer, Mike Caro (talking on a ledge on the roof of a Strip restaurant), Linda Johnson, Phil Hellmuth, many others.

Registration fee is $25, and the events range from $60 to $130 for our beg NLHE tournament. The winninr, in addition to the prize pool and bragging rights, gets to design next year’s BARGE chip set.

One note: The “significant others” events are designed for total novices accompanying poker playing friends. No ringers, please.

If you think poker can be a great fun time, with players having the best time they have at the tables allyear, p,lease join us.

I want to discuss a theory I have regarding playing is such a way at to let your opponent know what you have. The topic arises from a question about a reply I made in the Forum. You are welcome to join the Forum and contribute.

Essentially, a player had an ace on an ace high flop. I suggested check-raising the flop (as did others) and said as reason that I wanted my opponents to know I held an ace. Poker s mostly about deception, and not letting your opponent know what you have, so why am I trying to inform my opposition.

I think I did a column on this topic once, possibly called “Full Disclosure.” Essentially the concept comes into play when you are possibly going to have some difficult decisions later in the hand, and you want to be able to trust your opponents’ actions.

Of course, they may still try to fool you, but if they believe (correctly) that you have a real hand and are unlikely to lay it down, they generally bet and raise with that expectation. For example, if a player knows you have set and still raises you, you can pretty sure he can beat a set. if you have disguised your set, then you have no idea if his raise is based on a powerful hand, a mediocre hand that he thinks beats yours, or a bluff hoping you are weak and will fold. Since you cannot know, you must pay off.

As I discussed in my book “Advanced Limit Hold’em Strategy”, one the keys to winning is making your opponents predictable. If the situation is right, telling him what you have will help achieve that objective.

I have recovered enough to return to playing. Maybe it is just World Series Time, but the games I have played in the last three nights have been monumentally soft. I am still playing $30-$60, and seeing 5-6 way action on raised pots preflop, and some incredible chasing.

I took multiple beats yesterday, and still made a tidy profit. There were some interesting hands involving pocket aces, which I held three times. On the first, I raised in middle position and got usual six callers. I am relating this hand because it is similar to one that was recently posed on the Forum. The flop came Qh Jh 10c and had no hearts. this was a lousy flop for my hand, and when everyone checked tome, I checked, as did the two players behind me. After a jack came on the turn,. the small blind bets and the big blind raised. Everyone folded to me, and I folded as well. Heads up, the river went check-bet- call, and the K-J beat the J-7. I like my flop check on the dangerous board, with the option to bet/raise the turn should a blank fall. Needless to say, unless they read this, they will not know what I held. I did not show it or discuss it. I suggest you do the same in these situations.

The other A-A are sort of a pair. On the first, the was a preflop raise and call to me on the button with A- A. I three-bet, which of course through the small blind ( a truly terrible player), and a reluctant big blind, and the other two. Five to the flop of Q-7-2. Checks to the preflop raiser, a pro who bet, fold to me, and I raised. SB three-bet and the raiser folded. I paid off the Q-7, calling all the way. No chance I would lay down a hand in a big pot t this guy. Nice hand, sir, take the pot.

Three hours later, I had black aces on the button, and after four limpers, I raised. This of course brought both blinds, and we took the flop seven handed. I hit a set on a board of Ah Qs 7s. Yes, the queen-seven was there again. Everyone checked to me, and I bet, getting only four callers. Now the turn was the good news-bad news jack of spades. I now have a nut flush draw as well as top set, but of course may still have suddenly lost my lead. everyone checked again, and I bet. Now SB glanced at this hole cards and raised. Everyone folded, and I of course three-bet. Since he cannot have the nuts, it is almost impossible for him to reraise me even if I am behind, and I do have at least 18 outs, perhaps more. He thought for a long time and called. The river 8h did not help, and I checked behind him. I missed,” he said tabling the Jh 10s. He did have three outs. I showed my aces. “That’s what I thought you had,” he commented. Huh?

Anyway he gave me some of my earlier money back which was nice of him.

I am writing this on the high seas, as we are on a cruise for a couple of weeks. We will be back home in May.

Using the ship’s computers, I fat-fingered some e-mail and accidentally deleted about 20 messages. So if you sent me something in the last three or four days (April 16-19) and did not get a reply, I lost it. Please resend.

There I also a chance that on May 3, I will present a seminar in Nashville to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. You can find more details here as plans firm up. But if you are in the area, please set the time aside. It will likely be at the Gaylord Hotel and will request a donation of $100.

Many cruise ships now have automated poker tables. I like these for a lot of reasons. First, ships do not have trained dealers, so they tend to make up rules. Second, even if they do, they do not have the flexibility to switch from ring game to tournament. Automated tables can handle games of any denomination, and size, (up to ten players) as do SnGs well as rings. Only one person is required to run it, and he has only to enter the type of game and each player’s buy in.

This ship does not have this. They run a “tournament.” Here is a set-up. They play on blackjack tables limited to seven players. For each event, the buy in is $90 for 1000 in tournament chips with one rebuy OR add-on for $50 which gets you 800 more chips.

Now the structure. Ten minute rounds (not a typo) starting a 25-50 and doubling every level. Yes, at the end of a half hour, they play 200-400 with at most 12,600 chips on the table. Clearly an all-in fest starting after 20 minutes. I guess at least it levels the playing field.

And what does the winner get? He gets to play other winners throughout the cruise with the final prize (yes, one prize) of a free two-week cruise for two (cabin level unspecified), and an entry to an annual cruise company-wide with event with (they say) $100,000 in prize money.

Can you compute th4e amount of the entry returned to the winner(s)? Me neither, but it seems to be way less than 50 percent.

I took this cruise to get away from poker for a while, and the poker they play has made it easy. No way will I enter this thing.

Things are going quite well. Crossing the Atlantic on a cruise ship is a great way to relax. I will post again when I get home, or when I get final details of the Nashville seminar.