APAT UK Online Championship - Saturday 10th January 8pm - Discussion

[APAT]

Bob Ballou - Silver Medalist



Bob bubbled the final table of the UK Amateur Poker Championship in Manchester, during Season Two.

[Swinebag]

I think the structure is pretty good and as Des says there will always be a point in most tourneys when the blinds bite to the point where its push/fold poker. But then again playing good push/fold poker is a bit of an art in itself.

When considering tweaking the structure I"d like to see the following

1. 15 min levels

2. a 75/150 level put in

3. the 750/1500 level replaced with  600/1200 and 800/1600 levels

4. a 1200/2400 level put in


This would probably have the tourney running for 6 - 7 hours but, given the new level of prestige and added value that these tourneys now have, most players would probably be happier with a slightly slower smoother structure.

[APAT]

Brian Martin - Bronze Medalist

[charliemcvic]

I think the structure is pretty good and as Des says there will always be a point in most tourneys when the blinds bite to the point where its push/fold poker. But then again playing good push/fold poker is a bit of an art in itself.

When considering tweaking the structure I"d like to see the following

1. 15 min levels

2. a 75/150 level put in

3. the 750/1500 level replaced with  600/1200 and 800/1600 levels

4. a 1200/2400 level put in


This would probably have the tourney running for 6 - 7 hours but, given the new level of prestige and added value that these tourneys now have, most players would probably be happier with a slightly slower smoother structure.


+1

[Swinebag]

As an afterthought, given that BSQ tourneys now support antes, we could have an identical structure as the live nationals with the level lengths being the online equivalent to 45 minutes live!

Also well done to theGeeny87. Noone can totally luckbox a tourney this big. I thought some of the comments were unfair (not that he cares I"m sure - good luck in the GUKPT and at Walsall). There are a lot of difficult decicions to make when stack sizes are so varied and blinds are so big.

A lot of these "bad play rewarded" comments are generally "results orientated" comments and a lot of the time are "correct play...bad outcome...oh look I"ve dogged him on the river anyway" type situations

[CrizzyConnor]

Congrats to everyone who cashed and to the winner.

[Laxie]

115 left and 1:15am finish

Well, that"s the closest on the finishing time.  Nice prediction Laxie.  

Weeeeeeeee, managed to get something nearly right tonight anyway.  lol  Had planned to rail, but got comfy on the sofa for a bit and only just woke up.

Well done to the cashers and top 3.  No easy task to get through that lot.  

[APAT]

The tournament report has been completed and can be found via the link below.  We hope to interview Matthew Roberts for next weekend"s APAT Update and it will be interesting to get his views on how the event played out.

UK Online Poker Championship - Tournament Report

[WarBwastardo]

Im not goin to bother posting my bad beat story here but if any of you were watching the final table then u will prob agree based on the stage of the tournament and the play pre-all-in, that has got to be the sickest beat I have ever had in my 2 and a half years playin poker.

it"s called LUCK mate - it sometimes happens in poker.  

i recall an occasion early on on the FT where you got lucky!

can"t believe some of the bad comments made about the eventual winner tonight.... "someone knock this donk out", not a desrved victory" etc..... the guy won fair and square.... may have got a bit lucky but there is no way you can completely luckbox your way through that tournament tonight.
Everyone"s a cardrack at some point!

I definetly dont remember me giving a suckout when I was 5% to win. But what can I say, used to it by now on big final tables.

Definetly not disputing the fact that everyone must have played excellent poker to carve through that field but the fact the final table was taken down by bad play getting rewarded is a shame. And may I point out that I never called the eventual winner a donk. Maybe that is APAT/Blue Sq"s fault for a poor structure that had the last 50 or so players were playing out an all-in fest. Definetly think the structure needs reviewing.

GG everyone, I really enjoyed the tournament but obviously with poker tour packages added to the top three, 400 odd dollars is not enough to take away the sick feeling i have at the moment.

Just looked at Des" tourney report.  Apologies in advance if I"ve got this upside down and inside out, but while the Queen/10 v Queen 5 hand must have stung a bit,  if I read it correctly and the money went in on the flop, you"re not 95% to win if that"s the hand you"re referring to. 

You"re just under a 4/1 favourite - pretty much the same as getting aces cracked really.  Same with Ace-Ten against Ace-Jack, if it went in pre-flop you"re something like 3.5/1 favourite I think.  Bummer those too hands coming in such close proximity and at that stage, but I think a real b*llock shrinking true bad beat you have to be at least 90% to win. 

[George2Loose]

Well done to all those who cashed, scored ranking points, finalled and ultimately got in the silverware. Congratulations! A tough field to say the least!

My views on the controvesy:

1) Bad beats are a part of poker- get over it!!! I don"t care if he hit a one outer on you- shake the guys hand (metaphorically of course) and type good game

2) The structure for a 55$ tourney with a seat to the GUKPT on top was superb. Personally we could improve the structure. We could start with 100k chips, 1 hr clock and a graduated structure but there"s plenty of play- inevitably in any tourney no matter how good the structure you have to win races/start shoving etc.

Well done to Des and the team for making the online tourneys something worth playing for once again

See everyone hopefully in Feb.

[lukybugur]

Congrats to All who made cash, points, FT and Medals.

inevitably in any tourney no matter how good the structure you have to win races/start shoving etc

Agree with this. Great structure to have it finishing in 5/6 hours.

[kinboshi]

As an afterthought, given that BSQ tourneys now support antes, we could have an identical structure as the live nationals with the level lengths being the online equivalent to 45 minutes live!

This.

The large starting stack and decent 12-minute levels means that the tournament lasts longer, and you don"t have to get involved too early (compared to the usual tournaments).

BUT, there comes a point where you jump from an average stack with 30-odd BBs or so, and then one fold later after a bet, and a blind level increase and you"re down to 10BBs and in push-or-fold mode.  This also means that the skill element is reduced later in the tournament (although of course there is a skill to playing correctly in these situations).

Antes reduce the severity of the jump in blinds.  It encourages more play (as there"s more in the middle worth stealing, but you can still afford to make "normal" bets and fold if necessary).

This was an issue to a degree in the live Nationals, and the introduction of antes means that the structure is now almost perfect.  As BlueSQ can now use antes, it would seem a shame not to have them for the online nationals.

All in my opinion of course.

[kinboshi]

Oh, and well played to all those who cashed and especially those who reached the final table.

NH GG WP

[monkeyman]

I don"t think the structure needs touching. Anyone who had had their head screwed on had the opportunity to play a lot of proper poker before the shoving started and most tournaments will reach a stage where players are pressurised into committing anyway.
  Whilst I didn"t rail the final table, I did notice a lot of players whinging about bad beats and berating fellow competitors earlier in the tournament. We cant blame players new to APAT for not realising the spirit we normall play in, because there were some well known names making less than complimentary comments. This won"t affect my participation in future events but will make things less enjoyable.
   If you are on the the receiving end of a bad beat, grow up, it happens to everyone and its of no interest to anyone else. The next time it happens, shut up, log off and leave everyone else to enjoy themselves. I"m sure the tables will be reversed next time.

[scouse3465]

well done all !!
wish i stayed up to rail it now after reading updates lol

anyway loving that apat is back cant wait for next one