The Australian Poker Tour (not to be confused with the other, rather better known APT) will be back in 2021, with an early start. The first series, taking place in Brisbane will run from Tuesday, January 19th, 2021 to Sunday the 24th.
The six-day event is anticipating prize pools totaling around AU$1,000,000. Though this is carefully noted as a "series estimate" in the promotional bumf.
The series will consist of 24 events ranging from an AU$80 Women's Championship to a AU$1,200 event called The Grind. The Main Event is an AU$200 event with multiple flights.
The events will be held at the Eatons Hills, Brisbane, about a half hour drive from the airport. The Eatons Hills is a hotel, but it's located near the city center so it is not hard to find alternative accommodations if you are travelling in. Many are located just off the main Gympie Road.
Players should note that many of the events and flights have a player cap. They may wish to book in advance.
Coronavirus safety
Australia seems to have something of a handle on their coronavirus problem now. After a brutal second spike in the summer which took the nation up to over 700 deaths per day at one point, the numbers have dropped significantly. The seven-day average as of January 13th, 2021 was just 17 deaths per day.
Although reopening casinos for poker tournaments carries risks. We can assumed that the APT are doing what they can to keep players and dealers safe. Since Eatons Hills doesn't seem to have a permanent poker room, it is not yet clear what those precautions will be. Short-handed play does not seem likely, as there are separate six-handed events listed in the tournament roster. Protective plexiglass seems likely as do temperature checks.
Most likely play will take place in one of its many "event spaces."
Players can, and should, take responsibility for their own safety by wearing masks and regularly washing their hands with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Stay safe, and check local guidelines at both your departure and arrival locations before attending any events.
There's an app for that
Players wishing to attend the APT Brisbane may want to download the APT App. This makes buying in remotely easier (fewer queues, less exposure to the folks in queues).
The app also gives players easy access to the current tournament clocks, payouts, news, and results. It provides travelers with vouchers and travel packages. And it also works as an online poker client in which you can play satellites for any upcoming APT events.
Seats are transferable between app-owning players, so don't worry too much if you happen to win multiple satellites to the same event.
For updates on the events we recommend following the APT Twitter account, and regularly checking their webpage.
Featured image source: Twitter
