Launch of the Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT)

[londonpokergirl]

Hi Byron

As much as I'd love to play the event i'm afraid as I play poker for a living
I cannot enter, and couldn't enter it as i'm TD  

however from how you described your situation then I would say that yes you would
be eligable to play as you said "For the past 3 or 4 months I haven't made any sort of a living doing anything and My GF is pretty much paying for everything and when I'm not looking after our daughter and doing housework I'm losing money playing cash games"  

Hope this answered your question

Mel

Mel

Thanks for your reply and I wish you all, all the best in this project

Thank you its much appreciated

[Sark79]

Some internet pro's may have never played in a casino before.  Some amateurs may have been going to the casino and playing in Live games for the last 30 years.   I think in the case of the amateur, they would have a greater advantage over the internet payer.

Could there be a case whereby the internet pro could enter or if a pro had held a casino/club membership for less than 6 months he would be eligible to enter.

What about Students who are on a gap years or taking a year out from study.  Would they be classed as temporary Pro's?

These things came into my mind while out a run this evening, they are probably crap ideas 

[DesD]

Amateur Poker Limited.

There has been a good deal of information posted here, and at www.apat.com, on the Amateur Poker Association & Tour.

Let me clarify some details on its holding company, Amateur Poker Limited.  There are areas that I cannot be too specific about, I will point those out and if you are uncomfortable with that, then you must make a choice whether to join the APAT or not.

I set up APL in late 2005, with the idea of bringing together individuals with excellent poker and business experience, with the objective of launching the Amateur Poker Association & Tour.

Tony, Mel and Richard have explained elsewhere how and why they are involved.

On the 'business' side, there are 4 individuals with very 'hands on' roles in the running of APL.

I am MD.  I have 15 years of experience of working for blue chip businesses - all household names.  During that time I have controlled budgets and done deals totalling close to £1bn.  I have worked within the retail, broadcast and gaming industries.  I will not go into the who as it is not essential for this post.  The point being, I have a tremendous amount of commercial experience to bring to the party in support of our Members.  This year alone I have:

- delivered a business plan that has received total backing.

- delivered six incredibly talented individuals who are effectively working for nothing at this time.

- delivered a contract with PokerPlayer magazine which will guarantee the APAT and its members high profile coverage for the next year.

- delivered a contract with PokerStars.com which guarantees an additional 37% to 77% in prize value associated with every live tournament we run.  As part of this our organisation will have a presence on the PokerStars.com website (details being finalised).

- delivered a set of rules that have been signed off for use in a BCA approved casino.

- delivered an excellent venue for the inaugural event, who are as excited about holding an APAT event as you are about playing in one.

- delivered a website that has been put together with a great deal of attention and accuracy, that members should be proud of.

- have negotiated a deal that should see the APAT advertised heavily within a premium high street retailer during the key christmas gift buying season.

- am in discussions with a number of parties with regards to potential TV coverage of later APAT events.

- have concluded a deal and sold a modest percentage of APL to a venture capitalist which values the business well into six figures and give us an excellent marketing budget for season one.

I do not come cheap and I do not get involved with businesses who do not turn a profit. 

Will that profit be at the expense of our players?  No.  Will any member of this team see a penny within the next 36 months, high unlikely.  Will the players benefit.  Yes, you already are from the above deals.  And that is the start of what we want to deliver for you. 

Who would you want to represent you in discussions with the major gaming organisations?  Because they are not in the non profit business as we all know.  Do you fancy it ACE2M?  Do you want to step forward to represent these players?  Do you have the experience in negotiating at this level?  Do you know somebody who does?

I shall leave the rest of the board nameless.  However, the remaining three directors of APL, there are seven of us in total, are a Finance Director of a very well know international business, a Head of Internet at one of the World's best know retailer's and the Managing Director of one of the UK's premier outside broadcast companies.  All working to make the APAT work, primarily for you. 

That is the calibre of team required to make this work, because it has been tried before and failed before.  Perhaps those initiatives were not run as a business?  I'm going to scratch my head for a while now and try to figure how a non profit making business is going to be better for our players.....

Regards,

Des Duffy
Managing Director
Amateur Poker Limited

des@apat.com

[Graham C]

Any idea on venues that will be part of the tour?  Just curious if any are planned to be near me (Bracknell - Reading perhaps?)

Also, do you need seperate membership for the Stars tourneys?  I see there is a seperate sign up bit for it.

Sorry if these have been answered already

[tikay]

This thread is not quite going the way we anticipated. I still have to answer lots of your questions - structure, clock, reg fees, da de da de da, & I will. But we seem to have got into "profit", so here's my take, & my apologies for dealing with it generically.

Firstly, to see it in context, please read this.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=13129.new#new

And, in particular, this......

Everyone will be "meeted & greeted" when they arrive on the 23rd. Everyone will be issued with a name badge, bB style - we want everyone to know each other, get on, have a fun day. Name badges help in this respect.

ALL our Live Tourneys will start & finish at civilised "worknig peoples" hours.  So, for Event 1, we start at 3pm Saturday, & finish around Midnight. Day Two, start similar time, should finish mid-evening, time for players to get a good nights sleep before work the next day. Those that wanna stay behind & chill, or play a little cash, fine, we can & will.

Our comps WILL start on time. BANG ON TIME. Amsterdam style. It's my pet hate, why do Live Events never start punctually? Our scheduled breaks will be EXACTLY the advertised duration. !0 minutes for the intermediate breaks, 1 hour (I think) for the main break.  A plasma screen will "count-down" the breaks, & "shuffle up & deal" will be TO THE SECOND when they should be. No messing.

All those returning for Day Two will be invited to join Des, Tighty & myself, as guests of APT, to have Sunday Dinner, & a chance to "lighten the mood" & relax the players before they commence battle for their prize, & EPT seat.

A set of APAT Rules will be available, so there are no misunderstandings. Anyone can have a copy. APAT staff (myself included) will be on hand throughout to clarify these, & any other APAT related queries that may arise.

We will have Final Table Commentary, Thomas Kremser style. The players will all  be individully introduced pre-Final. One or two Celebs will be on hand - Jonny Gould & Dave Compton are amongst those planning to be playing Event One - & one of us (not decided who yet, depends on availability) will do the Final Table Commentary. Personally, I am hoping Jonny Gould gets knocked out the comp so he can do the commentary - he really is a top "pro" with a microphone in hand at public events. But he tells me he intends to win the event! Bully for him.

A proper prizegiving.

When I am in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, & many other countries, it's customary to give a little round of applause to those who bust out. Many think this is funny, usaully the "usual" cynics & knockers, but it's genuine, sincere, well-intended, & really rather nice. I'm hoping the APAT Members do this, & I shall encourage them so to do. Because it's nice, & we want everyone to enjoy themself. I know, laugh all you like, but this is my dream, & it either happens, or it does not, but boy oh boy, the grand plan is for Members to have a ball, & I assure you they will. And if it goes wrong? So be it. Failure I can cope with, not trying I can't.

That's just a pencil sketch of my thoughts, hope & dreams for APAT. But you get the drift.

So, there it is in a nutshell. It's an attempt to make poker more enjoyable, fulfil the dreams some of us have, be "comfortable". Comfortable includes physically - a bit of elbow room at Venues (why do we always have  be squished up"?), & mentally - there will be no intimidating behaviour, because we will enforce penalties. A fun day, no more, no less.

Now, if, in providing that, someone makes some money, why is that so bad? Almost every item in the list I reproduced above has been asked for by someone, at some time. Earlier starts. Punctual starts. Consistent Rules. A bit of dinner, on the house. (Or, if you prefer, out of the Reg Fee & Membership). Players actually - shock horror - "meeted & greeted" (theres the Jen language influence coming through). Met with a smile - remember smiles? "Thanks for joining us, come again". Are these values that bad?

I've had a couple of PMs today suggesting I'm a soft old fella, "nice" is not cool, see? Well there you go. They gave me a clean sheet of paper, & I drew my dreams on it. We are going to try it, fiddle with it, change things, & have a wonderful series of Live Events. I believe those that play - & it looks like there will be many - will have a grand day. So why is it such a problem if they are charged a bit of Rake, & a tinsy winsy Annual membership Fee, in return for that experience? I'd pay a tenner in every single Tourney I play if I was looked after better, I truly would.

So, serious question, if it's as good as I think it will be, is it so bad that someone makes a few bob out of it?

As to the suggstion that we kept the profit motive quiet, well, no answer really. I have Posted at length today, & told you everything.

Will DesD get a Ferrari? Maybe, but I don't really care to be honest - I just want to do my bit to improve Tournament Poker, as I know it. And I think, together, we can. Would you not love to have been offered that scenario - "here you are, help make it a better experience"?

OK, I better look at answering some more questions now.

But meantime, please give some thought to the Positives, the last few hours seems to have been all negatives, & the idea of a great day or two's poker seems to have been submerged.  I am absolutely sure that nobody will leave the Broadway unimpressed after Event 1. Hold me to it, & you'll be all right.

[Graham C]

Um, just joined, but I didn't have to enter any details about myself other than my Stars ID.  How do I/you know that I'm a member?  Do I get a confimation email somehow?

[Tractor]

Yes same here?

[DesD]

Um, just joined, but I didn't have to enter any details about myself other than my Stars ID.  How do I/you know that I'm a member?  Do I get a confimation email somehow?

Hi Silo and Tractor,

For clarification, when you finalise payment through PayPal, you are returned to a confirmation page on the APAT website, which confirms your Membership.  Your email address acts as your membership reference.  So you are both confirmed Members of the APAT.

Thank you both for your support.  We will be in touch with tournament details in the near future.

Regards,

Des Duffy
Managing Director
Amateur Poker Limited

des@apat.com

[tikay]

Any idea on venues that will be part of the tour?  Just curious if any are planned to be near me (Bracknell - Reading perhaps?)

Also, do you need seperate membership for the Stars tourneys?  I see there is a seperate sign up bit for it.

Sorry if these have been answered already

The Season One Venues are still being finalised. We do have one Venue in mind that is about an hours drive from Reading, but it's still to be confirmed, we have concentrated on getting Event One "just so" so far.

Venues are tricky, & there are a limited number that meet the criteria - Licensed, "want us", (& I do mean "want us", because they have to go through some hoops), adequate size (which is, well, who knows at this stage?), & so on.

Our Irish Event wll be in Dublin, by the look of it, we are still working on venues in Scotland & Wales - not easy - & my problem!

Mainland Europe is easy, they have different regulations, & plenty of much larger Venues, as the EPT has shown, we are spoilt for choice really.

What will be will be, but we are going to have a real good go at making this kite fly. I believe that a succesful Event One will make all the difference & we intend to deliver.

Tony Kendall,
Chairman, APAT.

(I keep forgetting my "signature", sorry!).

[Acidmouse]

This sounds sooo cool the way tikey described it. Hope I can make the first one in Brummie!

[Graham C]

Lovely, cheers for replying and I wish you all the best

[dik9]

Tikay, we do share your dreams.

Who gets the reg fee though? See pm

[richmagpies]

Excellent idea and all the best with it.

I joined using the pokerplayer promo code and my poker stars id for a fiver. The Paypal reciept says 'Mem002'. Others I know have joined and are a 'Mem001'. Whats the difference? Apologies if you've already answered this!

Cheers,

Rich

[RED-DOG]

Ok heres a positive, I'm positive it's going to be great.

Throughtout my life, when conducting business deals or making agreements with my friends, I didn't ask or need to see every little detail in writing, I didn't look for hidden agendas. I trusted them.

Shakespeare said "He that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, but makes me poor indeed"

I know Tony very well, and ol Shakey might have written that with him in mind. He would never knowingly be involved in something that was detrimental to anyone. If he says it's on the level, thats good enough for me.

[totalise]

But meantime, please give some thought to the Positives, the last few hours seems to have been all negatives

the positives are apparent, its the negatives that need(ed) pointing out/clarification

You should be elated you dont just have a site full of yes-men . I expect all the people that are eligible to play are happy to be able to ask questions/bring up issues without it being considered "negative". Both sides will be the stronger for it once all the concerns/Q's have been ironed out.



Des,

any chance you might consider setting up a "unrecognised person who makes money from poker" tour? I'd love to play in that =)