Live Poker in Ocala, FL

"It's illegal to play poker for money in Florida."

"No, it is. It's been legal at the indian casinos and about 2 years ago they started allowing it at the paramutuals."

"Uh-huh. What do you play with... matchsticks? Because it's illegal to play for money."


I know my parents live here, but seriously, do they think I'm just making this up. Since we weren't going to Disney on Tuesday because of the chance of rain (good decision as it's pouring now), I decided to hit up the Ocala Poker Room. It's was just a Jai-Alai club, but with the expansion of poker in Florida, many of the paramutuals have added poker rooms. For more on Florida poker, check out Florida's premier poker magazine, Ante Up Magazine.


Since we're on vacation with no rental car, I was forced to borrow my folks tricky Lincoln. First rule... don't open the driver side window. 2nd Rule, after unlocking the door, wait a few seconds before opening, so the alarm doesn't go off. Properly given the rules, I start to backout the driveway. My mom suddenly comes running out. "Oh and one more thing. No matter what, DO NOT TURN ON THE RADIO." Um... OK. Granted this car is 11 years old, but still. Should I worry about the hour drive? I decide to risk it. I want to play some live poker.


Turns out it was only a 40 minute drive. Mostly because it was 8:45 and everyone in Florida was sleeping. If anyone plans on going, you should know that Google gives you wrong directions. It says that getting off 75 you turn left (coming from the south), or head west. It's actually east. The directions from the website are accurate.


The place was mostly paramutual with lots of screens showing various races. The poker room was off to the right when you first walk in. I was planning on doing a proper review, but really, I got there at 9:30 and it's only open until 12. So I sat down with $60 at a 2/2 NLHE table.


I don't have a lot of experiences with live poker rooms. In fact, other than Foxwoods, this is only the 2nd poker room I've seen. Mohegan Sun just opened up their room. And I haven't been to a AC or Las Vegas since I started playing poker. Foxwoods is HUGE. The 2nd largest poker room in the US, I think. Definitely in the top 5. So this was small, about 40 tables. But on a Monday night, it was about 1/2 full.


I don't get many hands early on. The first real hand, I have Tx in the big blind. Flop is KJQ, 2 spades. I check, middle position bets about 1/2 pot. the button calls and I call. The turn is a low 3rd spade and it checks around. The river brings a 9. Giving me a straight. I check, the middle postion guy makes a small bet. The button thinks for a while and puts in his entire stack of about 40+. That almost covers me at this point. I really put him on a flush there. I decide that at best it's a chop. The bettor calls and they both show down a 10. I don't mind my lay down there since I knew I wasn't winning the hand outright. At best it was a 3way chop.


Later on, the same guy that pushed in that last hand, is short stacked ($23). He already made it clear he was pushing in blind. I'm 2 spots from him and decide that I didn't have many more chips, and figured I'd re-buy here. I just call with 8s6s. The button repops it and I have no choice but to call my last 15 prepared to re-buy. I'm up against AJ (raiser) and 2-4 (blind pusher). I hit a 6 and end the hand with a boat. I sheepishly rake in the chips.

A few hands later, I raise with KJ and get two callers. I flop 2 pair and bet out. The guy to my immediate right calls. Turn is a 9. He bets and I raise. He pushes all in. I don't know why, but I called. He of course shows QT. I don't boat and lose 1/2 my stack.

After that I get a string of good hands and start raising 10 ($6 raises didn't do anything). I was accused of being on tilt, but could not get any callers. The toughest was when I raised to 1o the 3rd time in a row with KK got one caller, hit a K and bet out (which I did that last two times). The guy folded.

I ended up winning a big hand with Jx in the BB at the end of the night. I hit a jack, but there was an ace as well. I bet it and get one caller from this old guy who calls everything. This old guy called everything. The dealers all knew him, but didn't think much of his play. I did worry my jack was no good until another jack hit. I really hoped he hit an ace. The river was the case J. I didn't have many chips left. Just under 1/2 the pot. I was going to bet less, but figured that would be obvious. I threw in the last of my stack and waited. The guy tanked for a while (which wasn't uncommon). In the end he folded. I showed my quads.

The final hand I played for the night left me with a small profit. All night I didn't play my draws very strong. With one hand, I raised on the button with Adxd I got two callers (one was old guy). The flop was 356, two diamonds. First limper bets, old guy calls and I push. Bettor tanks and calls, old guy calls. I hit the flush and show. The bettor folds his smaller flush. Old guy stares and stares at his cards, shows his neighbor and mucks. Had 22. Called 2 all-ins with 22.

I don't get any more hands and go home a $17 winner. WOO HOO! I enjoyed the time and liked the poker room. I recommend it if you're close by. I can't comment on any of the other Tampa Bay poker rooms though.


-My name is Unimpressed, and I'm an donkaholic.