Visit Derby Lane. Derby Lane, the St. Petersburg Kennel Club, is the oldest continuously operating greyhound track in the world. Poker (727) 812-3339 ext.
- Phone:
- (727) 812-3339 ext. 216
- Minimum Age:
- 18
- Poker Tables:
- 51 Tables
- Hours:
- Sunday-Thursday 10am-4amFriday 10am - Monday 4am
Derby Lane Poker Room. 1,308 likes 56 talking about this 1,190 were here. Locals place to play tournaments and cash games. Play Fortune Pai Gow, 3 Card Poker, DJ Wild Stud, High Card Flush, War. Derby Lane: Review is for the poker room - See 285 traveler reviews, 72 candid photos, and great deals for St. Petersburg, FL, at Tripadvisor. Derby Lane Poker Room. 1,285 likes 30 talking about this 1,191 were here. Locals place to play tournaments and cash games. Play Fortune Pai Gow, 3 Card Poker, DJ Wild Stud, High Card Flush, War.
Announcements from Derby Lane Poker Room
Open normal hours:
Monday - Thursday 10a - 4a
Friday - Sunday 24 hours
Players and employees will be required to wear a mask. Everyone entering the building are required to have temperature checks upon entering.
Currently offering the NFL Ticket, showing every game, every Sunday!
$599 for 60 Hours played during the entire month of January with roll-over points from December! Hours must be earned playing NLHE 1/3 and up, or any limit of PLO to qualify.
JanuaryLive-Action Promotions
Monday-Thursday
THE JANUARY LOOP
Monday and Wednesday
10a-12p: $400 Every 30 Min
1p-4p: $500 Every 30 Min
6p-9p: $599 Every 30 Min
10p-12a: $800 Every 30 Min
Tuesday and Thursday
10a-12p: $800 Every 30 min
1p-4p: $599 Every 30 min
6p-9p: $500 Every 30 Min
10p-12a: $400 Every 30 Min
Friday
2p-10p: $500 every 15 min
Saturday
2p-10p: $1,200 every 30 min
Sunday
12p-12a: Winter Flurry 1/3 NLHE and above wins $500, 1/2 NLHE wins $300, Micro 1/2 NLHE $200.
During payout high card is drawn for all players who were dealt in for the high hand. The highest card wins the same amount as the high hand winner.
Mgm casino atlantic city nj. January Feature Tournaments
A Month of Muti-Days
1/1/21 - 1/3/21 $150 Buy-in $21K GTE, 4 Flights
Casino sample road florida. A fully integrated, energized, local's casino experience. 2,000 Las Vegas-style slots. 70 live table games with blackjack, baccarat, poker & more. Seven dining options plus two lounges and a 1,200-seat entertainment venue.
1/11/212 - 1/17/21 $210 Buy-in $50K GTE, 9 Flights
1/25/21 - 1/31/21 $150 Buy-in $30K GTE, 9 Flights
Poker Room Features
- Auto Shufflers
- Cash Games
- Cell Reception
- Check Cashing
- Cocktail Service
- Comps Offered
- Currency Exchange
- Discounted Hotel Rates
- Food Tableside
- Jackpots
- Massage
- Non-Smoking
- Order Food at Table
- Phone in List
- Nearby Restrooms
- RV Parking
- Self Serve Drink Station
- Televisions
- USB Chargers
- Valet Parking
- WiFi
Poker Room Details
- Venue Type
- Card Room
Games in Progress
| Poker Games | Tables | Waiting |
|---|---|---|
| MICRO $1-$2 NLH | 0 | 6 |
| $1-2 NLH | 6 | 1 |
| $1-3 NLH | 4 | 1 |
| $2-5 NLH | 1 | 0 |
| $5-5 NLH | 0 | 0 |
| $1-2 PLO | 0 | 4 |
| $1-2-5 PLO | 0 | 2 |
| Table Games | Tables | |
| 1 Card Poker | 2 | |
| High Card Flush | 2 | |
| Ultimate Texas Holdem | 5 | |
| 3 Card Poker | 2 | |
| Fortune Pai Gow | 1 | |
| Face Up Pai Gow | 3 | |
| DJ Wild Stud Poker | 1 | |
| Last updated: 1 minute ago | ||
| Real-Time Action Powered by TableCaptain™ | ||
| See All Cash Games |
Get The
MOBILE APP
for
ONLINE WAIT LIST REGISTRATION
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
Derby Lane Poker Room Florida
Is Derby Lane Poker Open
Live Tournament Clocks
Dec31 | $150 Monster Stack $4K GTE | |
Jan1 | $20 The Morning Stretch $400 Gtd | |
Jan1 | $888 every 20 min 12p-12a | |
Jan1 | 2021 $21K GTE Day 1A $21K Gtd | |
Jan1 | 2021 $21K GTE Day 1B $21K Gtd | |
| Real-Time Action Powered by TableCaptain™ |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 20 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 20 | 100 | 200 | |
| Level 3 | 20 | 100 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 20 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Level 5 | 20 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 6 | 20 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 7 | 20 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Level 8 | 20 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 9 | 20 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 10 | 20 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 11 | 20 | 1200 | 2400 | 2400 |
| Level 12 | 20 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Remove 100 Color in 10K Chips | 15 | |||
| Level 13 | 20 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 14 | 20 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 15 | 20 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Level 16 | 20 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 17 | 20 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| Level 18 | 20 | 6000 | 12000 | 12000 |
| Remove 500 Color in 25K plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 19 | 20 | 8000 | 16000 | 16000 |
| Level 20 | 20 | 10000 | 20000 | 20000 |
| Level 21 | 20 | 15000 | 30000 | 30000 |
| Level 22 | 20 | 20000 | 40000 | 40000 |
| Level 23 | 20 | 25000 | 50000 | 50000 |
| Level 24 | 20 | 30000 | 60000 | 60000 |
| Remove 1000 | 10 | |||
| Level 25 | 20 | 40000 | 80000 | 80000 |
| Level 26 | 20 | 50000 | 100000 | 100000 |
| Level 27 | 20 | 60000 | 120000 | 120000 |
| Level 28 | 20 | 80000 | 160000 | 160000 |
| Level 29 | 20 | 100000 | 200000 | 200000 |
| Level 30 | 20 | 150000 | 300000 | 300000 |
| Level 31 | 20 | 300000 | 600000 | 600000 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Level 2 | 10 | 50 | 100 |
| Level 3 | 10 | 75 | 150 |
| Level 4 | 10 | 100 | 200 |
| Level 5 | 10 | 200 | 400 |
| Level 6 | 10 | 300 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 10 | 400 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 10 | 500 | 1000 |
| Break Remove 25 | 10 | ||
| Level 9 | 10 | 800 | 1600 |
| Level 10 | 10 | 1000 | 2000 |
| Level 11 | 10 | 1500 | 3000 |
| Level 12 | 10 | 2000 | 4000 |
| Level 13 | 10 | 2500 | 5000 |
| Level 14 | 10 | 3000 | 6000 |
| Level 15 | 10 | 4000 | 8000 |
| Level 16 | 10 | 5000 | 10000 |
| Break Remove 100 & 500 | 10 | ||
| Level 17 | 10 | 6000 | 12000 |
| Level 18 | 10 | 8000 | 16000 |
| Level 19 | 10 | 10000 | 20000 |
| Level 20 | 10 | 15000 | 30000 |
| Level 21 | 10 | 20000 | 40000 |
| Level 22 | 10 | 25000 | 50000 |
| Level 23 | 10 | 30000 | 60000 |
| Level 24 | 10 | 40000 | 80000 |
| Level 25 | 10 | 50000 | 100000 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
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| 20 |
| 20 |
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| 20 |
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| 20 |
| 20 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 25 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 25 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Level 3 | 25 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 25 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 5 | 25 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| Level 6 | 25 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 25 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 25 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 9 | 25 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 10 | 25 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 11 | 25 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 12 | 25 | 1500 | 2500 | 2500 |
| Remove 100 Chips - Color in 5K Chips | 10 | |||
| Level 13 | 25 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Level 14 | 25 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 15 | 25 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 16 | 25 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Remove 500 Chips - Color in 25K Plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 17 | 25 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 18 | 25 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| END OF DAY 1 | 10 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 25 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 25 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Level 3 | 25 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 25 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 5 | 25 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| Level 6 | 25 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 25 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 25 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 9 | 25 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 10 | 25 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 11 | 25 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 12 | 25 | 1500 | 2500 | 2500 |
| Remove 100 Chips - Color in 5K Chips | 10 | |||
| Level 13 | 25 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Level 14 | 25 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 15 | 25 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 16 | 25 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Remove 500 Chips - Color in 25K Plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 17 | 25 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 18 | 25 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| END OF DAY 1 | 10 |
| Place | Payout |
|---|
Upcoming Tournaments
Tweets by @derbylane_poker
Recent Action
Recent Reviews
Are we missing something?
© MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE/Times/Tampa Bay Times/TNS Gary Joerres plays poker at the Derby Lane Poker Room on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in St. Petersburg.Times Correspondent
Gary Joerres, a retired restaurant owner, missed the Derby Lane Poker Room during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The St. Petersburg resident is a regular at the Texas hold 'em tables at the Poker Room, which opened with a limited capacity May 20. Joerres, 69, plays about five days a week and has for 15 years or more. His tip for not going broke, he says, is to limit the amount you're willing to lose. Joerres said he likes Derby Lane's measures against the virus, including checking the temperature of everyone, requiring masks and restricting the number of players at tables.
© MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE/Times/Tampa Bay Times/TNS Gary Joerres poses for a portrait at the Derby Lane Poker Room on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in St. Petersburg.So you're happy to see the place again.
Derby Lane Poker Room Saint Petersburg Fl
Exactly … We didn't think it would be two months. We thought maybe it would be 10 days or two weeks. We knew it was serious, but we never knew it was this serious.
Did you get up any games with friends at home during the shutdown?
Nobody really wanted to get out and about and get together like that. It's something you've got to be very serious about. There's still a lot of people dying; we definitely don't want to be one of them. We can always play cards. We don't want to rush into it.
Is this a hobby, or is this the way you make a living?
Oh, no, I'm not a professional. I just like to have fun.
What's the best hand you've ever had?
A royal flush (the highest hand) … How many times? In spades, twice, but I've had other royal flushes. I had clubs, hearts – matter-of-fact I've had all four of them already .. I just had a straight flush a little while ago, a nine, 10, jack, queen and king of clubs.
What is largest pot you've ever had?
The largest one? It was that spade royal thing – about three grand.
How long do you stay?
If I'm having a good time, I'll play four, five, six hours. If I'm not having a good time, I'll get up and leave in an hour and a half … Just not my day. Why stay and give money away?
Tuesday and Thursday
10a-12p: $800 Every 30 min
1p-4p: $599 Every 30 min
6p-9p: $500 Every 30 Min
10p-12a: $400 Every 30 Min
Friday
2p-10p: $500 every 15 min
Saturday
2p-10p: $1,200 every 30 min
Sunday
12p-12a: Winter Flurry 1/3 NLHE and above wins $500, 1/2 NLHE wins $300, Micro 1/2 NLHE $200.
During payout high card is drawn for all players who were dealt in for the high hand. The highest card wins the same amount as the high hand winner.
Mgm casino atlantic city nj. January Feature Tournaments
A Month of Muti-Days
1/1/21 - 1/3/21 $150 Buy-in $21K GTE, 4 Flights
Casino sample road florida. A fully integrated, energized, local's casino experience. 2,000 Las Vegas-style slots. 70 live table games with blackjack, baccarat, poker & more. Seven dining options plus two lounges and a 1,200-seat entertainment venue.
1/11/212 - 1/17/21 $210 Buy-in $50K GTE, 9 Flights
1/25/21 - 1/31/21 $150 Buy-in $30K GTE, 9 Flights
Poker Room Features
- Auto Shufflers
- Cash Games
- Cell Reception
- Check Cashing
- Cocktail Service
- Comps Offered
- Currency Exchange
- Discounted Hotel Rates
- Food Tableside
- Jackpots
- Massage
- Non-Smoking
- Order Food at Table
- Phone in List
- Nearby Restrooms
- RV Parking
- Self Serve Drink Station
- Televisions
- USB Chargers
- Valet Parking
- WiFi
Poker Room Details
- Venue Type
- Card Room
Games in Progress
| Poker Games | Tables | Waiting |
|---|---|---|
| MICRO $1-$2 NLH | 0 | 6 |
| $1-2 NLH | 6 | 1 |
| $1-3 NLH | 4 | 1 |
| $2-5 NLH | 1 | 0 |
| $5-5 NLH | 0 | 0 |
| $1-2 PLO | 0 | 4 |
| $1-2-5 PLO | 0 | 2 |
| Table Games | Tables | |
| 1 Card Poker | 2 | |
| High Card Flush | 2 | |
| Ultimate Texas Holdem | 5 | |
| 3 Card Poker | 2 | |
| Fortune Pai Gow | 1 | |
| Face Up Pai Gow | 3 | |
| DJ Wild Stud Poker | 1 | |
| Last updated: 1 minute ago | ||
| Real-Time Action Powered by TableCaptain™ | ||
| See All Cash Games |
Get The
MOBILE APP
for
ONLINE WAIT LIST REGISTRATION
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
- Player
Derby Lane Poker Room Florida
Is Derby Lane Poker Open
Live Tournament Clocks
Dec31 | $150 Monster Stack $4K GTE | |
Jan1 | $20 The Morning Stretch $400 Gtd | |
Jan1 | $888 every 20 min 12p-12a | |
Jan1 | 2021 $21K GTE Day 1A $21K Gtd | |
Jan1 | 2021 $21K GTE Day 1B $21K Gtd | |
| Real-Time Action Powered by TableCaptain™ |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 20 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 20 | 100 | 200 | |
| Level 3 | 20 | 100 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 20 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Level 5 | 20 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 6 | 20 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 7 | 20 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Level 8 | 20 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 9 | 20 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 10 | 20 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 11 | 20 | 1200 | 2400 | 2400 |
| Level 12 | 20 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Remove 100 Color in 10K Chips | 15 | |||
| Level 13 | 20 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 14 | 20 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 15 | 20 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Level 16 | 20 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 17 | 20 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| Level 18 | 20 | 6000 | 12000 | 12000 |
| Remove 500 Color in 25K plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 19 | 20 | 8000 | 16000 | 16000 |
| Level 20 | 20 | 10000 | 20000 | 20000 |
| Level 21 | 20 | 15000 | 30000 | 30000 |
| Level 22 | 20 | 20000 | 40000 | 40000 |
| Level 23 | 20 | 25000 | 50000 | 50000 |
| Level 24 | 20 | 30000 | 60000 | 60000 |
| Remove 1000 | 10 | |||
| Level 25 | 20 | 40000 | 80000 | 80000 |
| Level 26 | 20 | 50000 | 100000 | 100000 |
| Level 27 | 20 | 60000 | 120000 | 120000 |
| Level 28 | 20 | 80000 | 160000 | 160000 |
| Level 29 | 20 | 100000 | 200000 | 200000 |
| Level 30 | 20 | 150000 | 300000 | 300000 |
| Level 31 | 20 | 300000 | 600000 | 600000 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Level 2 | 10 | 50 | 100 |
| Level 3 | 10 | 75 | 150 |
| Level 4 | 10 | 100 | 200 |
| Level 5 | 10 | 200 | 400 |
| Level 6 | 10 | 300 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 10 | 400 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 10 | 500 | 1000 |
| Break Remove 25 | 10 | ||
| Level 9 | 10 | 800 | 1600 |
| Level 10 | 10 | 1000 | 2000 |
| Level 11 | 10 | 1500 | 3000 |
| Level 12 | 10 | 2000 | 4000 |
| Level 13 | 10 | 2500 | 5000 |
| Level 14 | 10 | 3000 | 6000 |
| Level 15 | 10 | 4000 | 8000 |
| Level 16 | 10 | 5000 | 10000 |
| Break Remove 100 & 500 | 10 | ||
| Level 17 | 10 | 6000 | 12000 |
| Level 18 | 10 | 8000 | 16000 |
| Level 19 | 10 | 10000 | 20000 |
| Level 20 | 10 | 15000 | 30000 |
| Level 21 | 10 | 20000 | 40000 |
| Level 22 | 10 | 25000 | 50000 |
| Level 23 | 10 | 30000 | 60000 |
| Level 24 | 10 | 40000 | 80000 |
| Level 25 | 10 | 50000 | 100000 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
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| 20 |
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| 20 |
| 20 |
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| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| 20 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 25 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 25 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Level 3 | 25 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 25 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 5 | 25 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| Level 6 | 25 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 25 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 25 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 9 | 25 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 10 | 25 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 11 | 25 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 12 | 25 | 1500 | 2500 | 2500 |
| Remove 100 Chips - Color in 5K Chips | 10 | |||
| Level 13 | 25 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Level 14 | 25 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 15 | 25 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 16 | 25 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Remove 500 Chips - Color in 25K Plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 17 | 25 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 18 | 25 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| END OF DAY 1 | 10 |
| Name | Length | Small Blind | Big Blind | Ante |
|---|
| Level 1 | 25 | 100 | 100 | |
| Level 2 | 25 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| Level 3 | 25 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| Level 4 | 25 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 5 | 25 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| Level 6 | 25 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| Level 7 | 25 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| Level 8 | 25 | 500 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Break | 10 | |||
| Level 9 | 25 | 600 | 1200 | 1200 |
| Level 10 | 25 | 800 | 1600 | 1600 |
| Level 11 | 25 | 1000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Level 12 | 25 | 1500 | 2500 | 2500 |
| Remove 100 Chips - Color in 5K Chips | 10 | |||
| Level 13 | 25 | 1500 | 3000 | 3000 |
| Level 14 | 25 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Level 15 | 25 | 2500 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Level 16 | 25 | 3000 | 6000 | 6000 |
| Remove 500 Chips - Color in 25K Plaques | 10 | |||
| Level 17 | 25 | 4000 | 8000 | 8000 |
| Level 18 | 25 | 5000 | 10000 | 10000 |
| END OF DAY 1 | 10 |
| Place | Payout |
|---|
Upcoming Tournaments
Tweets by @derbylane_poker
Recent Action
Recent Reviews
Are we missing something?
© MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE/Times/Tampa Bay Times/TNS Gary Joerres plays poker at the Derby Lane Poker Room on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in St. Petersburg.Times Correspondent
Gary Joerres, a retired restaurant owner, missed the Derby Lane Poker Room during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The St. Petersburg resident is a regular at the Texas hold 'em tables at the Poker Room, which opened with a limited capacity May 20. Joerres, 69, plays about five days a week and has for 15 years or more. His tip for not going broke, he says, is to limit the amount you're willing to lose. Joerres said he likes Derby Lane's measures against the virus, including checking the temperature of everyone, requiring masks and restricting the number of players at tables.
© MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE/Times/Tampa Bay Times/TNS Gary Joerres poses for a portrait at the Derby Lane Poker Room on Thursday, May 28, 2020 in St. Petersburg.So you're happy to see the place again.
Derby Lane Poker Room Saint Petersburg Fl
Exactly … We didn't think it would be two months. We thought maybe it would be 10 days or two weeks. We knew it was serious, but we never knew it was this serious.
Did you get up any games with friends at home during the shutdown?
Nobody really wanted to get out and about and get together like that. It's something you've got to be very serious about. There's still a lot of people dying; we definitely don't want to be one of them. We can always play cards. We don't want to rush into it.
Is this a hobby, or is this the way you make a living?
Oh, no, I'm not a professional. I just like to have fun.
What's the best hand you've ever had?
A royal flush (the highest hand) … How many times? In spades, twice, but I've had other royal flushes. I had clubs, hearts – matter-of-fact I've had all four of them already .. I just had a straight flush a little while ago, a nine, 10, jack, queen and king of clubs.
What is largest pot you've ever had?
The largest one? It was that spade royal thing – about three grand.
How long do you stay?
If I'm having a good time, I'll play four, five, six hours. If I'm not having a good time, I'll get up and leave in an hour and a half … Just not my day. Why stay and give money away?
(Interviewed another day.) I stayed almost seven hours today … didn't have to reach into my pocket once. I was quite happy …
How much did you win?
Almost a thousand.
Your system is to fold hands that you don't have confidence in.
You could play every hand, but you could, like, just give money away. A bad hand you don't play. But people do. Believe me, I saw them today.
When you hit something like a $1,000 day, do you go celebrate at Bern's Steak House?
I go out for a steak, but maybe not to Bern's. That's (near) downtown Tampa. I live the opposite way. Elder scrolls online only 5 skill slots.
Does wearing a mask help with the poker face?
I'd have to say definitely. The poker face would definitely (be helped) with the mask. … Some people walk in with that, and I've been playing with them for years, and I go, 'Is that you?'' It really covers everything up but the eyes.
Can you tell by looking at fellow players' expressions whether they have a good or bad hand?
Sometimes you can't; sometimes you can. Some people have a little give-away. You've just got to watch them a little bit. And some people are really good at it and don't give anything away.
How are you at it?
I try to be steady. Like I mentioned earlier – that big royal flush, you don't get up and get excited. You just try to keep that way all the time.
What is your usual game pot?
It could be 20 bucks sometimes. Sometimes it could be 200 bucks (if) you get some aggressive players at the table.
How much does it cost to get in the game?
The $1-$2 (ante) game – $60.
You say you feel comfortable playing now because of Derby Lane's precautions?
Very much. That's what I like. Also, they have cashiers that run around and take care of dealers with change and get people stuff. And when they're not busy, they've got a towel and a spray bottle in their hands, wiping things down. Someone gets up from a chair, they wipe down the chair and the table in front of them before the next player sits down. I like that a lot.
———
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