Amateur Poker Association & Tour

    APAT remains one of the most community-driven brands in British poker. Where some tours are built mainly around prestige or bigger buy-ins, APAT has long carved out its own lane by giving amateur and recreational players a properly structured live tour with national reach, affordable entry points and a real sense of belonging.
    For plenty of UK players, APAT is where live poker feels most accessible without losing its competitive edge. It has been around since 2006, describes itself as the UK’s first national poker tour, and still offers a schedule that mixes domestic stops with bigger championship festivals in the UK and abroad.

    What Is APAT?

    APAT stands for the Amateur Poker Association & Tour. The organisation says it created the UK’s first national poker tour in 2006 and remains focused on helping amateur players improve through affordable, professionally run events in a competitive but enjoyable setting.

    That positioning still matters. APAT is not just another live schedule for players to dip into. It is a tour with a clear identity, built around community, mixed formats, team events, lower buy-ins and the idea that live poker should be open to more than just hardened regulars. That is a big part of why it has kept a loyal following for so long

    APAT 2026 Tour Schedule

    DatesLocationFestival / Stop
    Feb 6 to 8, 2026Nottingham, Dusk Till DawnUK Team Championship
    Mar 19 to 22, 2026London, Genting StratfordUK COAP
    Mar 27 to 28, 2026Dublin, RDSIrish Championship
    Apr 10 to 12, 2026Newcastle, Grosvenor CasinoAPAT Newcastle
    Apr 17 to 19, 2026Walsall, Grosvenor CasinoAPAT Walsall
    Apr 23 to 25, 2026Malta, Portomaso CasinoMalta Open Championship
    Apr 29 to May 3, 2026Czech Republic, Grand Casino AschEuropean COAP
    May 15 to 17, 2026Leeds, Grosvenor CasinoAPAT Leeds
    Jun 19 to 21, 2026Coventry, Grosvenor CasinoAPAT Coventry
    Jun 26 to 28, 2026Glasgow, Grosvenor Merchant CityAPAT Glasgow
    Aug 3 to 9, 2026Manchester, Grosvenor Bury New RoadWCOAP
    Aug 21 to 23, 2026Birmingham, Grosvenor Hill StreetAPAT Birmingham
    Sep 4 to 6, 2026Edinburgh, Grosvenor MayburyAPAT Edinburgh
    Sep 25 to 27, 2026Portsmouth, Grosvenor GunwharfAPAT Portsmouth
    Sep 30 to Oct 4, 2026Czech Republic, Grand Casino AschGerman Championship
    Oct 9 to 11, 2026Blackpool, Grosvenor CasinoAPAT Blackpool
    Oct 22 to 25, 2026London, Genting StratfordBritish COAP
    Oct 31 to Nov 1, 2026Malta, Portomaso CasinoMalta Open Championship
    Nov 20 to 22, 2026Reading, Grosvenor Casino SouthAPAT Reading
    Nov 27 to 29, 2026Manchester, Manchester 235Poker Squads Live

    APAT 2026 Tour Results

    DatesLocationMain Event Winner
    Feb 6 to 8, 2026Nottingham, Dusk Till DawnThe Aspernauts (Team Champions)
    Mar 19 to 22, 2026London, Genting StratfordTrung Nguyen
    Mar 27 to 28, 2026Dublin, RDSColin Fox
    Apr 10 to 12, 2026Newcastle, Grosvenor CasinoSafir Chowdhury
    Apr 17 to 19, 2026Walsall, Grosvenor CasinoGareth Howard
    Apr 23 to 25, 2026Malta, Portomaso CasinoBen Nicholson
    Apr 29 to May 3, 2026Czech Republic, Grand Casino AschHuu Manh Nguyen
    May 15 to 17, 2026Leeds, Grosvenor CasinoCarl Norris

    What Makes APAT Different from Other UK Tours

    The biggest difference is tone and purpose.
     
    APAT is explicitly built around amateur poker, and that shows in how the tour is framed.
    While other brands may lean harder into larger buy-ins, prestige fields or pure Main Event traffic, APAT keeps one foot firmly in the community game.

    It also has a broader format identity than many standard domestic tours. The 2026 schedule includes team poker, mixed games, championship series and local three-day APAT stops with multiple starting flights, which gives the tour a flavour of its own rather than just repeating one template all year. 

    What Are the Big APAT Festivals?

    APAT’s bigger landmark events go beyond the standard local stops.
    In 2026, those include the UK Team Championship, UK COAP, Irish Championship, European COAP, WCOAP - World Championship of Amateur Poker -, British COAP and Poker Squads Live.

    Those festivals matter because they help define APAT as more than a pub-to-casino feeder community. There is a proper championship layer to the tour, and that gives regulars something to build towards across the year.

    How to Qualify for APAT

    For many players, APAT is already one of the more approachable live tours in pure buy-in terms, but qualification and entry routes also extend beyond just turning up on the day.
    APAT’s 2025 live tour ran in association with Grosvenor Poker, which hosted all APAT online events and numerous live stops, and the organisation continues to promote upcoming events and qualifiers through its own channels.

    APAT FAQ

    What is APAT?

    APAT stands for the Amateur Poker Association & Tour. It says it created the UK’s first national poker tour in 2006 and remains focused on affordable, professionally run events for amateur players.

    Is APAT only for amateur players?

    APAT is designed with amateur and recreational players in mind, but its events are still properly structured and competitive. The whole idea is to offer a more accessible live poker environment without losing the tournament feel.

    Is APAT just a UK tour?

    No. While the UK remains its backbone, APAT says it has developed into a global live events operator, and the 2026 calendar includes stops in Ireland, Malta and the Czech Republic as well as the domestic circuit.

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