Launch of the Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT)

[ifm]

May i direct you to the questions raised earlier in this thread please?

[BrumBilly]

Not at all Ironside...lol...Showering is just fine. The end result (nice clean body) is all we're after. When you're sat at a table and the dealer comments on how fresh you smell it's a sad commentary on the general picture.

Ian, not sure which questions you're referring to mate but I'm buggered if I'm gonna read the whole thread again. Has taken for ever to wade through it all.

Will

[ifm]

There were a few unanswered Billy.
Is the membership fee refundable?
Are apat being funded by pokerstars etc.

I have read thru the last few pages and i must admit some comments angered me, i have since had a cuppa, pottered around for a bit and returned all refreshed and yet still angry at a few things.

As it stands the comp at the broadway is value for money and is worth the juice alone to play that single comp (even the backdoor juice as someone put it) so well done all, great stuff.

Someone asked does it matter if someone makes a few bob (or a ferrari), quite frankly yes it does simply because it would be money not going to the members, money taken from the potential prizepool.
Dik9 has put forward the most sense on this thread and i agree with almost everything he has said (and he does know more than most on the subject), a free buffet is not free if it comes from the rake, especially if there would normally be none at all.
I also think the slightly petulant post from DesD says more in it's tone than in it's content but maybe i'm seeing ghosts under the bed here.
As flushy said very early on Tighty and Tikay would be the most vocal on this subject had it been dropped in their laps.

[ifm]

Oh and the 118 thing was borne from another thread.

[BrumBilly]

Enjoy your cuppa (reminds me, I need one too)

From memory there was a mixup where someone registered for the online membership by mistake and that was refunded so they could re-register for the full membership (live). As far as refunding membership fees if you can't get into a comp goes, I can't imagine that's feasible as the fee covers the costs of running the association and staging comps on top of securing eligibility for the tour events.

The tone on some of the posts has been a little off key but I guess that's probably more down to the ambiguity of the written word rather than any ill intent. All too easily to read things too literally and take the wrong meaning (I've had many a miscommunication on msn messenger where a simple statement can take 10mins back and forth to clarify so bear that in mind).

I think the comp/s sound great (The more £50-£100 freezeouts the better!). I'd prefer a one day thing but that's just a personal preference. Not sure I'll be worth me joining as I'm not sure I'd get to play enough of the events (will have to see when they're listed).

Reading all these posts has been quite a task but has been well worth it. This is a great forum. Great spectrum of views/concerns, swift, thorough responses from those in the know and NO abuse!

Will.

[tikay]

I had intended to Post my take on "Structures", but suddenly, it's 03.30 & I have to go to work tomorrow, gotta be in London by midday, so it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thanks for all the feedback, it's been terrific.

Till tomorrow - well later today - night all, & take care.

[BrumBilly]

Cheers Tikay,

safe journey.

[Copag]

H, I've managed to read most of this post as I like this idea, something on this scale will obviously have lots of teething difficulties.
 For £75 I'd love to play any Pro player in a live tourney, be it Edog,Red Dog or Boss Hogg?. The problem with amateur status could be resolved by grading the level of amateur,the top players must wear a large pink domed hat with the word semi on it, or have an acceptance thread, anyone has a problem with someone on the list they complain to TK to decide and if the list is over 120 then have a lottery.

[tikay]

Oh and the 118 thing was borne from another thread.

This one is intriguing me, so my previous "last" Post wll have to be my penultimate Post - give us a clue ifm!

[ifm]

Oh and the 118 thing was borne from another thread.

This one is intriguing me, so my previous "last" Post wll have to be my penultimate Post - give us a clue ifm!

LOL you said that a couple of chaps from 425 were playing the comp, i assumed (quite possibly wrongly now i think about it) that they were prebooked.
I can't see famous tv presenters sitting fingers poised at 00.00 01 trying to enter a comp!

[Copag]

120 - 2 guaranteed on-line sat seats = 118 maybe

[ifm]

120 - 2 guaranteed on-line sat seats = 118 maybe

Well tighty says no online sats, tikays says maybe

[tikay]

Oh and the 118 thing was borne from another thread.

This one is intriguing me, so my previous "last" Post wll have to be my penultimate Post - give us a clue ifm!

LOL you said that a couple of chaps from 425 were playing the comp, i assumed (quite possibly wrongly now i think about it) that they were prebooked.
I can't see famous tv presenters sitting fingers poised at 00.00 01 trying to enter a comp!

1) I actually said "they were planning to play"... (my italics). And I said exactly what I meant, & I meant exactly what I said.

2) Until 24 hours ago - no, less - 18 hours ago - the biggest concern I had was "what if only 10 or 20 or 30 people show up?". It never crossed my mind we may sell-out, I'm more one to err on the side of caution. JG & DC were made aware because of their PR abilities, & I asked them both to support if it they could.  They both said they would love to. It's now become evident that we should get quite a few players & the prospect of a sell-out exists. If that proves to be the case, then JG & DC will have to take their chances, along with everyone else.

I actually invited some close friends to play, too. So I have had to say the same thing to them, if it sells out - they will have to get in the queue.

Online Sats. I qualified & clarified the position, such as it exists, subsequent to my initial Post on the matter.

Night all, that really is me done for the day. Well & truly done.

[Jon MW]

Why is there any problem with pros playing at all?

Is it to do with the added prizes or lack of space?

It seems most of the amateurs on here would love them to attend the blonde bash so they can play against them? ...

The whole argument of who can enter seems to have missed what I would consider the vital point.

The Pros might want to enter it for the social aspect which is fair enough, but just because they're not entering because of the 'easy money', it won't make them worse players. If the more experienced and skilfull semi-professional type of players enter, it's more likely they will win and less likely that a proper full time, recreational amateur player (say for example, me) will win instead.

Although I would quite like to play against some named players live some time (even online playing against some pros on Full Tilt has been quite cool) I would also like to win - or at least cash - or at least get some points. All of these are less likely the higher the bar is set for who is allowed to play.

If these events end up being dominated by players who already earn £000's a year playing poker then I won't even consider staying with it for a second year. The benefit this tour offers over those weekly games is the added money, the title etc - if I have no chance of winning these I might as well stick to online or, if live, the weekly poker tournaments in casinos.

As I mentioned several pages ago, it should come down to common sense - if somebody asks you what you do, and your natural response is, "I'm a poker player", then you're a professional and shouldn't play. Although the APAT's rules do allow for expulsion, this can only really work by self policing and can only really work if it is left to the amateurs to slug it out.

[byronkincaid]

There are hundreds if not thousands of unknown people earning some/most/all of their money playing poker on the internet. Take someone who loves poker, ain't that great at it, earns say $40K a year. This tourney is so so achingly desirable it's untrue. It's very easy for that person to play and say he's a self employed whatever.... agreed?

Take that same person but he's posted some stuff on Blonde. Maybe a lot of his posts have been trying to help others play better. Now he can't play cos people know he makes some/most/all of his money playing online poker. That just seems unfair to me.

Phil Ivey ain't gonna wanna play this. Hundreds of unknown poker "pros" will. The only people excluded are a handfull of Blondites.