blonde poker forum

Now before anybody gets defensive I am merely posting this to find out why so many people are so enthusiastic to play in the APAT events considering the costs involved in attending in relation to the size of the entry fee. I appreciate they are good structured, deepstacked events that many players would not normally get the opportunity to play in but for me it ends there. The costs many people are going to, to play in a £75 f/o comp which has such a top heavy prize structure, and thats without consideration to the added Poker Stars entry prize into whatever tournament, just doesn't make any sense to me. Granted it's a fun social event but I can get that in many other games. How much will it cost to play APAT Ireland, a mere fortune. So why are so many people SO keen to play. I know Ireland is a great place and I love Dublin (one of my favourite cities) but if I was to spend so much money and time to travel there (hotels/flights/etc) I would certainly prefer to have a few nights out in Ireland rather than play a £75 f/o comp and sit in a casino.

Are there not comps available to players that would be a faction of the cost (in terms of expenses), of attending APAT Ireland and which also offer a far more favourable, flatter structure. I'm not knocking APA or APAT and I would play one of their events but only if it didn't mean I had to spend hundreds in expenses for the privilege. For me I looking for better value. 

So why are so many people willing to pay hundreds in expenses for a £75 f/o ???. And it's not just one off events unlike the occassional blonde bash, it's a series of them. Entry fees spent over the APAT season maybe a few hundred, I dread to think what the expenses are.

No doubt by just asking the question the ;shitfanhit;

why do people rush to play a £30 fast structured blondeBash?

for me every reasonable game will cost the same be it in glasgow  southampton luton walsall or ireland

There is a free buffet.

Perhaps you are missing the point of why the APAT was born in the first place.
The events are second to none in organisation and the folk who participate are a pleasure to be with.
That said, finances do tend to dictate and that is the very reason why I didn't attempt to gain a seat in Ireland. The overall cost was just too much. But that's not the APAT's fault.

He's got a valid point you know...

just wait for the european leg in either krakow or st petersberg (they aint sure yet)

Because the emphasis of the Blonde Bash event is based around getting a community that has got to know eachother over a period of time together and to have a social event. Hence activities outside of poker are also arranged.

Also these events are also much less frequent than APAT events.  

hum good idea whose up for a footy match at apat ireland?

I understand why APAT was created and stated that they are well run events. What I have done is question why people are so keen to play in an event/events that cost so much more in expenses in relation to the entry fee.

p.s. St Petersberg sounds good but if I going there poker and a £75 f/o is the last thing I would be doing.

Your banned  ;tracet;

Good points, well made.  I think over time the number of players wanting to play each event will fade due to costs and that players will save to participate in one or two events next season.  So you will end up with more Irish at the Irish event, Scots at the Scottish event and so on.  

It is difficult to explain unless you have been to one, but there is an incredibly 'big event' feel to those games and the way they are reported.  In addition the added value gives seven or eight members the chance to play an EPT, WPT or WSOP event.  

To date we have had requests from players in several European countries to take part in live APAT games, and as I said elsewhere, one chap will come to Dublin from Norway.  We'll ask Poker Week to interview him and ask the question.....

You are banned!

He has a point you spend lets say £400 for the weekend in travel, food, bear and hotel etc.. for a £75 freezout, must be a good social thing.

I have never played an APAT event, I have attended some though, and like you I was a little perplexed as to why all the hoo haa and excited anticipation that surrounds the events.  But after attending Cardiff and spending the weekend in the company of so many like minded people, I now fully understand the way people feel about the series of events.

They are superbly organised and structured, and there is a blonde bash type atmosphere that just seems to go along with the events, no bitching, table banging,rubdowns etc, just like minded people who want to have a social weekend away from home and play a game of poker that they can look forward to and know that they arent gonna be shafted on cost/structure etc.

So think blonde bash with a serious game of poker which has potentially life changing added prizes and rewards attached to it.

Thanks Kev, that's a beer I owe you that you'll never get!!

des if thats the case put my name down for every leg of season 2

as much as i like bigger buy in events and in the past i havent done too bad in them (without a big score)

i much prefer the atmosphere at apat than at regular events there is always people around you can talk too

unlike regular events where people arrive play get knocked out and leave

how can i be barred from the apat footy match i have played a match yet

I agree about the payout structure. the stacks and clock is a shining example, the top heavy money lets it down for me

And just to secure another bevvy from Des that I will never get,...

The stereotypical APAT player doesnt look at the costs of travel accomodation etc as paying it to play a £75 game of poker, Its paying to have a social weekend and meeting up with people with whom you have forged friendships through the mutual interest of Poker...

everyone has a hobby, and the costs incurred doing something that gives you pleasure cant really be justified to people who dont share your hobby ..... Like metal detectors spending money to travel abroad to search fields and beaches for treasure, or a football fan spending shitloads to follow his team all over the country every weekend, people who dont share their interest cant see why they do it ...but they do, and they love it... its all relative.

your banned from all competition for the rest of your life!

apart from the addes seat i think the payout structure is kinda nice it encourges play rather than sitting tight

Yup, people play for the win! As they should.

people are playing for a living so ladder climbs dont mean people wont eat the following week or not

so i dont feel guilty when i knock them out

For me there are several reasons why I will travel the lengh and bredth of the country to play in these events.

1 - The blinds, being deepstacked, a good 2 day session of poker (if you are lucky) all with people who out to win, but mainly are the there for a good time. Winning is not everything to the players in these events.

2 - The spirit the events are played in is second to none. I have played in several types of different structured tournaments all over the north west and the people who play in these all think they are Johnny Big Rocks know it all poker, and when you lay a bad beat on them or do something that maybe you shouldnt of, they pounce on you with snyde remarks. In these events people get up and smile, take their round of applause walk off have a chat a beer, and a good time, and most of all it is all done with a smile on their face.

3 - The prizes are superb. I know there are many who dont like the top heavy payout structure, but I really think its fantasttic. The 1st prize could be life changing, the payouts in Cardiff where designed to encourage good play, and to my knowledge there has not been talk of a chop at any events.

4 - Forget the prizes on the day, the big one is the Poker Stars Carribean jig. That in itself is a super prize to win, and would be life changing event for a normal everyday poker player.

If you play in one event you will know why people like it so much.

And what about 'twitchers'... what are they on!!   >:?

Just get closer to the front of the queue this time!! Maybe sit out the last couple of hands.  :)up

they do all day breakfasts too

and chili chips .... now they are the biz.

is chilli coming?

too easy, resist resist resist ...

I agree with everything Flying Pig says, The Apat forms a large part of my HOBBY
that is playing poker.

As its a hobby,and i'm not relient on makng a score each time I play ,the social side of the event comes to the fore,and like most entrants, i'll go all over to play in these wellstructured events.

And enjoy the poker as part of an occasional weekend away, whare I can meet up with old friends, and make ne ones.

Just about sums it up for me.  The weekends have the feel of a blonde bash about them.

Chuck in an added value comp and a chance to visit different casinos once in a while and its an easy decision to try and play them.

I have a full time job and the chance to play a decent structured live comp at a weekend is a rare one indeed.  The alternative would be to stump up £1000+ for a festival main event.

I totally agree with Jimmy & Brendon.

APAT events are for amateurs and I cannot think of a better way to spend a weekend than playing poker in great venues, with a fantastic structure and tremendous added value.  I don't have to make a profit from the weekend (good job really!!!), and so the costs of travel, hotels etc are not that important to me.  I am in the position where I am able to enjoy Poker (my major hobby) as I wish.

But the main reason why I am so keen to travel to APAT events is the people and the atmosphere.  The events are so well run, the people are so friendly, I have met many new friends through APAT and look forward to catching up at the live events.  Without being there to experience this it is difficult to describe in words what APAT is about.  I really feel part of something special, I feel part of a family of poker playing lovers who play the game in great spirit and with lots of skill.

Bring on Dublin, cannot wait, see you all at the fitzwilliam.

This is just so wrong and probably illegal!  :redcard:

I keep going to them to see if I can get that beer from Des...

lay off des being tight he bought a whole round back in 1998 when he was the only person in the bar

I can see why some people may think this, I mean yeah the expenses for travelling etc do outweigh the actual buy-in for the event.. but its a great added value thanks to the packages Star's have added, especially the PCA one that has several people competing for points! Plus they are great fun... personally I dont play for money, I play because I enjoy it and losing £75 isnt the end of the world, which helps in being able to relax and just enjoy playing a LOT of poker.

Plus if you Satellite in... for £10... you get a few expenses paid for with the prize money!

Anyway its just a great excuse to travel somewhere for the weekend, play some cards and have a few drinks. What else is life for?

 ;iagree;  ;dewi;

I agree, the APAT sounds crap + expensive.

























Well, it dosent, im just bitter coz i didnt get in, and Jones + Kin did.

Sounds really good + dont think it would be that expensive, £30 a night a decent hostel or summat for 2 nights, flights on ryanair are like £40 and obv drinking money. COuld probs squeeze by with £250/£300 for a great weekend. + if Kinboshi can win it, anyone can.

Prize structure could probs be better tho.

My only problem with it is the structure - I can't reach agreement with an organisation representing the lower limit/amateur player going to the casinos and playing a steeper structure than the overly steep structures that have been moaned about on repeated threads on blonde.

I like a lot of what APAT stands for and a lot of the guys/girls who play on it and run it, but I can't get past the making ridiculously top heavy structures look acceptable, so while I wish it well I can't join.

Good.  You'd only outdraw me... ;whistle;

GFY ;) - you'd have won the quiz if Laz's missus hadn't showed up though.

The payout structure isnt that bad, they pay the top 10%, 1st got 30% & 2nd 18% in Edinburgh.

At the risk of making this a 40 pager, what do you suggest?

rotflmfao

The payout strucutres were flattened significantly after feedback following event 1, and this was met with wide support

"ridiculously heavy" is a vast exaggeration, in my opinion

granted, the added value prize (EPT seat etc) to the winner will always give a top heavy element for the winner (as even the GUKPT does with £10,000 plus a £3,000 seat to a winner) but beyond that, consider that for a typical APAT event now the payout is:

10% of field paid

winner 25% plus seat

2nd 15-20%

3rd 10%

4th-9th flat

which gives the top 3 a lower percentage payout than a standard casino competition (ex the EPT seat) and adheres to what APAT does as a concept, which is gold silver and bronze medals to the top 3, no deals to provide true national amteur champions and therefore everyone plays to win

when do i get my 2nd silver medal through the post?

i have bought an extra tin of silver polish

and have a tin of gold polish for next weeks gold medal

Apat has given me the chance to play(sorry turn up) in alive enviroment for the first time.I live out in the country and going to a casino is just not practical for me normally.As for the cost of these weekends i am the king of drunken side games ,so they usually cost me nothig at all .
The other bonus is i've met some brilliant people as well

Like many others this is just a hobby and we all spend money on our hobbies. I've been pretty lucky with my hobby online which means that it pays for itself (and a few other hobbies  ;) ).

I played in the UK APAT event an enjoyed it very much. The organisation was excellent and although I did not know anyone else there, it was a very friendly atmosphere (something you don’t experience at all live events).

I was very disappointed when I did not get a place in the Scottish APAT, particularly as it was my home event and wouldn’t have cost much expense wise (not that I’m echoing any Scottish stereotype).

Thankfully I secured my place for Dublin online and I’m more than happy to pay the flights and accommodation expenses for what I hope will be a fun weekend….. whatever the result in the tourney.

I’ll be getting there on the Friday night (unfortunately the wife can’t make it… pity she likes Dublin). If there’s a group of you gathering at a certain venue that night and wouldn’t mine another lost soul tagging along just let me know where.  :cheers:

as soon as i know where i am staying etc etc i will make a post your welcome to join me and anyone else that is looking lost

 :goodpost: ;iagree;

I've been lucky enought to play (get a seat) at Cardiff, Edinburgh & now Dublin, each event gets better & very well run. You make new friends and have lots & lots of fun........and for me thats what it's all about! Worth every penny to have a good weekend away with like minded people enjoying themselves.

Is it fair to say that those that are enthusiastic about these events (ernough to travel great distances) are those that have been to previous APAT tournies and those that haven't been may not quite see what the fuss is about?
 :dontask:

I'm going because the whole trip and tourney entry is costing about £30 and looking at previous events i estimate that the first prize will probably be over £3,000 meaning that when i win i'll be walking away with a 10,000% profit.

Then added to that is the EPT seat which will save me having to spend the hard earned bankroll i've started to rebuild on pokerstars on satellites. Once i win the first prize at the EPT event i will be able to add £300,000 to the winnings meaning i have now made 1,000,000% profit

Then added to that is the free entry into the EPT Grand Final at Monte Carlo for winning an EPT event. Once i win the first prize here to become the first person to win two EPT events in the same season who knows, it may lead to the first ever sponsorship of a monkey by an online poker company.

Oh and apparently someone said these events are fun to play as well :)up

Someones been eating too many bananas this morning?  :D

I feel that another reason for these event's popularity is the superb marketing strategy that has been employed.

Take a bow Des, the registration process alone is a masterpiece in the field of creating urgency.   ;hattip;