APAT Season 2 - National Amateur Championships

[tinkerman]

[RioRodent]

[HaworthBantam]

Tinkerman, you"d not be claiming that poker is only played by people in the age group 25 to 35 would you  

[Paulie_D]

I understand, "that Rank/Grosvenor will have had a BIG say in where they want to hold things."

OK, proved dead wrong on that one (again). Mea culpa.

However, that doesn"t make it the best for choice for the APAT membership....in all of my comments on the proposals for season 2 I have tried to be unbiased and not purely thinking of myself.

Yes sir, I believe that and I applaud anyone who is willing to get involved in (and for) the members.

I was merely expressing MY opinion on the subject because..

For anyone that wants to play all of the events (who doesn"t live in/close to London), Blackpool just has to be a better option.

...when thinking of the WHOLE membership, why exclude those who, through pure circumstance, happen to live in/near London.

Perhaps it"s not the ideal solution for the majority of the UK membership but Des has already covered his reasoning and, most, if not all, of the "issues" raised by others.

I believe that the points you have raised in this and your other posts will be covered along the way and, if felt appropriate by the APAT, adjustments can/will be made.

I have some issues with Season 2 (most of which you have already covered) but APAT is still only a fledgling in the nest.

Season 2 will be the test (IMHO) as to whether it can fly...

Season 3 is when it soars!

[/usual opinion expression caveat - see below]

[tinkerman]

Tinkerman, you"d not be claiming that poker is only played by people in the age group 25 to 35 would you  

No, that is not the claim at all.  The point of the statistic was that the distribution of population changed by age group and as such poker player distribution could be different. 

I don't fit into this age group myself, but see many in this age group playing.  Though of course all ages do play, I expect the more recent poker explosion has meant a larger concentration among the younger age group.

At the end of the day, the point was that you need to be careful about making decisions without fully understanding the dynamics of the situation. 

[Ironside]

des has the vic got a new cardroom?

last time i was there they had people in 3 different areas at 2 different floors

the cost of london will put many people off playing the whole week

blackpool would of been so much cheaper (although for me the travel would be so much longer)

£139 for a hotel close by is a little steep for AMATEURS and when thats full its £200 a night and thats with an agency trying to get me a cheap room with the casinos help

[HaworthBantam]

I understand your point Tinkerman.

I think we really need to look at this taking all the live National events into consideration.

An important consideration is that this festival will be run in the month of APAT's second birthday and I felt the capital was due its first event.

If the other National events are going to take place at various other locations around the UK/Ireland, as Des has intimated, then why shouldn"t the final "festival" take place in London ? It seems, to me, only fair.

Ok, so it may be a little more expensive for some of us, but there will always be some people (wherever an event is played) that will find an event more expensive than others.

I suspect that we may find a lot more picking and choosing of events this coming season, saving to play in specific events rather than trying to play them all.

Personally, although I dislike London or any city for that matter (I"m a simple country boy), I will be saving for the London event, even if it"s at the expense of one or two of the other National events.

[Paulie_D]

£139 for a hotel close by is a little steep for AMATEURS and when thats full its £200 a night and thats with an agency trying to get me a cheap room with the casinos help

Agreed..but, with respect, you have specific needs which are not required by the majority of players.

Hotel rooms can be found a lot cheaper a little further away from the Casino.

Certainly within a relatively short tube/bus/cab ride.

[Spursman]

Part of the adventure of APAT has to be the opportunity to explore areas of the country and casinos where players would not normally consider visiting. I can safely say that as one of the lucky ones to make each of the venues this year, we"ve had a blast.

Birmingham was the introduction to poker on the road, The Broadway was plush and friendly, travelling as part of a group ensured a laugh and the group had cashes in the supporting tournies.

2nd port of Call was Aspers in Newcastle, only hotel I"ve ever stayed in that had a bouncer in reception. Goerdies on a Saturday night out can only be described as mental. decent cash games, highlights making money on the poker pro tables and the £3 rebuy on Sunday night at Stanleys with a comp roast dinner at midnight.

3rd Cardiff would have been the quietest of them all except we stopped off in Bristol on the Friday night to play a challenge match with a sister poker group and the Saturday night cash game in the casino with everybody"s target sitting there with £3k on a £50 min table!!!

4th Edinburgh, really nice weekend but all the locals disappeared to other casinos leaving a dearth of cash games.

5th Ahh Dublin by far the best of the season so far, great craique and some of the liveliest cash games and tournies by far. Great dealers (best yet in my opinion) well run and great service. So much so we"re planning a long weekend return at the beginning of December.

All had their good and bad, the opportunity to visit meet and enjoy the local colour, getting to recognise and chat with regular "APAT rounders" in an atmosphere and environment that has led to players not lucky enough to get into the tourney just to come along for the ride. The social atmosphere is as important as the tourney, we are all developing our favourite players and will be supporting and encouraging each other. Won"t stop us wanting to take them down in the tourney and looking forward to our own cash and medals.

Looking forward to Luton with one reservation, bit hard to justify a hotel only 30 miles from home. So we"ll watch you all living it up and we"ll be the downcast locals.

A london game is a must as it is along with Belfast the only capital city in the British Isles not to have a game.

Hint make better friends with your London compatroits and who knows there may be spare beds and sofas to crash on.  

[duncthehat]

Visit the inlaws in holland every easter.

Amsterdam, Utrecht?  for the europeans 2008??

lol