Launch of the Amateur Poker Association & Tour (APAT)

[Jon MW]

Playing against better players may bring out the best in an amateur though.  It will also give them a lot more respect from other players  if they have beaten a stronger field...

There's a time and a place for this. An amateur tour isn't either.

[Bainn]

Wow, this is certainly a topic that has got peple's attention.

I for one have to say the concept is a great one, there are many varying bodies representing the pro's but nothing for the people like myself and Harmony, who play recreationally for fun and maybe a little renumeration when we get lucky.

Having Tikay as Chair gives the association a known face people can relate to having watched him on TV and, as we know, an honest and straight representative.  Plus having Tightend, Mel and Des at the helm only reaffirms for me that this venture is designed for the players, and not for the benefit of the sponsors.

As to the buy-in for the events, i can only say that i am sure they have tried to strike a balance for players in general, and for a chance to play in this kind of structured comp i think it is a bargain.

I doubt the very calibre of players this association is aimed out will play every event in the tour, and i'm sure it was imagined that amateurs would only travel and play at the event closest to them, so the buy-in for feasibly one major event per year is reasonable.

I can safely say, the only other equivalent event that will cost roughly the same to me an Harmony is BB3.

Good luck to the APAT and the Blondes behind it.

[Newmanseye]

    you will try anything to be able to play with the ordinary players tank

Believe me Sark, when I play Live, I'm the Live one.

I can confirm this, For a great online player, hes a big live fish!!!

[mikkyT]

Being totally honest, there are a bunch of internet professionals, making vast sums of money online and yet they are total amateur fish when it comes to playing live.

Its a well known fact that not many people are truly sucessful in both disciplines. And many people have said so in many different threads right here on blonde poker. But when it comes to this thread, nobody is prepared to make a distinction (i think one person has mentioned it but it was shot down).

But then, if you make a distinction here then do you make a distinction between a cash specialist and an MTT pro? I still say that online fishes should be allowed to play as amateurs in a live event. Its a lot easier to make money in the online world than to make a living in the live one. That said, how many would bother with this anyway when there is possibly more to be made over the same length of time online.

I don't count them as professional poker players anyway. They are professional online poker players. Sorry but its true ya bunch of fish!

[Jon MW]

A professional online player, a professional tournament player, a professional cash player - they're still all professionals and not amateurs.

[mikkyT]

So because I might be a proffessional bridge player I cant play as an amateur poker player?

Thats effectively what you are saying. The difference between online and live is vast.

[Jon MW]

If you earn an income (rather than a bit of spare cash) from poker then you're a professional poker player.

Internet players may not be in the same league when it comes to a live tournament as they are online but as most recreational players will come into poker from playing online then take the same amount away from their skill and the differential still remains. And would you seriously consider it being amended to an amateur (unless you earn your money online) tournament?

[mikkyT]

Lets say I earn a living playing Tiger Woods gollf 2006 on the PC (tournaments do exist!)

I do not expect to enter the PGA tour (as an amatuer i might add lol) and get past the first round of qualiying. Why? Because I cannot even hit the ball.

Extreme... I know

[Jon MW]

Lets say I earn a living playing Tiger Woods gollf 2006 on the PC (tournaments do exist!)

I do not expect to enter the PGA tour (as an amatuer i might add lol) and get past the first round of qualiying. Why? Because I cannot even hit the ball.

Extreme... I know

Also irrelevant, golf on a computer is a fundamentally different game to golf. Poker on a computer is fundamentally the same - as evidenced by the completely virtual poker tables now available which combine both.

[mikkyT]

Virtual poker tables do not combine both. All they do is take away the need for a dealer. You still have live players with live psycology and basically a fundamentally different game to that of online poker.

[RED-DOG]

If you earn an income (rather than a bit of spare cash) from poker then you're a professional poker player.

Internet players may not be in the same league when it comes to a live tournament as they are online but as most recreational players will come into poker from playing online then take the same amount away from their skill and the differential still remains. And would you seriously consider it being amended to an amateur (unless you earn your money online) tournament?

Jon, To police this, wont you have to rely on people being honest, and therfore only exclude the honest pro's?

[ifm]

Virtual poker tables do not combine both. All they do is take away the need for a dealer. You still have live players with live psycology and basically a fundamentally different game to that of online poker.

HUH? it's exactly the same game!! just quicker

[thetank]

Ya, I'm convinced pissy online players tell themselves that so they can kid themseles they still rule at "real" poker. 

[mikkyT]

Yes, you're obviously right. When we are playing online and you make that minimum raise in late position, the twitching of your fingers tells me you have a big pair, and so I fold.

[Alex B]

I think the tour is a great idea, but any of thr pro-am distinctions mentioned above would be a nightmare to police.

The answer is very, very easy, as are all the best answers.

Alex's definition of  Professional player for APAT purposes
A player who does not deem it worth their time to play a tournament with a buy-in under £100

Admitedlly this will exclude some people with well-paid regular jobs, and people who are earning significant incomes from online poker as an amateur, but either way it self-regulates itself fantastically and cannot cause any arguments.