I continued my Florida poker odyssey-with stops in Melbourne and Daytona Beach. I arrived at "Club 52," the Melbourne poker room, at 1:30.
Club 52 is a long and thin 33 table room on the second floor of the Melbourne greyhound track. They spread the full range of low limit and no-limit hold 'em allowed in Florida, with a daily $65 deep stack tournament at 1:00 p.m. It's non-smoking and nicely, if not elegantly, furnished. The level of play in the $2-$4 limit and $5-$10 blind no-limit games was passive and loose. I finished up winning $82 in one hour on each table. Melbourne Greyhound Park & Club 52 Poker, 1100 N. Wickham Rd., Melbourne. 321-259-9800.
I arrived later that afternoon at the poker room in Daytona Beach, a huge new room with 50 tables. They were spreading all levels of hold 'em-and even had the $.25-$.50 "retro" stud and hold 'em games that were spread before the state raised the betting limits to $5.00. I played $1-$2 no-limit for an hour and found the play very tight and passive. Most hands were either un-raised pre-flop or conceded with a raise to $7. There are many tournaments and high hand promotions. Daytona Beach Kennel Club, 960 S. Williamson Blvd, Daytona Beach. 386-252-6484.
I visited my Dad in the hospital the next day, and played poker that night just south of the city at the St. Johns Greyhound Track and Poker Room.
St. Johns is open every day-from noon until midnight or so, with 34 tables. Most were busy when I arrived on a Tuesday night. That's the best night to visit because Orange Park is closed on Tuesdays and their players come over. St Johns also has Omaha/8-as well as limit and no-limit hold 'em. There are many high hand, bad beat promotions, and tournaments, including double shoot outs, deep stacks on Monday, a monthly Omaha/8 tournament, a monthly ladies only event, and 6-handed, winner-takes-all, sit and goes.
I played some $2-$5 no-limit with a bunch of good natured complainers who noted that the room didn't have to offer anything for nothing, since they were the nearest public poker room to anyone in Georgia or the Carolinas. I left after three hours, up $75 but unfortunately without trying out the highly praised sushi bar located right in the poker room. The Poker Room at St. Johns Greyhound Park, 6322 Race Track Rd., Jacksonville. 904-646-0002.
The Orange Park room had many limit and no-limit hold 'em games and a $2-$4 7-stud/8 game when I visited the following evening on my way out of Jacksonville. I played 7-stud/8. The players were fun loving, raising each other in what I can only describe as a playful manner. Two of them knew what they were doing. The other three, in what was a short-handed game most of the time, tended to follow along-calling all the way to the river. That was fine with me, as I tightly waited for optimal cards and won about $50 during my hour session. The Poker Room at Orange Park, 455 Park Avenue, Jacksonville. 904-646-0001.
My last stop was later that night at the vibrant 21-table Ocala Jai-Alai and Poker room located in the woods between Gainesville and Ocala. I was made to feel right at home by the very friendly staff, four friendly and knowledgeable players, and two sweet guys who didn't seem to have a clue but had deep pockets. There are freeroll tournaments here twice a month on a first come first served basis. Ocala Jai-Alai and Poker, 4601 NW County Road 318, Reddick. 352-591-1245.
Space does not permit me to go into all of the detail that these excellent poker rooms deserve. Leave it to say that there is lots of good poker action these days throughout the state of Florida.
Ashley Adams is the author of Winning 7-Card Stud and Winning No Limit Low Limit Hold'em. He hosts the radio show House of Cards, broadcast Mondays at 5 - 6 p.m. in Boston, MA, on 1510 AM, and on the Internet at www.houseofcardsradio.com. Contact Ashley at asha34@aol.com.
