It would have been hard to imagine in the fledgling days of Florida poker that this peninsula would become such a worldwide focal point for the game.
A large factor in that boom was when the limits changed, but another one of the pillars of that success has come from big events and poker series, which attracted the game’s biggest names and became a core foundation for Florida’s amateurs to take steps toward the grand stage.
Daytona Beach Kennel Club has become a linchpin stop for the Heartland Poker Tour. The HPT prides itself on being a tournament built for the regular people, and nowhere is that adage more suitable than DBKC.
The HPT returns Oct. 4-13, and to gear up for its big event DBKC is holding $65 qualifiers every Friday and Sunday. Every qualifier comes with a guarantee of one seat, but usually two or three are given away, so that number is sure to grow as the main event gets closer. The HPT final table will be televised at a later date. Please see the ad on Page 47 for this event.
BESTBET: In the River City, bestbet Jacksonville is ready to welcome its special guests; the lovely ladies of the LIPS Tour will stop by for their second visit. First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson, Jan Fisher and the rest of the LIPS crew will be on hand for a fun-filled weekend, complete with a bounty event, a women’s championship and a tag-team event open to men and women. Details on this exciting weekend will be up soon so check out bestbet’s website for more details.
Before the dust can settle from the LIPS event, the World Poker Tour is rolling back into Jacksonville at the start of November, but satellites for the upcoming $500K guarantee main event are starting as early as the first week in October. There will be $100 (with $20 rebuys), $270 and $390 satellites lined up weekly until the big day, as well as hourly high hands where players will have a chance to win tickets to all of the satellite events.
EBRO: At the Panhandle room, the Emerald Coast Championship series was well under way at press time, so be sure to check back with Ante Up for results from Ebro’s signature series, which concluded Sept. 29.
Also, for anyone interested in learning how to play Omaha/8, Ebro holds weekly $40 tournaments every Monday, and to help players not familiar with the game, Ebro hosts a training course at 5:30 p.m. every week before the tournament.
— Charles Allison is Ante Up’s North Florida Ambassador. Email him at anteupcharles@gmail.com.
