By J.B. Blocker, Viewpoint

Are you looking for something fun and inexpensive to do? Look no further!
The World Poker Tour Amateur Poker League (WPTAPL) is coming to McKinney, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 at The Tokyo House.
This “Free” amateur poker league plays weekly in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys and other establishments throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the U.S.A. and beyond.
Sitting at a Hold’em table is a great environment for meeting near perfect strangers, making new friends, and having fun while competing for the over $250,000 in cash and prizes given away annually by the WPTAPL.
It could be your chance to become the next poker-made millionaire!
In addition to the WPTAPL’s multitude of prizes awarded throughout the year, the venue(s) hosting WPTAPL tournaments typically provide either a cash prize or gift certificates to the nightly winners.
All participants compete for and accumulate points based on their finishing order (top 16 each session earn points) in an effort to advance through the league structure to the WPT Amateur Championship in Las Vegas.
There, one lucky (or very good) member is crowned the WPT Amateur Championship of the World.
Have no fear, it’s all completely legal poker because as a participant you pay nothing to become a member and nothing to play nightly.
Best of all, its for everybody. Even those who have never played Texas Hold’em can play! The nightly tournament director provides lessons every poker night 30 minutes before the start of that night’s tournament. Anyone can learn and play.
Here’s a look at some of the great things you can win while having fun, hanging out with old friends and meeting new ones:
1. Win cash and/or other prizes awarded nightly by the host venue
2. Qualify nightly for WPTAPL’s weekly $500 Online tournaments
3. $10,000 Buy-in seats at official WPT Main events
4. $25,000 Buy-in seats at WPT Celebrity Invitational events while also competing for the chance to become the World Poker Tour Amateur Champion of the world
5. And the chance to become the next poker-made millionaire
Feel free to contact the league’s director in this area David Adamson for more details (214-914-0873) or go to http://www.wptapl.com for additional information about the league.
Last, but not least, make sure to check out the first tournament hosting WPTAPL in the McKinney area this week and next:
Where: The Tokyo House on Eldorado and Medical Center just east of U.S. 75/Central Expressway every Thursday at 7 p.m. beginning Thursday, Sept. 9.