BARGE Memories

During the final evening of BARGE, the host casino provides dealers and tables for a wide variety of poker games (Pot Limit Binglaha, Must-Drink C.H.O.R.S.E., Chowaha, etc.) At the Chowaha table, several players compete in building castles out of poker chips. This years blue chip shows Chris Ferguson building his winning 2003 chip castle.

The BARGE players and castle builders bought up so many white $1 chips that Binion's staff had to go to the vault to get more. What they brought out were brand-new, uncirculated, virgin chips! This situation was absolutely unheard of for virtually all BARGErs (and, for that matter, just about all of Binion's regular patrons)! We have Binion's supervisor Tony Shelton to thank for that one.
 

Presto! is pocket fives in hold'em. It first hit common usage in rec.gambling in 1991 or so, used primarily by the blackjack players for a natural 21. The cross-pollination typical of discussions in r.g. at that time caused the term to eventually attach to pocket fives in hold'em. The Presto!/Irwin? sign/counter-sign is still used today to find rec.gamblers in any random poker game around the country.
 

This chip commemorates good luck tokens used by poker players. According to Michael Wiesenberg in The Official Dictionary of Poker, a fish is a "Live One. A very loose player, usually implying one who loses."

At BARGE, fish-themed items are often given as bust-out bounties. Each year, Steve "Crunch" Daniel scatters small plastic fish at every table of the BARGE tournaments. Perry "The Baiter" Friedman created this fish castle in 2003.
 

Roshambo is another name for the familiar game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The Roshambo World Championship usually happens after the BARGE banquet. This chip shows Andy Bloch and Don "ADB Bingo" Rieck facing off. The Tilt Boys have much to say about this form of mind game.  As Bart Simpson likes to say: "Good ol' rock."
 

This chip is a tribute to the BARGE organizers, Michael "kidZee" Zimmers, Chuck Weinstock, and Peter "Foldem" Secor. Their tireless labor has contributed to the success of many BARGEs.

Mike Zimmers has been involved with BARGE from the very beginning, starting with his attendance at BARGE I in 1992. He enlisted the aid of Chuck Weinstock of ConJelCo starting in 1995. In 2002, he was unable to attend BARGE for the first time, and solicited the help of Peter "Foldem" Secor. 2003 marked the year that Peter took over from Mike as full-time BARGE organizer.
 

The Ernie Englehart Memorial Golden R00ler award is a "mock award" of a child's gold plated 12-inch ruler, given each year to the person who LEAST exemplifies the true spirit of BARGE.

According to Jeff "ADB Jester" Woods, the award is also symbolic of The Golden R00l -- raise unto others before they raise unto you.
 

An ad hoc event at recent BARGEs, the Scotch Tasting has scotch aficionados bringing samples of various single malt scotch whiskeys. TIGER123 and Mitch "ADB BFB" Firestone, members of the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society of America, usually bring a few privately-bottled Highland single malts. Patti Beadles usually brings a few hard-to-find Islay single malts. The scotch mavens take great delight in sharing their expertise (and their scotch!) with all who are interested.
 

Peter "Foldem" Secor took the moniker of the newsgroup Alt.Drunken.Bastards, rallying all the fun loving, dice playing, and general gambling & drinking fools at the 'ARG events. The members under the ADB flag take on last longer bets, field CHORSE teams, organize the craps tours, and generally lead all the debauchery events. It is not unheard of for ADB'ers to drink heavily at ARG tournament events and still place in the event.