The 2009 APAT European Amateur Team Championship was held at the G Casino Luton and attracted international teams from twelve countries, each vying for the European Amateur Team title to succeed last year’s winners Ireland.
The event was held over two days, with each of the teams comprising four players, battling it out over a series of 80 Six Max Sit & Go and Heads Up matches with points awarded according to finishing positions.
Leading throughout the first day was the English team containing APAT National Champions Steve Redfern and Brian Yates, followed by France, Hungary and Poland. England were still leading after the afternoon matches on day two, leaving only two rounds of Six Max Sit & Go matches to come on the final evening. In these games though the English under-performed leaving the way clear for their closest competitors to come through. England would eventually finish third.
In an innovative feature of the Championship, Germany recorded the first APAT in play poker substitution when captain Stephan Kalhamer introduced Silke Burghardt against England’s Brian Yates at a crucial point in the match. The German woman repeated an earlier victory over her English opponent to delight a hugely enthused rail and dent England’s chances of the title.