APAT Season Four Announced

[Newportlad]

Whilst i think that APAT have got a great sponsorship deal with Betfair, i'm not a fan of these overseas events.
The cost to travel to some of these destinations is very excessive just to play in a £75 tourney. Also, travelling to these destinations (Estonia, Spain, Aberdeen) would also mean having to take time off work.  I thought that this was meant to be an amateur tour?

On a positive note, the addition of the Sunday specialist tournament is very good, though i fear that a cap of 50 seats will not cope with the demand.

[Jon MW]

Whilst i think that APAT have got a great sponsorship deal with Betfair, i'm not a fan of these overseas events.
The cost to travel to some of these destinations is very excessive just to play in a £75 tourney. Also, travelling to these destinations (Estonia, Spain, Aberdeen) would also mean having to take time off work.  I thought that this was meant to be an amateur tour?

On a positive note, the addition of the Sunday specialist tournament is very good, though i fear that a cap of 50 seats will not cope with the demand.

I'm pretty sure they have Amateur poker players in Estonia, Spain and Heathenland

And they have more overseas events then we have in the APAT calendar

[Newportlad]

Whilst i think that APAT have got a great sponsorship deal with Betfair, i'm not a fan of these overseas events.
The cost to travel to some of these destinations is very excessive just to play in a £75 tourney. Also, travelling to these destinations (Estonia, Spain, Aberdeen) would also mean having to take time off work.  I thought that this was meant to be an amateur tour?

On a positive note, the addition of the Sunday specialist tournament is very good, though i fear that a cap of 50 seats will not cope with the demand.

I'm pretty sure they have Amateur poker players in Estonia, Spain and Heathenland

And they have more overseas events then we have in the APAT calendar

Hi Jon

Yes, im sure that they do, but i would guess that 90% of the people who play APAT National live events are based in the UK. If you are trying to do well in the Season Rankings then you are at a disadvantage if you cannot afford/get time off work to travel to these destinations.

[TightEnd]

Happy to answer any questions


I will be running the live events for Season Four, alongside the existing team working on ohter areas . More detail on that and other initiatives over the next few days

Rich, congrats on this and well done to you, Des and all at APAT for continuing to grow this tour.

I agree with the PLHE comments maybe more player consultation was required (but I guess Tikay was consulted instead  ), these are attracting me but the PL bit and that most are some distance away may put me off as the Ex's could be a killer, do you have the structure details of this event chips/clock and payout please?

Is there a reason for the locations? - as Swansea is further than Cardiff and Aberdeen is a lot further than the central belt and there seems to be no Manchester/Bolton/Walsall legs

I guess the ones abroad are essential for the expansion of the tour but travelling abroad to play a £75 comp for most UK players will be a jolly more than an event or will there be 'packages' up for grabs off Betfair including flights/accomm/spends?

Last question - will Joe Legge be there? if so, I'll just come to every one!

Thanks Brian

PLHE. As recently as two years ago you could find a PLHE event on any UK festival schedule. It was only the deserved emergence of the GUKPTs and the consequent local festivals falling by the wayside that led to a lower incidence of PLHE. Same applies to the Grosvenor Grand Prix. In its heyday, as a PL comp, it attracted huge numbers. However "series" poker saw an end to many of the traditional UK events. We believe there is still a place for PLHE in the calendar (a couple of WSOP bracelet events aside), would argue it represents a good test of skill and furthermore will prove to be popular.

Structure is 10,000 chips 40 minute clock, all the levels and was designed in consultation with Simon Trumper. I don't have a specific payout structure yet but it will be "traditional" rather than "APAT" it being an event open to all

Venues. Cardiff, where we have been in seasons 1-3 became unavailable to us at short notice. Apparently the card-room there is virtually closed now. Aspers Swansea will do a great job, we know them and have confidence in them. This was not always the case with some of last year's venues! It is true that the travel distance is a bit further for many, yes.

Aberdeen. Glasgow options were ruled out for venue reasons (ie they didn't want us) so it was Dundee or Aberdeen. Hear good things about the G Aberdeen and its easier to get to than Dundee for many

Walsall. Went there seasons 1-3. Our season 3 experience made us reluctant to return. Manchester/Bolton...no specific reason...can't go everywhere!

Overseas events. Will have to check specific plans for packages. This idea would make sense. As we saw when we went to Vienna previously, some will travel across but many local players will become part of APAT too. Long term expanding geographically and extending our reach is important as to remain UK-centric would bea little unambitious.

Joe Legge. Hope so, great guy. Corproate credit card. What more could you want?

[tikay]

Happy to answer any questions


I will be running the live events for Season Four, alongside the existing team working on ohter areas . More detail on that and other initiatives over the next few days

Rich, congrats on this and well done to you, Des and all at APAT for continuing to grow this tour.

I agree with the PLHE comments maybe more player consultation was required (but I guess Tikay was consulted instead  ), these are attracting me but the PL bit and that most are some distance away may put me off as the Ex's could be a killer, do you have the structure details of this event chips/clock and payout please?

Is there a reason for the locations? - as Swansea is further than Cardiff and Aberdeen is a lot further than the central belt and there seems to be no Manchester/Bolton/Walsall legs

I guess the ones abroad are essential for the expansion of the tour but travelling abroad to play a £75 comp for most UK players will be a jolly more than an event or will there be 'packages' up for grabs off Betfair including flights/accomm/spends?

Last question - will Joe Legge be there? if so, I'll just come to every one!

Yup, you got me there!

The PL? Yes, it was debated long & hard, & we knew it would be seen as a bit left-field. But you have to try these things, & APAT are keen to show some innovation & width in what they offer.

I think the WCOAP at DTD in August was just as innovative - 7 events, including Six Max, Heads Up, HORSE, Stud, Omaha, and a 16 Nation Team Event (on top of the Main Event), which will be quite a spectacular week imo. 33 GUKPT seats over the Season is not so dusty, either, as added value goes.

I don't suppose we could ever please everyone, or get everything just so, that's a huge ask, but on balance, a lot of stuff has been done, & I think as a seasons package, it's something quite special.

As so many folks have kindly said, you included, much respect to Des & Tighty for what they have done. 

[The_duke]

london stanstead looks a good option £77 going out on the friday no flight back on the  monday so its either fly home sunday orwait till tuesday

but how do you get to stanstead from up here

Can you get the train or would that be too much of a pain with the luggage? I'm guessing you don't want to drive all the way down.

10 hour trip by train that at a fee that would mean the cost would be more than the single connect from aberdeen

i always wanted to have a few hours in copenhagen anyway

and it looks like alot of people will have to go via copenhagen so might get a chance to share a

plane with the duke again

Working on it -- and using airmiles for Aberdeen (hotels Iron?)  roped off VIP section sounds good

[Newportlad]

Rich, Grosvenor Cardiff poker room still running. Numbers for their tournaments still ok (AFAIK).  They now have dealer dealt cash games, which are very soft!

[TightEnd]

Rich, Grosvenor Cardiff poker room still running. Numbers for their tournaments still ok (AFAIK).  They now have dealer dealt cash games, which are very soft!

Well the message coming back from Grosvenor Head Office differed from that.

Nonetheless, happy with Aspers.

[Colchester Kev]

The G Aberdeen will look after you guys superbly ... though make sure you get time to see John at the International, it's the nuts !!

[Ironside]

The G Aberdeen will look after you guys superbly ... though make sure you get time to see John at the International, it's the nuts !!

you not coming up kev?

[Colchester Kev]

probably not tbh ... I can't plan 2 days in advance at the moment, never mind 4 months.

[Ironside]

probably not tbh ... I can't plan 2 days in advance at the moment, never mind 4 months.

its ok we wont make you stay in the travel inn

Working on it -- and using airmiles for Aberdeen (hotels Iron?)  roped off VIP section sounds good

i will get  selection of hotels up for you as soon as i can get into town

i am 100% staying over friday and saturday as its a 3 hour round trip by car

oh and the good news is hotels are 50%+ cheaper at weekend than during the week

[StuartHopkin]

No Aberdeen for me Iron
Got to go to Benidorm FML

[Ironside]

No Aberdeen for me Iron
Got to go to Benidorm FML

yours and the lap dancers loss

our gain more beer to drink

[DaveShoelace]

Happy to answer any questions


I will be running the live events for Season Four, alongside the existing team working on ohter areas . More detail on that and other initiatives over the next few days

Rich, congrats on this and well done to you, Des and all at APAT for continuing to grow this tour.

I agree with the PLHE comments maybe more player consultation was required (but I guess Tikay was consulted instead  ), these are attracting me but the PL bit and that most are some distance away may put me off as the Ex's could be a killer, do you have the structure details of this event chips/clock and payout please?

Is there a reason for the locations? - as Swansea is further than Cardiff and Aberdeen is a lot further than the central belt and there seems to be no Manchester/Bolton/Walsall legs

I guess the ones abroad are essential for the expansion of the tour but travelling abroad to play a £75 comp for most UK players will be a jolly more than an event or will there be 'packages' up for grabs off Betfair including flights/accomm/spends?

Last question - will Joe Legge be there? if so, I'll just come to every one!

Yup, you got me there!

The PL? Yes, it was debated long & hard, & we knew it would be seen as a bit left-field. But you have to try these things, & APAT are keen to show some innovation & width in what they offer.

I think the WCOAP at DTD in August was just as innovative - 7 events, including Six Max, Heads Up, HORSE, Stud, Omaha, and a 16 Nation Team Event (on top of the Main Event), which will be quite a spectacular week imo. 33 GUKPT seats over the Season is not so dusty, either, as added value goes.

I don't suppose we could ever please everyone, or get everything just so, that's a huge ask, but on balance, a lot of stuff has been done, & I think as a seasons package, it's something quite special.

As so many folks have kindly said, you included, much respect to Des & Tighty for what they have done. 

I keep meaning to ask, are all 33 GUKPT seats the usual 1k main events are are they a mixed bag represntative of the event they were won in? So a APAT main = GUKPT main, and maybe an APAT online = Summer series etc?