8 Minutes Read
As folks across the globe gathered with family and friends for Christmas, that holiday spirit spilled onto the online poker tables in interesting ways. The usual hustle was dialed down a notch since many took time off to enjoy the festivities, but there were still plenty of determined players who stuck around to chase big pots. Despite the slower pace, the prizes handed out were far from small.
PokerBaazi continued running their staples—The Pride, WTF, The Pride Lite, and Daily Last Chance—giving those willing to grind some notable rewards. Meanwhile, Natural8 India upped the ante with its own events, and the other big platforms kept dealing cards as they normally do.
The star shining brightest on Christmas was ‘dontraiseplz’ as they emerged as the day’s biggest winner. Fresh off a second-place finish in last week’s Bounty Hunters Main Event 54, they weren’t content to rest. They came charging in with two deep runs midweek, scooping up more than ₹8.24 Lakhs for their efforts.
Another player who refused to let the holiday season slow him down was Akash Malik. After two final-table finishes last Saturday, he returned with a vengeance last night, battling through 53 entries in the High Rollers Daily Wrap-Up 525. He walked away with a hefty ₹7.53 Lakhs, marking his third-largest haul on the platform so far.
Over on PokerBaazi, an underdog story caught everyone’s attention. Ayaz Khan punched above his weight in The Pride, collecting a prize of ₹5 Lakhs. This marked his biggest payday on PokerBaazi and the second-highest cash of his entire career. Poker veteran Rahul Melwani showed off his skill as well, landing second place in The Pride for ₹3.30 Lakhs and adding up ₹3.37 Lakhs across two deep finishes.
After going ten months without a single top finish, Atul Khurana finally shook off that long dry spell in style. He outplayed the competition in PokerBaazi’s WTF to grab ₹3.06 Lakhs—his biggest score of 2024 and the second-best result of his entire career. Coming in close behind was Karan Dhir, who locked in ₹1.62 Lakhs for the runner-up spot, marking his second-best finish of the year.
Over on Adda52, Angad Kaura took command of Adda52’s Wipeout, securing ₹1.71 Lakhs after a heads-up deal. This marks his fifth-largest cash on the platform and his biggest win so far in 2024. Meanwhile, Bijay Sarkar wasn’t far behind, pocketing ₹1.61 Lakhs for second place. He also added another cash to bring his total for the day to a tidy ₹1.71 Lakhs.
‘Drwoo’ (anonymity requested) conquered PokerBaazi’s The Pride Lite for a site-best ₹1.57 Lakhs – their fifth-biggest score to date. Nandan Pugalia, wasn’t far behind, finishing second for ₹1.07 Lakhs and bringing his total earnings to ₹2.42 Lakhs from four deep runs.
Mid-week was all about making moves for Bhushan Sohani. He snagged the Daily Last Chance on PokerBaazi for ₹1.49 Lakhs after a tense heads-up deal—his largest haul of the year and seventh-best on the site. Adding another deep run in the Evening SPRINT gave him a combined payday of ₹1.53 Lakhs. On the same night, Bibhu Agarwal had a day to remember too, picking up ₹1.24 Lakhs as runner-up and taking home a total of ₹1.29 Lakhs after running deep in another event.
Junglee Poker’s mystery grinder ‘sharktv’ lived up to that predatory moniker by grabbing the Wednesday Superstack title and posting a personal-best ₹1.49 Lakhs. Hot on his heels was Snehil Aggarwal, who’s been on quite a roll after his WPT#85 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo triumph. This time, he walked away with a decent ₹91,026 as the runner-up.
Wednesday brought plenty of good news for a bunch of other regulars as well. Notable players such as Jaideep Sajwan, Surbhit Grover, Deepak Verma, Abhishek Malik, and Animesh Thakur all found their moment in the sun, adding impressive wins to their tallies.
Here are the Wednesday highlights!
PokerBaazi
The Pride – ₹30 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹5,750
Entries – 308
Re-entries – 205
Prize Pool – ₹30,00,000
Places Paid – 77
PokerBaazi was lit up like a Christmas tree on Wednesday night, and the holiday spirit was definitely in the air, especially for Ayaz ‘KHAN1977’ Khan. He rose from the ashes like a phoenix to take down the ₹30 Lakhs GTD Wednesday headliner, The Pride. This win wasn’t just another win, it was Khan’s FIRST-EVER flagship title on PokerBaazi, a real Christmas miracle.
Facing a massive field of 513 entries (307 unique) in the 8 PM showdown, Khan battled for just over eight gruelling hours. After over eight hours of nerve-wracking play, Khan stood tall with a massive ₹5 Lakhs payday—the biggest score of his PokerBaazi journey and the second-highest of his career. What a gift to unwrap on Christmas night!
Ayaz Khan’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹58.07 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2
While Khan was busy stuffing his Christmas stocking, seasoned pro Rahul ‘slowroller’ Melwani was right on his heels. This veteran of the Indian poker circuit almost snagged his first-ever The Pride title but finished a close second. Although the title eluded him, Melwani still walked away with a hefty ₹3.30 Lakhs, his eighth-largest score on the platform. Adding a little extra sparkle to his Christmas winnings, Melwani also cashed in the WTF tournament, finishing 107th and picking up ₹7,200. Together, his Christmas night haul climbed to an impressive ₹3.37 Lakhs.
Rahul Melwani’s online stats (excluding PokerStars India and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.83 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹40.44 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2
The Pride’s final table was packed with big names, each adding their flair to the festive frenzy. Tuesday’s The Endeavour champion Deveshwar ‘deveshwar’ Raj added another podium finish to his week, bagging ₹2.56 Lakhs in third place. Shivang ‘Wanwalker’ Wanchoo followed with ₹1.96 Lakhs for fourth, while POY #3 Anant ‘Pro_Pro’ Purohit and Peushup ‘RoyalRelic’ Eugene also added to the cheer, pocketing ₹1.13 Lakhs (6th place) and ₹74,100 (8th place), respectively.
For the value-seekers, The Pride was a Christmas bonanza. With a ₹4.35 Lakhs overlay sweetening the pot, the ₹5,750 buy-in turned into a golden ticket for those chasing premium payouts. The top 77 finishers more than doubled their buy-ins, with each walking away with at least ₹10,200. It was a night where dreams came true, the kind of magic that keeps poker players coming back for more.
Final Table Results
WTF – ₹20 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹2,750
Entries – 459
Re-entries – 291
Prize Pool – ₹20,00,000
Places Paid – 111
Christmas cheer wasn’t just in the air—it was alive on the virtual felt of PokerBaazi, where Atul ‘atulkhurana’ Khurana turned a holiday evening into a moment he’ll never forget. After a long, ten-month dry spell, the former Spartan Poker Trending Thursday champion roared back to form, clinching the ₹20 Lakhs GTD WTF title. Khurana’s victory came with a jaw-dropping ₹3.06 Lakhs payday, marking his biggest score of 2024 and the second-largest win of his career.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Khurana. His first bullet ended in disappointment, forcing him to jump back in for another shot. This second attempt, however, was nothing short of magical. Battling through a field of 750 entries (459 unique), Khurana showcased grit and precision over seven hours and five minutes of fierce gameplay. When the dust settled, he had not only conquered the field but also added his first WTF title to his list of accolades.
Atul Khurana’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹77.45 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2
Hot on his trail was Karan ‘Pandya69’ Dhir, who came tantalizingly close to ending his title drought of seven months. Having already secured a runner-up finish in PokerBaazi’s WPT#21 Turbo just two weeks ago, Dhir once again fell just short of the crown in the WTF. Still, his second-place finish earned him ₹2 Lakhs, a strong follow-up to his recent performances and his second-best score of the year.
Karan Dhir’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹22.07 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹6.83 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2
Adding to the evening’s excitement was Saar ‘saarrajpuria’ Rajpuria, who claimed third place for ₹1.48 Lakhs after firing two bullets in the WTF. Rajpuria’s night didn’t stop there—he squeezed in deep runs in The Pride (52nd for ₹10,200) and The Pride Lite (36th for ₹6,000), pushing his total Wednesday haul to a festive ₹1.64 Lakhs.
Saar Rajpuria’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹60.46 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹15 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #5
With a ₹2,750 buy-in, the WTF offered plenty of action for value hunters, especially with the tournament facing a hefty ₹2.08 Lakhs overlay. For the top 111 finishers, the payouts were sweeter than ever, with each walking away with at least ₹7,200—more than double their buy-in. All in all, it was a Christmas night that delivered significant results—and more than a few surprises—for some of the most determined players on PokerBaazi.
Final Table Results
Daily Last Chance – ₹10 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹2,500
Entries – 272
Re-entries – 156
Prize Pool – ₹10,00,000
Places Paid – 61
As the clock struck midnight, the virtual felt on PokerBaazi was buzzing with energy. It wasn’t just any night—it was Christmas, and the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance tournament had become a battleground for those seeking a festive poker victory. The action was intense, and in the middle of it all was Bhushan ‘bhushansohani’ Sohani, a regular known for his resilience and his uncanny ability to pull off dramatic comebacks, like a poker-playing Santa Claus delivering presents when you least expect it.
Sohani’s journey leading up to this tournament had been a bit of a rough sleigh ride. October had shown glimpses of his skill with back-to-back final-table finishes in the (6-Max) SPRINT. However, the following months were filled with deep runs that never quite turned into wins. But like a determined reindeer, Sohani isn’t one to back down from a challenge. Last night, he entered the 10:30 PM flagship with a quiet determination, a fire in his belly that shattered his nearly four-month title drought.
What followed was nothing short of epic. Over five and a half hours, Sohani battled through a field of 428 entries (272 unique players), outwitting opponents and rising through the ranks. And when the final card was dealt, he stood tall, claiming the ₹1.49 Lakhs top prize after an intense heads-up deal. This victory wasn’t just any win; it was his overall seventh-best score on PokerBaazi and his biggest of the year.
But he wasn’t done yet. He rode this wave of momentum straight into the Evening SPRINT, making another deep run and pushing his total winnings for the night to over ₹1.53 Lakhs.
> 1st in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,49,446* (heads-up deal)
> 10th in PokerBaazi’s Evening SPRINT for ₹3,134
Bhushan Sohani’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.61 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹52.71 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #4 | Annual Winnings: ₹11.82 Lakhs
While Sohani enjoyed his hard-earned victory, Bibhu ‘Daniel_Ivey’ Agarwal made sure his presence was felt. A familiar face on PokerBaazi since June 2018, Agarwal was hunting for his first Daily Last Chance title. After firing two bullets, he gave it everything he had, ultimately settling for second place and a tidy ₹1.24 Lakhs from the deal – his biggest score on PokerBaazi. Agarwal also had a deep run in The Pride Lite, and by the end of the night, his total earnings soared past ₹1.29 Lakhs.
> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,23,554* (heads-up deal)
> 73rd in PokerBaazi’s The Pride Lite for ₹5,000
Bibhu Agarwal’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.84 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹55.69 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹28.58 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹3.01 Lakhs
The Daily Last Chance final table included other familiar faces. Among the notable players who made deep runs were last night’s Bumper Car champion Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover (4th for ₹60,000), Monday’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost finalist Avishek ‘Ronywalker’ Mistry (6th for ₹38,900), and WPT#16 (6-Max) Turbo podium finisher Amol ‘furiosa’ Shetty (7th for ₹30,600).
The ₹2,500 buy-in Daily Last Chance came that close to hitting its guarantee, falling just ₹69,528 short. But for the 61 players who cashed, that shortfall turned into added value, with payouts starting at ₹6,000—more than double the buy-in.
Final Table Results
*denotes a heads-up deal
The Pride Lite – ₹10 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹2,000
Entries – 301
Re-entries – 200
Prize Pool – ₹10,00,000
Places Paid – 78
The virtual tables on PokerBaazi were lit with festive fervor on Wednesday night as players battled it out in the ₹10 Lakhs GTD The Pride Lite. Amid the action and holiday spirit, one name stood out— ‘Drwoo’ (anonymity requested)—who gifted themselves a victory as dazzling as Christmas lights. Taking down The Pride Lite for the first time, they wrapped up their year with a title worth celebrating.
The 7:30 PM flagship drew an impressive field of 501 entries (301 unique), a thrilling mix of seasoned veterans and ambitious newcomers. Over six grueling hours of calculated risks and relentless play, ‘Drwoo’ employed a sharp double-entry strategy to navigate the competition, earning them their fourth victory on PokerBaazi in 2024 and a cool ₹1.58 Lakhs, their fifth-biggest score to date.
Since joining PokerBaazi in June 2023, ‘Drwoo’ has built a reputation as a grinder who never backs down. With three titles already secured this year, including October’s Daily Boost, their year was already shaping up to be a good one. But last night, they elevated it further by claiming their second flagship title of the year, following January’s #Blockbuster win.
Drwoo’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹1.11 Crores | Site Profits: ₹35.62 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #4
But the story didn’t end there. Nandan ‘RageMonster’ Pugalia added more firepower to the night. A familiar face in the online poker scene, Pugalia brought his signature consistency to the table. Coming off a runner-up finish in Monday’s Daily Last Chance, Pugalia once again found himself in the spotlight, finishing second in The Pride Lite and banking ₹1.07 Lakhs.
Pugalia’s night didn’t stop at PokerBaazi. Over on Adda52, he secured third place in the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Wipeout, raking in another ₹1.04 Lakhs. With cashes in two additional events, Pugalia’s Christmas grind brought him a staggering ₹2.42 Lakhs in total winnings, reinforcing his reputation as a player who thrives under pressure.
> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s The Pride Lite for ₹1,07,000
> 3rd in Adda52’s Wipeout for ₹1,03,994
> 8th in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost for ₹12,876
> 14th in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹18,000
Nandan Pugalia’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹3.40 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.01 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #19 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.82 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹48.25 Lakhs
The Pride Lite final table featured more familiar names, each adding their flair to the evening. Last month’s Daily Morning Sprint champion Kailash ‘mpad’ Rohra took third place for ₹82,000, while recent WPT#28 (PLO-5) finalist Pratap ‘Pratap42’ Maurya claimed fifth for ₹49,000.
The ₹2,000 buy-in The Pride Lite delivered excellent value, with a ₹1.28 Lakhs overlay, making the tournament even more enticing. The ₹10 Lakhs prize pool was split among the top 78 finishers, each earning at least ₹5,000—more than double the buy-in.
Final Table Results
‘jehaank58’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Afternoon Boost for ₹77,256), ‘omshiva’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD PLO-5 Boost for ₹38,620), ‘GGPokerAJ’ (Won ₹1 Lakh PKO for ₹31,335), Jaideep ‘GoneClubbing’ Sajwan (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD PLO 6 Daily for ₹28,930), ‘mor0nkumer’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹24,120), ‘venom1010’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹21,620), ‘gyomei’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Evening SPRINT for ₹15,390), and ‘CdanB’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Boost for ₹10,120) won the other Wednesday marquees on PokerBaazi.
Junglee Poker
Wednesday Superstack – ₹7 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹3,450
Entries – 194
Prize Pool – ₹7,00,000
Regular Prize Pool – ₹4,09,000
Bounty Prize Pool – ₹2,91,000
Places Paid – 23
Christmas brought more than cheer for poker enthusiasts on Junglee Poker as the ₹7 Lakhs GTD Wednesday Superstack turned into an electrifying battlefield. The 8 PM flagship tournament attracted a roaring crowd of 194 contenders, and the action was nothing short of spectacular. After seven hours and 21 minutes of relentless gameplay, ‘sharktv,’ a new yet formidable face on Junglee Poker, emerged victorious.
Improving upon a third-place finish in the Tuesday Phoenix, ‘sharktv’ made their Christmas night unforgettable by clinching their first-ever mid-week flagship title. But this wasn’t just any win—it was domination. Along with the title, ‘sharktv’ pocketed a personal-best ₹1.49 Lakhs, which included a massive ₹78,750 in bounties. It was a performance that stamped their arrival on the platform in spectacular fashion.
Adding to the excitement was Snehil ‘snehil99’ Aggarwal, who recently ended a nearly four-month dry spell with his maiden WPT Online title in PokerBaazi’s WPT#85 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo. Riding the momentum of that win, Aggarwal came tantalizingly close to another victory, finishing as the runner-up in the Wednesday Superstack. His efforts earned him a strong ₹91,026, which included ₹20,719 in bounties, proving once again why he’s a player to watch.
The ₹3,450 buy-in Wednesday Superstack not only delivered heart-pounding action but also plenty of value for its participants. With a ₹1.18 Lakhs overlay, the prize pool was a generous ₹4,09,000, with an additional ₹2,91,000 set aside for bounties. The top 23 finishers cashed out, but the real spoils were in the bounties, where skilled players turned eliminations into profit.
Final Table Results (Including Bounties)
₹15 Lakhs GTD Countdown Party – Qualifier 1
Q1> Entries – 72 | Survivors – 7 | Chip Leader – Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana-1’ Singh (404,782)
‘kidnuke-0035’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Wednesday Mania for ₹74,144), and ‘gullulal332’ (Won ₹80K GTD Wednesday Sunsetter for ₹21,707) won the Wednesday marquees on Junglee Poker.
Adda52
Wipeout – ₹10 Lakhs GTD
Buy-in – ₹3,350
Entries – 157
Re-entries – 139
Prize Pool – ₹10,00,000
Places Paid – 44
This Christmas, the online poker tables on Adda52 were ablaze, and Angad ‘checkthat’ Kaura was the one to set off the fireworks! Known for his sporadic grinding since March 2018, Kaura had remained somewhat of an enigma in the poker world. But last night, he made a thunderous return to the winner’s circle, dominating the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Wipeout to cap off the year in style.
Kaura had been biding his time, with his last win coming in the Godfather Lite nearly three months ago. But this wasn’t just a victory—it was a statement. Facing a stacked field of 157 unique players (296 total entries), Kaura brought his A-game to the 8 PM flagship. After an intense battle lasting nearly eight hours, he clinched the title and a hefty ₹1.71 Lakhs payday following a heads-up deal. This marked his fifth-largest cash on Adda52 and his biggest win of the year, a milestone made sweeter by the fact that it helped him erase nearly 85% of his past losses.
Angad Kaura’s Adda52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹46.51 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #5
However, the night wasn’t without its share of drama. Online regular Bijay ‘jarvis590’ Sarkar, who recently bagged the Sunday Head Hunter title less than five weeks ago, was chasing another win. Sarkar gave Kaura a run for his money but ultimately had to settle for the runner-up spot. His second-place finish earned him a solid ₹1.61 Lakhs from the deal, adding another strong performance to his resume. Sarkar also managed a deep run in PokerBaazi’s The Pride, finishing 65th for ₹10,200. By the end of the night, his total winnings topped ₹1.71 Lakhs—a Christmas haul to be proud of.
Bijay Sarkar’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹76.92 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹38.53 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #4 | Annual Winnings: ₹62.35 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹31.18 Lakhs
The Wipeout final table had some familiar faces in the mix, including last night’s The Pride Lite runner-up finisher Nandan’ LotJ24′ Pugalia (3rd for ₹1.04 Lakhs), Archit ‘Aarchit’ Dhadwal (5th for ₹56,571), and popular poker content creator Parth ‘yourpokerguy’ Jain (7th for ₹30,774).
For the value seekers, the ₹3,350 buy-in Wipeout turned out to be a holiday jackpot. A ₹1.42 Lakhs overlay meant more value for the 44 players who cashed, each pocketing at least ₹7,549—more than twice the buy-in. It was the perfect way to celebrate Christmas, with players walking away with not just the thrill of competition but also significant rewards.
Final Table Results
*denotes a heads-up deal
Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bumper Car for ₹38,452), ‘yeti’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Nighttide DST Adda for ₹32,772), ‘subzero570’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹22,458), ‘TomIvey12’ (Won ₹1.20 Lakhs GTD Maverick Lite for ₹20,176), Deepak ‘sambahadur’ Verma (Won ₹50K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹16,301) won the other Wednesday marquees on Adda52.
Pocket52
‘pokerpanki’ (Won ₹6.50 Lakhs GTD Pocket Rockets for ₹1.67 Lakhs), Abhishek ‘MALIKSAAB’ Malik (Won ₹4 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹99,480), Animesh ‘animeshth20’ Thakur (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹32,160), and ‘velocity’ (Won ₹80K GTD Brunch for ₹24,000) Wednesday marquees on Pocket52.
Spartan Poker
‘smallkick’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹66,600), ‘fatkidpoker’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹44,400), and ‘7X8X1X9X8X’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200) won the Wednesday marquees on Spartan Poker.
Keep following PokerGuru for daily updates on the biggest winners across the major domestic networks!