Playing for a $2,000 seat in the 2008 World Series of Poker has gained momentum in Pahrump.

A record field of 48 players will compete Saturday in the August free-roll, no-limit Texas hold'em tournament at the Nugget. Action will begin at noon in the four-table room, with players seeking a share of a $2,100 prize pool, and more important, points which could lead him, or her, to a seat in the Nugget championship tournament.

The top 30 players in this monthly series of free-roll tournaments will compete in February for one of five $2,000 seats in the 2008 WSOP, to be played next summer at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

To qualify for a monthly free roll, a player must have at least 40 hours in live play at the Nugget; 48 achieved at least the minimum in July.

Saturday, the winner will receive $1,000 and 10 points, with the runnerup getting $500 and five points. Third is worth $300 and three points; fourth pays $200 and two points, and fifth earns $100 and one point.

The current points leader is Rollie Batayola, with 16 points; Batayola earned a $1,500 seat in the 2007 WSOP by playing in a series of free rolls from March 2006 through February 2007.

Rupert Hodnett has 15 points, with Tom Duke, Buzz Busbee, Jim Robertson, and Rob Lisull at 11 each. Robertson and Lisull also qualified for the 2007 Series.

At 10 points each are Terry Ferrington and Nella Lawson.

Rob Reddick has five points, as does Walter Mellon. Dave Von Alst has four points. At three points each are Blackie Harms, Rene Soto, and Jason Earnest.

Ray Guin, Gary Horvitz, and Barry Moffatt have two points each, with Jean Selzer and Joe Beaupre at one each.

The Amateur Poker League has been operating in various areas of the United States since June 2003, with its headquarters in Wichita, Kan. (900 George Washington Blvd, Wichita, KS, 67211 ... www.amateurpokerleague.com or www.apl1.net).

According to spokesman Shawn Riley, organization of the APL was motivated by two reasons.

"We wanted to figure out a way to consistently make money off poker and we saw the opportunity to positively affect people's lives," said Riley. "That comes with the social aspects of our tournaments; we offer players a 'front porch' setting to go out and have fun. From Day One, we envisioned thousands of tournaments each week. We're still in the early stages, but well on our way."

"The major challenge was coming up with a system," said Kurt McPhail, the other APL organizer. "When our membership ranks swelled early on, it was a considerable undertaking tracking the points and standings and getting everything published; there wasn't a model we could follow."

"(The APL) is actively pursuing national and local sponsors," said McPhail. "Using poker as our conduit, we're really an onsite vehicle for the advertising and promotion of large corporations. With the advent of Tivo and DVRs, where else can you sustain a captive audience for six hours to promote a brand."

The APL, according to its Web site, has not played any events in Nevada. The closest sites have been Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Tucson (Arizona), as well as Colorado Springs, Denver, and Fort Collins (Colorado), according to Web site notes, which also state the organization has 70,000 members in 17 states.