APAT Season Two Briefing

[APAT]

Couple of questions.  When I have set up my Blue Square account, I thought that I saw that US players are not allowed.  Is that the case?  I don"t know how many US members APAT has but I do recall that one won an on-line event.

The market has changed dramatically since APAT signed its Season One obligation to PokerStars, and we need to look at this area very carefully, as every UK based company has done.  We have a number of US members and some are very active and have brought a great deal to APAT.  We will not take any decision in this area lightly, but it is being reviewed.

[APAT]

The second question is about dates for the live events.  How far in advance will APAT be able to post event dates?  I am appreciate that I am luckier than most APAT members with the Grosvenor Vic being a couple of miles away but the more notice I can give the wife about when these will take place the better.

Due to the volume of events in Season Two, their will be a three and a half week period between the completion of Regional qualifying, online satellites and direct buy in, and the National event.  Tighter than we would ideally like, but necessary give the scale of the Tour.

[kinboshi]

Might have missed it (and I"m sure Mark will have ), but what will the structure be for the regional events?

80 runners, so are we talking 5,000 stacks, 30 minute blinds (with a 150/300 level  ) - or something similar?

Also, how will places in these events be determined?  Places bought at the casino, online, via APAT?  Apologies if you"ve answered these elsewhere.

Might be an idea to have a question and answer session in Luton at the next event Des.  Maybe in the bar area...that way those that are there can be well informed of what"s going on and help answer any questions on the forum.  Just an idea.

[Waz1892]

Hi,

Just got back from holiday, and of course logged here before unpacking....it seems my unpacking will have to wait why i digest all this in....

What alot of hard work all at APAT have done....TOP STUFF GUYS...

The whole tour is simply perfect ( well judging by some comments..almost perfect), this kind of operation takes in the poker ethos for all comers to play and at reasonable buy-in"s open to most modest bankrolls.

Can"t wait - I live in Peterborough, and travelled by car to Newcastle and Edinburgh in Season 1, so personally delighted a bit more " local" live events, that little bit nearer.

Oh, and I read Harrington on Hold-em on holiday.....so all be warned...LOL

Yours Waz1892

[Zukertort]

As per the APAT statement; "Regional Championship events will be one day, dealer dealt, run to APAT standardised rules and offer players 2,500 starting chips and 30 minute levels." Also "These events will be open to a maximum of 80 players and 10% of each field will gain an entry package to a National Championship event"

Des also stated that a 200 runner National Championship would have the following possible breakdown;

11 x 8 = 88 (Regional qualifiers)
           20 (Online qualifiers)
           92 (Direct buy in)

this is only a possibility, but i think gives everyone a fair crack at qualifying. I do empathise with Ironside with only one possible regional casino for such a large area? I am sure APAT are aware of these challenges and have a plan to introduce additional venues which maybe already under discussion/negotiation?
But best to get the operation up and running and fine tune on the move!?

[Shogun112]

Great work Des, Tony and Richard..!!

I only found out about season 1 mid season where I realised it would be a hard job to compete with the people who played from game 1.  I have been looking forward to season 2..  My local Grosvenor will be Manchester so will like to try go there and qualify..

I would however like to maybe pass a comment..  I have been to a few casinos for mid week games, and a couple of times done quite well...  The problem has been they all start games at approx 9pm and if you make the final table, you can expect to get home maybe between 4:00am and 5:00am...  For the people who have to go to work, that is hard work to get up with 3 hrs sleep...  So, I have told myself I will not do these mid-week  all-nighters any more..!!!  

Can you tell us has this aspect of the quals been spoken about??

Cheers

Carl..

[kinboshi]

As per the APAT statement; "Regional Championship events will be one day, dealer dealt, run to APAT standardised rules and offer players 2,500 starting chips and 30 minute levels." Also "These events will be open to a maximum of 80 players and 10% of each field will gain an entry package to a National Championship event"

Cheers, I"d missed that.

Doesn"t state how these seats will be allocated though, or did I miss that as well?

For example, I"m in the "Eastern" region, there is Walsall and Nottingham (assuming DTD gets the go-ahead).  So that"s 160 places for everyone in that catchment area.  It might be that places are easy to come by.  But I expect that there will be quite a high demand and that they"ll sell out easily. 

Just wondered how the entry for these will work.

[ThinkerJE]

Wow, so much to take in.  This is a significant advancement for APAT and a big thank you to Des, Tony, Richard et al for all there hard work in delivering what should be a fantastic season 2. 

There was so much information to digest at once and there was always going to be questions raised and I am sure this will all be answered in due course. 

A word of thanks for Pokerstars for their support throughout season 1 and welcome to blue sq in season 2.  The GUKPT has been so successful and I am sure the partnership with APAT will be very beneficial for both parties.

Looking forward to a great end to season 1 and cannot wait for season 2 to start.

Onwards and upwards!!!

[Shogun112]

Kinboshi,
I was thinking that APAT will become a whole lot more popular because of this...  I have seen it on the tour of season 1....  Locals from the casino where the game is, they see a game happening, and they want to play.. So I think that each of the 11 casinos will have local regulars who know nothing about APAT right now, will find out there are regular APAT games on their regular nights, and they will want to get involved, especially with the prizes for the winners..!!

Cheers

Carl..

[FlyingPig73]

Des, to follow on from KinFishboshi"s post earlier, do you have a projected amount of entrants to the regionals. There may be 120 members living in nottingham ,so they may not be able to get in to either casino in the catchment area, or are we expecting that the places allocated will be enough for demand...

I may move to bonnie Scotland. Its got to be the easiest place to qualify from.

[jjandellis]

Hia Des and the team,

Well worth waiting for. Your work appears to have produced spectacular results. A natural progression for the best amatuer players in the UK is to take the step up to play against UK pro"s, something provided for by GUKPT. What an amazing package.

My only concern, as I hinted at the other day...

What about foreign nationals and exiles living abroad (ie. me shortly!!!). Will there be seats set aside for international competitors or do we have to pay for getting over to regionals over here?

Thats my only concern, apart from that it all sounds amazing.

As u may have worked out...I intend to come over from Germany for EVERY event next season. Thats how good the package u have put together is!!!! ;-)

[jacklevel06]

Des, to follow on from KinFishboshi"s post earlier, do you have a projected amount of entrants to the regionals. There may be 120 members living in nottingham ,so they may not be able to get in to either casino in the catchment area, or are we expecting that the places allocated will be enough for demand...

I may move to bonnie Scotland. Its got to be the easiest place to qualify from.

dream on.

[Ironside]

this is only a possibility, but i think gives everyone a fair crack at qualifying. I do empathise with Ironside with only one possible regional casino for such a large area? I am sure APAT are aware of these challenges and have a plan to introduce additional venues which maybe already under discussion/negotiation?
But best to get the operation up and running and fine tune on the move!?

dont get me wrong i am that sick i would proberly play the scottish regional even if it was held on jersey

but it will be off putting for alot of people

just think you can get 45 points through regional quailfiers and how much easier it is to score points in an 80 man live event than it is to score them in a 200+ internet comp (espically for dougal7878 and myself who cant play online poker to save our lives)

and the fact that scotland is brimming with poker talent wheras the midlands and the north of england is brimming with bream also puts the scotts at a disavantage

[Ironside]

The second question is about dates for the live events.  How far in advance will APAT be able to post event dates?  I am appreciate that I am luckier than most APAT members with the Grosvenor Vic being a couple of miles away but the more notice I can give the wife about when these will take place the better.

Due to the volume of events in Season Two, their will be a three and a half week period between the completion of Regional qualifying, online satellites and direct buy in, and the National event.  Tighter than we would ideally like, but necessary give the scale of the Tour.

3.5 weeks is a travesty for amateur players who need to get time off work to travel and also the expenses for getting flights trains and hotels

i know its too late for season 2 but for season 3 can you give us atleast 7 weeks notice

this is one of my biggest bug bears with the poker scene at present lack of notice yet the organisation meant to be representing me is actively supporting this

less notice means more expense and for amateurs its a pain in the backside

[Zukertort]

The regional events will possibly have a large unpredictable variance on qualifying numbers due to different local conditions ie;

the Scottish casino with it"s large catchment area may not fill up?

the Eastern area has only one-Walsall, depending on the DTD license hearing. This puts pressure on this casino for the regional qualifiers as i believe it has a high number of local players who might join APAT to participate? I could obviously choose Manchester as an alternative, but again this will be a popular venue?

Perhaps APAT could look at an online poll, where members indicate there 1st-2nd-3rd preference, which may highlight future over subscribing? Or perhaps the best stance is to suck it and see how things go on the first qualifier and adapt as required?