[pipster]

Living in Atlanta and playing in the APC tournaments I can tell you all you want to know about it...

1) There is no buy-in. It is free to play (normally). Some bars charge a cover or a "2 drink minimum" type of thing. But most of them are free.

2) The bar pays APC to run the tournament for them, and the bar provides the prizes. Generally in the form of "Bar Cash" which can only be spent on Food/Drinks at the restaraunt.

3) Points are kept track of, and at the end of each season (generally 10-15 weeks) a championship is held for the top X points (generally 40 as they run 4 tables of 10). And the bar donates larger prizes, braves tickets, travel vouchers, etc.

APC makes their money from the bar paying for the tourneys to be run, memberships (which get you priority seating at the tourneys), referrals to online poker sites, and merchandise sales (Shirts, chips, tables, etc)

I believe the hook is that if it is "Free" to play (not sure how the cover/2 drink min falls into this) then they are fine to go...