Amateur Poker League Carves Out Presence in Hutchinson

Since its founding in Wichita in 2003, the Amateur poker League has expanded to 14 states and an estimated 15,000 free no-limit Texas Hold'em tournaments a year.

And now, it's carving out a name in Hutchinson as players can participate in 2 APL tournaments every week. Players can take part in these tournaments at 7:00 am and 10:00 pm each Wednesday held at the Grand Slam Sports Bar and Grill, located at 1400 North Lorraine.

The tournaments began taking place on November 15th with promising results, as evident in the steadily growing number of patrons. According to Mike Johnson, the person responsible for coordinating tournaments in APL's Region 261, including Wichita and Hutchinson, the league had plans to expand into Hutchinson after the New Year.

"...I jumped on it," Johnson said. "This is a great venue. These guys have outdone themselves."

For the Southeast Kansas region, Grand Slam is the ninth venue for the APL. This is good news for non-smoking poker aficionados, as Grand Slam is the first non-smoking location for the APL.

As Johnson states from a business point of view, "I don't sell poker, I sell attendance. I turn your slow nights into your busiest".

"Poker isn't going to go away," Johnson said. "That is evident by the number of mom and pop leagues and other games."

01/01/2007, Monday
Matthew Dorst

Amateur Poker League Carves Out Presence in Hutchinson

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