CPPT Rolls Into Derby Lane This October

The Card Player Poker Tour has partnered with Derby Lane’s Pokerfest Series this October for a ten-event run that boasts $320,000 in total guarantees.

The action officially kicks off Sept. 28 with a $150 buy-in no-limit hold’em mega stack with four starting flights that features a $50,000 guarantee, and wraps up Oct. 7 with a last chance $250 buy-in mega stack with a $10,000 guarantee. Other events on the schedule include a $350 buy-in black chip bounty event with a $10,000 guarantee on Oct. 1, a $350 buy-in monster stack on Oct. 2 with a $20,000 guarantee, and a $300 pot-limit Omaha event on Oct. 4 with at least $10,000 up for grabs.

“We are very excited partnering with the Card Player Poker Tour,” said Derby Lane Card Room Manager Pam Buzzetto. “We expect large turnouts and some very big prize pools for the players.”

Other highlights of the series include the $250 buy-in, $5,000 guaranteed LIPS (Ladies International Poker Series) event on Sept. 30, and a $250 buy-in, $5,000 guaranteed seniors (50 years and older) tournament on Oct. 2.

The highlight of the series, however, is the $200,000 guaranteed main event. The $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament begins on Oct. 4 with the first of four starting flights. Players can take their chances with day 1A Thursday at noon, or day 1B at noon on Friday, Oct. 5. Day 1C begins later that day at 6 p.m., and final flight, day 1D, starts at noon on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Each player in the main event will enjoy a 30,000-starting stack. However, for just a $30 add-on, players will receive an additional 20,000 for a total of 50,000 to start. Blinds will begin at 30 minutes for day 1, but will increase to 40 minutes to close out the tournament.

If the $1,000 buy-in is too steep for your bankroll, don’t worry, in addition to daily $110 single table satellites, Derby Lane will be hosting a number of main event satellites where players can earn their seat for just $125. The first takes place Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 1 p.m. and the second on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. Both satellites are guaranteeing three seats each.

Players can also earn their main event seat with Derby Lane’s package qualifiers. For just $175, players will compete to earn a buy-in into three different events. Satellite winners will not only get their $1,000 main event seat, but also a $350 buy-in into the Oct. 2 monster stack, and a $250 buy-in into the Oct. 7 last chance mega stack. These satellites, which also guarantee three seats each, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.

Check out the complete series schedule.

About Derby Lane

Derby Lane is located in St. Petersburg, Florida, the second largest city in the Tampa Bay Area. The poker room is part of the St. Petersburg Kennel Club, which is the oldest continuously operating greyhound track in the world, having run their inaugural race back in January of 1925.

Throughout its history, Derby Lane was a hotspot for star athletes, and played host to players such as Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth. The track even served as a filming location in the movies Coupe de Ville in 1990, in Ocean’s Eleven in 2001, and again in The Infiltrator in 2015.

Derby Lane offers live racing and replays, with evening performances Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m., and matinee performances Monday and Wednesday through Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. Bettors can enjoy simulcast wagering on tracks from South Florida to New York, and even California with 50 large flat-screen TVs to watch all of the action. There are also plenty of table games available, including Three Card Poker, Fortune Pai Gow, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, the recently added Crazy 4 Poker, and High Card Flush.

Gamblers who work up an appetite won’t be disappointed with what Derby Lane has to offer. Circa 1925 is a six-tiered restaurant with panoramic views of the racetrack and was the winner of the Diners’ Choice award in 2016. It’s located next to The Prohibition, a bar that serves extraordinary cocktails and drinks. For more casual fare, check out the Gallery Lounge or Derby Club Four.

The Derby Lane Poker Room

The track added poker in 1997 for the first time, and in 2009, Derby Lane finished a $2.5 million renovation on the poker room, instantly making it one of the premier poker destinations in the state. The Derby Lane poker room spreads a variety of games and limits, including the popular $2-$5 no-limit hold’em game with table stakes buy in.

More than $200,000 is given back to players each month with jackpots and other various high hand promotions, and the players stay busy with plenty of daily tournaments including deep stacks, ultra stacks, mega deep stacks, and the popular Nickel tournament, a $500 buy-in event that features a big blind ante format.

After getting player feedback, poker room staff responded with new and improved tournament offerings, a new tournament area, new high-limit rooms, an improved Wi-Fi signal, and even a full lunch and dinner menu with extended hours for those that enjoy table-side dining.

“The room was updated with our players in mind to create an engaging gaming environment for all playing levels,” Buzzetto added.

The Derby Lane poker room is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 a.m., and is open 24 hours-a-day during the weekend. For more information about the poker room, visit their website or call (727)812-3339 ext. 214 to get the poker room directly.

For more information about the CPPT, visit the tour homepage. ♠