1995 B.A.R.G.E. Champion - Tom Sims
By RazzO
Published by GameMasterOnline.Com

GreetZ!

TOM SIMS

My oldest poker friend on the Internet, former BARGE champion, Tom Sims, invited me over to his house to teach me the basics of Bridge. We had also planned to go to Texas Station casino and have lunch, with his friend, Susan.
Tom moved to this beautiful house that's sits square in the center of the original Summerlin development. It was my first visit to this residence.
I was fortunate not only to have seen Tom's previous houses, but got to meet his loving, beautiful late-wife, Georgia.
Tom's setup to the cyberworld sits right on the 13th Tee. I MEAN, LITERALLY!! 20 feet from the big glass window adjacent to Tee Box is Tom's R00'IN machine! Fantastic(if you like golfers swinging away in front of your face.

Tom Sims might be the most active "local" video poker player alive. The 1995 BARGE Champion talked with me without interuption. I say Tom is my oldest friend that "I've met" on the Internet. I have had my account at wizard.com since September of 1994. I saw Tom's early RGP references alot. Then one day, in 1995(WSOP), we met.
"Turtle Tom Live from Las Vegas"

Tom Sims is the only known person to have accurately kept hand-by-hand notes at the Binion's World Series of Poker. Tom had reflected back to his days after he graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1955, and how he served 5 years in United States Air Force, cleaning up in many pot limit seven card stud and seven card stud high low split poker games."I canceled a fortune in debts owed to me when I got out..", Tom told me. He also learned Bridge in the AF.
His favorite game, but not his best, is a jamming Omaha eight-or-better game(kill or non-kill). His best game is no limit holdem, he claims, along with his BARGE championship title in 1995.
B.A.R.G.E., stands for Big August Re.Gambling.Poker Excursion. It meets in Las Vegas yearly. Its a big turnout every year by the poker newsgroup. They have dinners and awards, etc. A now traditional Mirage Buffet gathering at the Strip property is a "lock" favorite. Video poker and blackjack contests, and The BARGE no limit Texas hold'em tournament. The tournament is participated by the worlds best and/or reknowned players. To name just two who contribute/participate alot are Mike Caro and David Sklansky. And the tournament qualifies for the Tournament of Champions.

Tom was born in 1933. He grew up in Stamps, Arkansas.
His first public gambling experience was in 1991, when he frequented the Boardwalk, Atlantic City. His life altered slightly when he came to Las Vegas with his wife in 1991. She was in town for a seminar or convention and Tom played $1-$3 seven card stud at the Stardust Hotel and Casino
Tom went back to Arizona and played in poker games, and proped in poker games in Laughlin, NV. He said he played up to 20 hours a day, everyday..

Tom did not play one hand of poker from 1961-1991.