Vegas Bound

The Invitation Arrived and Nobody Declined 🎬

counts twenty-five players, six personal bests, one 1009-rated performance Week 5 of Chain Man @ Roots brought the "Vegas Bound" episode to life under near-freezing temps (33-40°F) and light wind (max 6.1 mph). The theme promised Raymond's shutdown when Charlie commits them to Vegas without asking—but the field did the opposite. They showed up ready. Brian Hansen defended the #1 Stacked Deck tag for the third consecutive week with a wire-to-wire -11 (1009 rated, +73 over his 936 baseline), while Landon Adams and Malachi Vazquez both fired personal-best -10s to tie for second. The math added up for some, definitely not others—but the Vegas readiness audit passed with flying colors. 🎯

The Deck Doesn't Shuffle When It's Already Stacked

Brian Hansen's third consecutive #1 tag defense wasn't subtle: -11, 1009 rated, +73 over baseline, personal best for the course/layout. He beat the field by 7.3 strokes and his own average by 5.5, holding wire-to-wire from hole 1 through 18. The Stacked Deck's golden-hour glow followed him across every fairway—chains cooperating, wind stabilizing during crucial moments, the course itself seeming to tilt in his favor. Landon Adams (+40 over baseline) and Malachi Vazquez (+35 over baseline) both fired personal-best -10s to tie for second, but neither could close the gap. Malachi's rebound from last week's even-par 894-rated round deserves its own paragraph—a +102 rating swing that screams "the routine locked back in." Landon led after hole 5 but couldn't sustain the pace against Brian's relentless counting. Houston Turner (-6, 942 rated, +49 over baseline) and Casey Turner (-6, 942 rated, +12 over baseline) rounded out the top five, both posting clean back nines. Austin Lott surged on the back nine (+5 strokes better than front) with a 7-hole hot streak (11-17), carding -7 (956 rated). The RPA division was a Vegas dress rehearsal—and most of them passed. 🔥

Counting Chains, Counting Skins

Kent Moos topped RAD with -5 (929 rated), claiming round-of-the-day honors in the division and rattling off a Birdie Bonanza (holes 14-16-17) en route to 8 skins worth $30.00. But the real drama lived in the three-way tie at -4 (916 rated): Eric Pearson, Anthony Kai, and Skyler Kunz. Skyler led through hole 16 (+50 over baseline) before a bogey on 17 dropped him from contention. Anthony Kai (+40 over baseline) scooped a 13-skin carryover on hole 17 worth $16.25, earning three achievements from one card: First Skin, Fore Skin Club, and Skins Sniper. Brett Buttars also earned a Birdie Bonanza (holes 11-12-13), while Kent's 8-skin haul anchored the 9:20 AM card. Eric Pearson posted a clean front nine but couldn't match last week's -5 (956 rated) performance, sliding from 2nd to 9th despite solid play. The math counted chains and counted skins—and the skins math paid $30.00 to Kent, $16.25 to Anthony, and smaller hauls across the field. 💰

Six Lead Changes, One Chain Man 🏆

Michuel Palfy's -5 (929 rated, +37 over baseline) survived six lead changes against Jon White's personal-best -4 (916 rated, +33 over baseline) in RAE's back-and-forth duel. Michuel claimed sole birdies on holes 1 and 3, took the lead on hole 1, lost it on hole 2 (Jon's sole birdie), reclaimed it on hole 3, and held wire-to-wire from hole 12 onward. Jon posted sole birdies on holes 2, 4, and 13, bouncing back from a +3 on hole 12 with a birdie on 13 to retake the lead briefly before Michuel answered. Both players posted clean back nines. Jon's personal best (+60 rating swing from last week's +3, 856-rated round) represents a massive rebound—the kind of performance that suggests Vegas readiness. Marvin Atene (-3, 889 rated) earned his own personal best and collected 6 skins for $22.50 on the 9:20 AM card. Kalen Adams (+5, 795 rated, -60 below baseline) and Landon Cannon (+10, 729 rated, -54 below baseline) rounded out the division. The lead changes kept the math recalculating, but Michuel's precision won the day. 📊

When the Routine Breaks Down

Bryant Adams's brutal +7 (769 rated, -160 below his 929 baseline) in RAH embodied Raymond's routine-dependent nature—when the routine breaks, so does the math. Last week's personal-best -3 (931 rated) vanished into a -10 score delta and -162 rating delta, the largest swing in the field. Solo division, solo struggle. Meanwhile, Kody Taylor debuted in RAF with +4 (809 rated), posting a clean back nine and a par train (holes 10-14) en route to a Series Competitor achievement. The variance monster visited RAH and left RAF alone—two players, two very different stories. 😬

The Math Added Up for Some, Definitely Not Others

Six personal bests (Brian Hansen -11, Landon Adams -10, Malachi Vazquez -10, Casey Turner -6, Jon White -4, Marvin Atene -3) and eight players shooting 30+ above rating (Brian +73, Skyler +50, Houston +49, Anthony +40, Landon +40, Michuel +37, Malachi +35, Jon +33) contrasted against Bryant Adams's -160 swing, Stephen Dunton's -115 day, Chris Fox's -89 round, and Brandon Reesor's -86 performance. Seven players posted bogey-free front nines; five posted bogey-free back nines. Sole birdies told recovery stories: Michuel Palfy (holes 1, 3), Jon White (holes 2, 4, 13), Austin Lott (hole 11). Jon White bounced back from +3 on hole 12 with a birdie on 13; Chris Fox recovered twice. The field delivered Vegas-ready performances and Vegas-sized variance—the kind of spread that makes you count every chain link twice to confirm the math. 🎲

When You Stop Gaming Probability and Become It

Brian Hansen's third consecutive Stacked Deck (#1) defense (+73 over baseline, 1009 rated) embodies the tag's lore: "Brian's not gaming probability anymore; he's become the probability." The worn ace of spades with its copper-wire chains and miniature Roots diorama shifted to match real-world conditions—33-40°F, light wind, golden-hour glow following every approach. Week 5 of 9, still commanding the field with a performance that screams "I've stopped trying to construct advantage and started being it." The Stacked Deck manifests as atmospheric pressure—chains rattling more welcomingly on approach, wind patterns stabilizing during crucial moments, opponents' routines developing unexpected hitches. Brian held wire-to-wire, beat the field by 7.3 strokes, and defended #1 with zero position movement because apparently the golden-hour glow doesn't shuffle when it's already perfectly stacked. The real question isn't whether he'll stay there—it's whether defending #1 into Vegas territory cracks that routine before he realizes he's already won. 🃏

The Pots Carry Forward, the Chains Stay Silent 🔇

No CTP, Ace, or Super Ace winners this week—pots carry forward as Vegas stakes continue building. Twenty-five players, zero spectacular chain-rattling moments. adjusts spreadsheet Look, the math still counts even when nobody parks a 200-footer or threads a needle for the ace pot. Four weeks remain before the Vegas finale, and these empty pots are just building tension. The chains will rattle eventually. Probably.

The Carryover Scoop Is the Real Hustle

$139.50 exchanged across four cards with 17 players opting in. Kent Moos led the 9:20 AM card with 8 skins for $30.00 ($3.75/skin), while Marvin Atene collected 6 skins for $22.50 on the same card. Tongia Vakaafi earned a Fore Skin Club achievement with 13 skins for $9.75 on the 11:20 AM card. But the signature moment belonged to Anthony Kai on the 3:00 PM card: a 13-skin carryover scoop on hole 17 worth $16.25, earning three achievements from one round (First Skin, Fore Skin Club, Skins Sniper). That's Charlie's hustle philosophy in action—timing the carryover, reading the card, scooping the pot when nobody else can answer. The math paid cash across four time slots, and the players who counted chains also counted dollars. Any card can enable skins—learn how to set up skins and join the hustle next week. 💵

Vegas Stakes, Roots Investments

The "Vegas Bound" episode saw the field respond with six personal bests and a 1009-rated round—the highest single-round rating of the series—while $26.80 in contributions (including automatic $1/player from 25 entries plus $1.80 additional) pushed the Roots Course Fund to 70% of its $1,000 goal ($698.15 current). The ACTIVE PROJECT priority is clear: course improvements are PERMANENT. Every dollar builds something lasting for the Roots community—concrete tee pads that won't shift in spring floods, signage that helps new players navigate the Jordan River layout, baskets that catch chains for the next decade of Tuesday rounds. The field just played under near-freezing temps and delivered Vegas-caliber performances; imagine what they'll do when the course infrastructure matches their commitment. 🏗️

Definitely Tuesday, Definitely Counting Practice

Week 5 complete with Brian Hansen's three-week #1 tag reign intact—Week 6's "Counting Practice" episode promises routine-rebuilding as the field sharpens for Vegas. Charlie's learning to count on Raymond, and the field is learning to count chains, skins, and contributions that build permanent improvements at Roots. Four weeks remain before the doubles championship, and the math keeps stacking: personal bests are contagious, variance is inevitable, and the Stacked Deck doesn't shuffle when it's already perfectly arranged. Clean release. That'll play. Definitely Tuesday, definitely Roots, definitely counting practice next week. 🎯