LAS VEGAS–It seems clear now that the Rounder Club plays better poker than the Batfaces. The Big Randy is out … he started off in a very comfortable position on a very comfortable table, didn’t get any cards, then 45 minutes later was moved to a very aggressive table with lots of big stacks … and he still didn’t get any cards. OK, maybe not all RCers are as good as all BFs, but the best Rounders are provably better than the best Batfaces — overlap not withxcluded. With a $40k win and far better backing deals, Como is (thus far) the TBR of 2006.

Meanwhile, none other than Manny Mendoza took down a $175 satellite at the Rio today. He was out-chipped 2:1 when it got down to heads-up, and unable to negotiate a chop, he reversed the chip differential and then chopped … he took two $500 chips, the other guy took one, and I’m not sure what happend to the money ($120 cash) … I think they played for that and Manny won. Regardless, Manny will be competing for a bracelet in tomorrow’s $1,000 event.

I also hear that Steve Carter was doing well in the main event. But no confirmation of that.

UPDATE: OK, am pretty sure Steve Carter is still alive and well — thanks Alicia, for the heads-up! — but how he’s doing is another story. For now, we’ll go with CardPlayer, which has “James Steve Cartee” near the chip lead, with more than 210,000 chips.

According to PokerPages, there’s also a “Jame Cartee,” who curiously has only 21,000 chips.

LAS VEGAS–The Big Randy may be a little weak in the Batface schlogger … and struggling painfully of late in the BT “big game.” But he’s the only one of us who apparently knows how to move forward worth a flip in the main event of the WSOP, as he’ll be playing in Day 2 … Day 2B to be exact. And get this … he’s an above-average stack now, with 27,875 chips!

Randy waited and waited … and eventually found pocket Aces for the first time. In a thing of beauty, he doubled up against pocket Kings. Then a few hands later, the same guy with his now shortened-stack moved all-in with A-10 … and TBR called with pocket Jacks. They held up. Even though play is done for the day, he is still sitting at the table, presumably because he has a boner.

Meanwhile, Fawcett is very miffed at my assessment of how he (mis?)played Big Slick.

NOTE TO SCOTT: Email me a recounting of that hand again and I’ll put it up for debate and disection.

LAS VEGAS–Just saw Randy, in late position, call a raise to 1,100. The flop came: Ac-Kc-xh. I didn’t see his cards this time, but I was convinced Randy had AK, because he gave a tell that I have used effectively against him in the Batface home game. The middle position player made it 2,200 to go. TBR folded. He’s either playing super-tight, or my read was slightly off.

He now has about 11,000 chips.

LAS VEGAS–Shane is out, Marco is still in … with about the exact same stack he’s had all day — 10k.

TBR is at about 15,000 in chips. And I gotta say, I think he’s playing well. Watched him limp with KQs, call a late-position raise, miss the flop completely, then masterfully check in a way to entice the other player to check, too. At that point it became his pot to steal, which he did. (Go Batfaces!)

UPDATE: Level 6 … blinds at 150/300 +25. TBR gets A6s in middle position, raises to 1,100. Two callers. Flop misses him, it checks around, turn gives him the nut flush draw. Early position bets 2,200. TBR folds. Other guy calls. He wouldn’t have gotten there on the river. (Good fold. Questionable raise pre-flop.)

He’s got 12,300 chips … with two hours to go before the end of Day 1 (like the real end of Day 1). If he goes into the four corners for about another week he should cash out for about $40k no problem.

UPDATE UPDATE: There’s a guy who looks exactly like Lodge/Rounder player David Highsmith with about 25k. But I am not sure it is him. He has funny reading glasses around his neck and acknowledged my presence with only a nod.

NON-UPDATE: Not sure where Marco Palacios sits/stands. His table has been broken down … haven’t found him in the field.

DALLASY PRO UPDATE: With one more level to play for the night, Robert Williamson just picked up a “monster” pot. Has grown his stack from 3,000 to about the same amount as Randy’s. One difference … RW3 has almost all small chips … meaning he has been stealing antes with a small stack (while his M is still valid). TBR, on the other hand, has only big chips left. Needs to make change for the antes.

LAS VEGAS–Gentle Shane is sitting with about 6k in chips. Two to his left is fellow Dallas pokerer Marco Palacios. He is still at almost exactly 10,000.

TBR has been surprisingly up and down. As high as 20k+ … then back down to 11k, then back up to 19, then back down to 12. When I found him, he was in the big blind. The pot was heavily limped into and the small blind moved all-in for about 8k. Randy checked his cards and found AKs. He looked at them for about three seconds and mucked (as if it weren’t even a hard fold).

Last I saw, he had 11,050 chips, a near-empty bottle of water/backwash, and a pouty lower lip.

LAS VEGAS–I woke up this morning with a new commitment to Pokeratizens … and access to Adderall.

(Haven’t taken any yet, but I could!)

I recognize the coverage here has become a little thin. Pauly reminds me of it every day. But no longer. With a little less than two weeks left, starting, er, right now … you are gonna get it all. Right here. I promise.

All I gotta do first is send a memo to my cohorts at PokerBlog. Then send one to the site’s backers in England. Oh, and at 3 pm today I have to meet with someone semi-important for a story I am working on for Southwest Spirit. (I think the story is due today … eesh, deadlines.) And then at 6 it’s off to the Palms … where the lovely, gold-diggery Anna Benson is throwing a $5k media freeroll. Anna, of course, is a white woman who’s not afraid to use the word nigger “nigg-r” — so very Eminem of her. And the more media that stays at the Rio to work, of course … the better chop I may or may not be in a position to propose.

So yes, expect lots of great and amazing coverage here at Pokerati. Refresh every five minutes. Whatever you do, don’t go looking to Wicked Chops for something similar but better … because you just may well find it there.

And speaking of Batfaces … Troy Darling was sitting with about 8,000 chips and many hours to go yesterday. Not sure if he’s still alive. TBR and Gentle Shane take their seats in the main event today. I’m sure I will be covering them hand-for-hand. Right now both of them are pretty much dead even — with 10,000 chips.

LAS VEGAS–Quick Batface update … I’m nowhere near the Rio poker room right now; my apologies for the lack of updates … I’ve spent too much time steering the PokerBlog ship. But Deco Chic reports:

“Your friend Fawcett’s a poser. Every time I try to take a picture he smiles. I have to sneak up on him because he totally stops paying attention [to the hand] and he’s going to lose all his chips.”

With dinner break approaching, Scott’s at just below 10,000.

Also, non-Batface Dallas exoatriate Chantel McNulty is at 12,800.

LAS VEGAS–The $2,500 NLHE event kicked off yesterday, and it didn’t take long for the contingent of Batfaces to start dropping like flies: Gentle Shane, Darling, Tiny B, Tulsa, Hong Kong Sue, and Fawcett (who still thinks it’s “great!” that he decided to run a bluff with a weak hand, heads-up, out of position against a world champion in Men the Master) … buh-bye. TBR looked like he might again nurse a tiny stack into the money, and Clonie for a while was kicking butt. But the last man standing from this crew anti-crew was Zach Ballenger … aka Son of Sue.

Gonz-theory proven, he’s pretty much dead-average in chips … and a solid enough player (perhaps the most underrated tournament Batface?) that he should have a nice payday. And of course if he happens to make it to the final table … well then it’s a whole new tournament from there.

Other big names alive include Minh Ly, Mike Matusow, Max Pescatori, Men Nguyen, David Plastik, David Chiu, and Scott Fischman (who got a healthy chunk of his chips from Zach).

UPDATE: 99 got paid; Zach finished 50th … $8,901.

UPDATE UPDATE: Batfaces are reclaiming their losses … Tulsa is at the final table in a Caesar’s tourney … he’s guaranteed like $1,400; in solid chip position to win more.

TEXTY UPDATE: And the text message that just came in from Sommer says: “[Darling] is now up $33k. Also, i may be in his wedding tonight.

An email exchange earlier today:

—–Original Message—–
From: Eric C
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 5:47 PM
To: danm
Subject: RE: vegas flight schedules

Look, you can’t avoid poker because you are scared to lose money. For if you did, your entire life is a sham. Seriously. You need to not only realize but live the fact that you BELIEVE poker is about the decisions you make over a lifetime, not a one-night tally.

—–Original Message—–
From: “dan michalski”
To: “‘Eric C’”
Sent: 6/22/06 5:35 PM
Subject: RE: vegas flight schedules

You said something similar last week. I lost 91.

—–Original Message—–
From: Eric C
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 5:29 PM
To: danm
Subject: RE: vegas flight schedules

Let’s chat tonight.