Derby Lane Revisited....Still Sucks

So I went back to St. Petersburg to play poker at Derby Lane last week in Florida.
For those of you that don't visit often, the state of Florida has the most idiotic poker rules on the planet.

The preferred game is commonly known as "No-Fold'em Hold'em" because the maximum bet is $2.00 in the state. So, everyone and their sister is betting and holding hands till the river. Translated, your really good hands are bound to get cracked.

The management at Derby Lane was awful on this night. For example, we were down to 4 players at the Hold'em table and these idiots announce a new Texas Hold'em game forming. What? Is anyone watching the action on the floor? We had 6 open seats.

Another crappy part of this poker experience is the Rake. TRY UP TO FIVE BUCKS A HAND. And believe me, $50 is not in the pot when they are raking $5.00.

Next, you have to pay for your drinks, even the soft drinks. Finally, the dealers were actually OK, but some were really awful.

To stimulate action, they make up stupid games. How about trying "double flop" Hold'em !! What's next, wild cards?

All in all it was a terrible poker experience. I picked up my chips and went back to my condo and played at Party Poker in a $40,000 tourney for a $22.00 buy-in. I ended up winning 33 bucks for a 220th place finish.

I guess the moral of the story is...If you're truly desperate for actual felt and the feel of real chips than go play poker in a Florida casino. But, in my view, your time is better spent in a home game and on the internet.

Derby Lane gets the big thumbs down....A Busted Straight, a Four Flush, an Ace High.

Poker in Florida.....You're drawing dead.

The Chief has sadly spoken.