In a traditional festival, card-playing activity at Diwali seems to be a riskier affair, with the increasing number of many Indian participants taking part in Poker. Indeed, numerous people switch from Flash to Poker and regard it as the most popular card game during celebrations. In spite of the fact that physical games are dominant across the country due to part of India’s tradition, it’s been more than ten years that the digital game has been created and started to gain people attention ever since consistently.
It’s even become a way of earning money for living for those who have the desire to devote their lives to it. Below are the profiles of three India champions, who are successfully making the name for themselves in this card-playing field.
Rubin Labroo
He is 31 years old, who makes few trips annually to Goa to attend the international Poker competition and Vietnam was one of his recent destination for the tournament of Asian Poker League. But many years ago, before he built his reputation as a professional card player and had the opportunities to travel places to places, he had worked as a computer engineer. Luckily, this job had enabled him to find out his real passion, which is playing the game online. Finally, after lots of consideration, he decided to quit college and join his friend’s startup.
The time when he underwent changes in his work and a move from Chennai to Delhi, but still managing to play Poker as a side occupation made Rubin realized he should make a wiser decision. He left his parents’ home and worked hard, after gaining enough bankroll, he spent all his time for the game.
This was a tough time, but afterward, he won many achievements thanks to his hard (plus also smart) work. Specifically, Rubin attained the nation’s largest online tournament, the major event at PokerBaazi’s Poker Premier League’18, and winning Rs 35.4 lakh. Especially, he also achieves his most important Live win at WPT Vietnam’19 and won a whopping Rs 27 lakh as he was the competition's runner-up.
Rubin shares about his plan in the future “In the long run, I will attend more live events since it gives me amazing experience and opportunities to travel. Besides, I think I will do the familiar: grinding online Poker and strive to keep my finance increased. Online offers many valuable merits, not just the ease and leisure of playing the game online.”
Ankit Jijodia
Jijodia is a typical example of the saying “Practice makes perfect”. He is 26 years old, a professional Poker and perfectionist person. That’s why in 2017, he conquered an online marathon grind in 40 days and played minor competitions to improve his loopholes, and finally became the top player in the first tournament. The three main strategies that he uses to improve his skills and paid dividends are watching videos on Youtube, analyzing other professional players and practicing his skills by playing free online competition.
His liking, however, is not cash games. Three hundred online tournaments is a minimum number that he plays in a month. He has been to Goa to play lived there, to Manila twice, and also been to Vietnam for the Asian Poker Tournament. Jijodia dreams of becoming successful in the Poker circuit of Asian and also hoping for chances in India like the Baazi Poker Tour. But now, he is trying hard for his biggest long-term objective, the World Series Of Poker.
“It takes one year of one-directional concentration, continuous hard work, excellent gaming master and a persistent attitude to conquer Poker,” he claims. It required lots of bravery to sacrifice his family affairs instead of focusing on Poker. Luckily, his mom and dad were sympathetic to his choice, and that encouraged him to achieve significant events over PokerBaazi's tournaments Endeavour and Baazi Super Sundays. Those moments made him realize that choosing Poker was the best decision he has ever made.
Prashanth Sekar
This guy is 29 years old, and he started to know Poker when he was in his final year of engineering. At first, Poker just a pastime to him, but gradually become Sekar life’s goal. In 2013, he began playing Poker at Bangalore’s live clubs. Then he started to really concentrate on it since 2017 when he spent most of the time for online grinding as Iveyleague and working for an online gaming company as a product manager.
Sekar played Poker in a slow but smart way, devoted his time to it, discussing with more professional players and continuously increase stakes from buy-ins of 200 all the way up to 2000. Then, his hard work paid off, and he achieved his first victory at the end of that year at PokerBaazi Live in Bangalore.
To develop his skills, he began examining, reading related books, watching videos, and taking up coaching. Unfortunately, in later 2018 to February 2019, he received some unwanted results. But he did not give up that easily, and he made use of a PokerBaazi’s deposit which is offered on the website to gain a free ticket to Game Changer competition’s first edition, India’s largest online Poker match with an ensured reward pool of XXX rupees. He joined that tournament and was rewarded Rs 33 lakh.
He became a professional Poker player not many months ago, but in case his success does not impress you, I’ll show you one more thing. Prashanth had already earned over one crore rupees before Poker was his full-time job.
Some things you should keep in mind if you are unfamiliar with Poker
Three mentioned Indian Poker winners suggest that beginners should remember some factors.
Rubin advises: “It requires lots of dedication and effort and asking the players to focus on it seriously, rather than something else. But that is the nature of Poker, and the job as well. If the results come up to your expectation, then continue to learn, keep trying, and most importantly, appreciate the time on the felts!.”
Ankit’s suggestion to newbie players: “Devote yourself and really concentrate on it. Of course, you will have to face with failures or downfalls. But keep trying because, with Poker, you will become a stronger player after those downswings.”
Another recommendation from Prashanth is: “Be a committed player, playing it for at least one year and taking professional Poker full time once you’re financially stable. And remember to continue your research.”
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