APAT: I just don't get it

[thediceman]

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

[Ironside]

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

[WarBwastard]

There is a free buffet.

[roverthtaeh]

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.

[Rookie (Rodney)]

There is a free buffet.

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

[Ironside]

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.

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

[thediceman]

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

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.  

[Ironside]

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

[thediceman]

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.

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.

[thediceman]

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

Your banned 

[DesD]

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

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.....

[Rookie (Rodney)]

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

You are banned!

[Acidmouse]

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.

[Colchester Kev]

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.

[DesD]

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!!