Poker can be a lonely game. Unlike, for instance, softball, there’s nothing that requires you to get together with other people of a like mind or intent. You go down to the casino or card club, play poker, and then leave. Too often, when a poker room “acquaintance” approaches you, it’s for one of three reasons: · He wants to tell you a bad beat story · He wants to borrow money from you · You’ve borrowed money from him and he wants you to pay it back These aren’t necessarily the criteria for great personal relationships. Topping it all off, people in the poker profession are often there because they prefer to work alone – on their own hours, thank you very much. The idea of being in an *ffice, with a j*b, and reporting to a b*ss… Well, it’s more than they can handle. But among those of us who fancy poker as an avocation and recreation, there’s nothing quite as fun as getting together with fellow poker fanatics to share stories, tell tales, and put bad beats on each other. Probably one of the most long-lived gatherings among the poker community is “BARGE” – an every-August gathering in Las Vegas that got its ...