Daily Majors: Anant Purohit’s ₹8.61 Lakh Natural8 India Rampage & JaiKiran Kumar’s Double Strike Highlight Friday’s Action

The live poker scene in Asia is back in full force, with the USOP Hai Phong and Manila Megastack 20 pulling in players from all over. But while we wait to see if India`s finest can continue their recent dominant run on the international stage, the online poker action has been nothing short of thrilling. Friday was an exciting prelude to the weekend, with leading platforms like PokerBaazi and Natural8 India rolling out a feast of tournaments. Adda52 and Junglee Poker weren’t about to be outdone, either, with the starting flights of the high-octane Big Whale adding to the frenzy. The day was full of drama, featuring stunning come-from-behind victories, players continuing their hot streaks, and some fresh faces making a serious splash.

Anant Purohit yet again stole the show on Friday. This poker veteran is having the best year of his career, schooling the competition on Natural8 India and proving that consistency isn`t just a buzzword but a way of life. Fresh off a string of impressive performances, including a near-miss in Sunday’s Bounty Hunters Sunday Special 150 and a strong finish in Monday’s Bounty Hunters Deepstack Turbo 54, Purohit returned to the virtual arena with a vengeance, racking up an astounding ₹8.61 Lakhs across two deep runs. He completely owned the Bounty Hunters Fifty Stack 54, walking away with a whopping ₹7.38 Lakhs top prize. And as if that wasn’t enough, he added another ₹1.22 Lakhs to his coffers with a 45th-place finish in the Bounty Hunters HR 525.

JaiKiran Kumar had a Friday he won’t soon forget. This circuit regular, already ranked #13 in the Player of the Year race and a February leaderboard topper, pulled off an incredible double victory and a stunning ₹5.29 Lakhs across four deep runs! First, he conquered Junglee Poker’s Friday Supernova, pocketing ₹1.67 Lakhs. But he wasn’t done there. Less than an hour later, he was back in the winner’s circle, this time taking down Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹3.91 Lakhs. This is his second The Ballers title in just three weeks! Even the talented Aritra Sengupta couldn’t stop Kumar’s momentum, finishing second for a career-best ₹2.89 Lakhs.

On PokerBaazi, the enigmatic ‘temjensoba’ rose above the competition, capturing The Quest title for a personal-best ₹5.38 Lakhs – their fifth win on the platform. Neeraj Kumar, #3 on the annual TLB leaderboard and known for his knack for deep runs and high-volume play, finished runner-up in The Quest for ₹3.23 Lakhs – his fifth-largest score on PokerBaazi – raking in ₹3.59 Lakhs across six deep runs.

In a surprising upset, newcomer ‘Shyam_123‘ took down Pocket52’s Pocket Highroller for ₹3.86 Lakhs in just their fourth tournament appearance. ‘frankie08‘ (anonymity requested), fresh off a runner-up finish in the Pocket Kings and a litany of solid finishes, finished second for ₹2.70 Lakhs. Ankit Wadhawan, who had his sights set on his third Pocket52 title this month, finished third for ₹1.74 Lakhs. Wadhawan added to his winnings with two other deep runs, bringing his total to ₹2.06 Lakhs.

Manash Kalita, playing only his second tournament in six weeks, immediately made his presence felt. He ended a five-and-a-half-month title drought by taking down PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹2.39 Lakhs – his biggest score of the year and one of his top ten wins ever. Habil Jiruwala, last month’s Adda52 Big Whale champion, finished as the runner-up, earning ₹1.57 Lakhs (after qualifying through a ₹220 satellite, no less!). Jiruwala also reached the final table of The Ballers, bringing his Friday total to over ₹2.74 Lakhs.

‘SPRINT KING’ Pradip Ghosh, the poker sensation from Durgapur, won his second The Quest Lite title on PokerBaazi, taking home ₹1.98 Lakhs. This win contributed to Ghosh’s profitable Friday, where he amassed over ₹2.57 Lakhs across four tournaments. ‘unawareBlind‘ also had a breakthrough performance, finishing second for an all-time best ₹1.34 Lakhs.

Nandan Pugalia continued his winning ways, taking down PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1.53 Lakhs after a heads-up deal. This marks his third title this month and a remarkable 19th overall in 2024, coming just days after his victory in Adda52’s Sunday Big Slick. Pugalia also made deep runs in two other flagship events, raking in almost ₹1.69 Lakhs and pushing his tracked online profits past the ₹1 Crore mark! ‘mkrao0007’ also had reason to celebrate, finishing second in the Daily Last Chance for a personal-best ₹1.36 Lakhs.

Friday was a day of celebration for many, with a host of other players joining the winner’s circle. Nikhil Krishna, Janish Jain, Vijay Singh Gurjar, Rajneesh Thakur, Suraj Bhan, Randeep Lather, Shekhar Singh, Shivam Shukla, Paramjeet, Young Gun Sanat Mehrotra and Gauravv Jain all tasted victory.

Here are the Friday highlights!

PokerBaazi

The Quest – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 411

Re-entries – 306

Prize Pool – ₹35,85,000

Places Paid – 111

PokerBaazi once again brought the heat on Friday with a stacked lineup of tournaments, and the highlight of the night—the ₹30 Lakhs GTD The Quest—delivered a show-stopping finale. Amid the frenzy, the enigmatic ‘temjensoba’ rose above the competition, capturing their fifth PokerBaazi title and a personal-best ₹5.38 Lakhs! This win is a significant breakthrough for ‘temjensoba,’ who had been battling a year-long downswing.

Charging into The Quest all guns blazing, ‘temjensoba’ outlasted a packed field of 411 players (717 total entries) in a thrilling eight-hour battle. This victory shatters their previous best score on PokerBaazi by an astounding margin (over 15 times larger!) and helps them substantially recover from past losses, putting them back on track to success.

temjensoba’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹9.76 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

Neeraj ‘SelfClaimedPro’ Kumar, a force to be reckoned with in the online circuit, was also a major contender in The Quest. Ranked #3 on the annual TLB leaderboard and known for his knack for deep runs and high-volume play, Kumar had already made waves in Thursday’s WTF with a final table appearance. Hungry for that elusive big win, he fought to a second-place finish in The Quest, earning a respectable ₹3.23 Lakhs after firing two bullets—his fifth-best score on PokerBaazi.

Kumar’s incredible run didn’t stop there; he continued his hot streak with five more deep runs on PokerBaazi, accumulating almost ₹3.59 Lakhs across his busy(and eventful) Friday grind!

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s The Quest for ₹3,22,650

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s (6-Max) Hyper for ₹12,850

> 35th in PokerBaazi’s The Quest Lite for ₹10,000

> 31st in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost for ₹6,314

> 100th in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹4,718

> 26th in PokerBaazi’s Daily Morning SPRINT for ₹2,400

The Quest’s final table was brimming with familiar faces riding high on momentum, including Varun ‘willgetthere’ Devayya (3rd for ₹2.47 Lakhs), Young Gun Devang ‘laila’ Yadav (4th for ₹2.06 Lakhs), Siddhant ‘aajnahiaana’ Singh (5th for ₹1.70 Lakhs), Vishal ‘VishalMaharaj’ Maharaj (6th for ₹1.38 Lakhs) and Ankur ‘stonecold’ Sehgal (8th for ₹79,230).

The Quest lived up to the hype, exceeding its guarantee and generating a scorching ₹35.85 Lakhs prize pool. With a ₹5,750 buy-in, the top 111 players found themselves in the money, with a min-cash of ₹10,755! It was a night of intense poker action on India’s leading poker platform, promising another exciting weekend ahead.

Final Table Results

1. temjensoba – ₹5,38,000
2. Neeraj ‘SelfClaimedPro’ Kumar – ₹3,23,000
3. Varun ‘willgetthere’ Devayya – ₹2,47,000
4. Devang ‘laila’ Yadav – ₹2,06,000
5. Siddhant ‘aajnahiaana’ Singh – ₹1,70,000
6. Vishal ‘VishalMaharaj’ Maharaj – ₹1,38,000
7. rsbolte1528 – ₹1,08,000
8. Ankur ‘stonecold’ Sehgal – ₹79,230

WTF – ₹15 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,200

Entries – 439

Re-entries – 383

Prize Pool – ₹15,72,486

Places Paid – 118

Manash ‘ravenclaws’ Kalita is back with a vengeance! After a five-and-a-half-month break from the winner’s circle since his Daily Micro HighRoller victory, this poker phoenix has risen from the ashes. After a relatively quiet October where he only played a few tournaments, Kalita jumped back into the action and immediately set his sights on PokerBaazi’s ₹15 Lakhs GTD WTF. This was only his second tournament in six weeks, his first being The Big Show on Monday.

And what a return it was! The former The Millionaire Lite champion wasted no time making his presence felt, proving he hadn’t lost his touch. He navigated a guarantee-crushing field of 822 entries (439 unique) in a gruelling 7.5-hour battle, conquering the 7:30 PM flagship for a hefty ₹2.39 Lakhs payday – his biggest score of the year and one of his top ten wins ever!

Manash Kalita’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.43 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹29.92 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #3

Habil ‘Habz420’ Jiruwala, last month’s Adda52 Big Whale champion, also had a remarkable night. He parlayed a ₹220 satellite win (after firing two bullets) into a runner-up finish in the WTF, walking away with an incredible ₹1,57,249 – a mind-blowing 357 times his initial investment! And if that wasn’t enough, Jiruwala also reached the final table of Adda52’s The Ballers, bringing his total winnings for the day to over ₹2.74 Lakhs.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹1,57,249

> 5th in Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹1,17,089

Habil Jiruwala’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.45 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹59.25 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #10 | Annual Winnings: ₹62.44 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹39.39 Lakhs

The battle for the WTF title was fierce, featuring the likes of the former (7-Max) Daily SPRINT winner Prakhar ‘prakhar57’ Patel (3rd for ₹1.16 Lakhs), Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar (4th for ₹89,632), Kovid ‘fzzzyyy’ Saraswat (5th for ₹73,750), and recent Summit Lite podium finisher Shagun ‘sogani22’ Jain (7th for ₹47,175).

The action was red-hot, and the ₹2,200 buy-in WTF generated a prize pool of ₹15.72 Lakhs, crushing its advertised ₹15 Lakhs guarantee. The top 118 players enjoyed a share of the spoils, with even the min-cash awarding a respectable ₹4,718 – not a bad way to kick off the weekend!

Final Table Results

1. Manash ‘ravenclaws’ Kalita – ₹2,39,018
2. Habil ‘Habz420’ Jiruwala – ₹1,57,249
3. Prakhar ‘prakhar57’ Patel – ₹1,16,364
4. Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar – ₹89,632
5. Kovid ‘fzzzyyy’ Saraswat – ₹73,750
6. d2gamepoker – ₹60,226
7. Shagun ‘sogani22’ Jain – ₹47,175
8. nnavin3386 – ₹34,437

The Quest Lite – ₹12.50 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,880

Entries – 292

Re-entries – 160

Prize Pool – ₹12,50,000

Places Paid – 65

Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh, the poker sensation from Durgapur, has been making serious waves all year! November has been a month of consistent success for Ghosh, with a string of deep runs and three final table finishes, including a resounding victory in Adda52’s MMA Mini High Roller 6-Max. But the “SPRINT KING,” as we affectionately call him, wasn’t about to slow down.

Fresh off a podium finish in Pocket52’s Pocket Magnets the previous night, Ghosh set his sights on PokerBaazi’s ₹12.50 Lakhs GTD The Quest Lite. This wasn’t his first attempt at conquering this flagship event; he had already tasted victory in The Quest Lite in April. And he did it again! Firing two bullets in the 7:30 PM tournament, Ghosh outlasted a stacked field of 452 entries (292 unique) across an intense six hours and 12 minutes of play, claiming his second The Quest Lite title and a handsome ₹1.98 Lakhs first-place prize. This win was the highlight of a profitable Friday for Ghosh, who amassed over ₹2.57 Lakhs in total winnings from deep runs in four flagship tournaments.

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s The Quest Lite for ₹1,97,500

> 15th in PokerBaazi’s The Quest for ₹35,850

> 30th in Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹19,154

> 82nd in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹4,718

Pradip Ghosh’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹8.65 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.64 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #18 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.25 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹75.40 Lakhs | Ranked #17 in the 2024 TLB (Points) Leaderboard Standings

And then there was the underdog story of the tournament. ‘unawareBlind,‘ who joined PokerBaazi in October 2023, also made a remarkable run. This Karnataka-based player, hungry for their first title, showed incredible grit and determination, firing three bullets in The Quest Lite. Their persistence paid off as they outplayed many seasoned veterans, ultimately grabbing an impressive second-place finish for ₹1.34 Lakhs. This score was not only their personal best on PokerBaazi but a whopping 24 times their previous best, catapulting them into profitability and announcing their arrival on the poker scene.

unawareBlind’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹1.69 Lakhs| Site Profits: ₹79,706

Adding to the drama, Rising Star Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh continued his hot streak with a podium finish in The Quest Lite for ₹1.03 Lakhs. Parakh, who had already conquered Adda52’s Holdem Bash on Saturday and posted back-to-back sixth-place finishes in the Nighttide DST Adda in the previous two nights, kept his scorecard ticking! He raked in almost ₹1.92 Lakhs from four deep runs on Friday, including another third-place finish in Junglee Poker`s Friday Supernova, pushing his tracked online profits past a staggering ₹3.50 Crores!

> 3rd in PokerBaazi’s The Quest Lite for ₹1,02,500

> 3rd in Junglee Poker`s Friday Supernova for ₹69,874

> 14th in Adda52’s Friday Bounty for ₹7,077

> 7th in Adda52’s The Ballers Lite for ₹6,407

> 16th in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹5,843

Aman Parakh’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹10.19 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.50 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #18 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.67 Crores (across all platforms) | Annual Profits: ₹61.93 Lakhs

The Quest Lite’s final table was a star-studded affair. Joining Ghosh, ‘unawareBlind’ and Parakh in the battle for glory were Tuesday’s The Endeavour champion Abilash ‘Steelbala’ Bala (4th for ₹75,000), Sunday’s Big Whale finalist Young Gun Arsh ‘Button_Hai_Bro’ Grover (5th for ₹60,000), Amar ‘PsykoEko’ Iyer (6th for ₹48,625), and recent The Summit podium finisher Vivek ‘viveksnmc10’ Pal (7th for ₹38,250).

Despite the star power, The Quest Lite fell short of its guarantee by ₹1.20 Lakhs. But that just meant more value for the top 65 finishers, who each walked away with at least ₹6,875—2.4 times the ₹2,880 buy-in, ensuring another action-packed night on India’s leading online poker platform!

Final Table Results

1. Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh – ₹1,97,500
2. unawareBlind – ₹1,33,750
3. Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh – ₹1,02,500
4. Abilash ‘Steelbala’ Bala – ₹75,000
5. Arsh ‘Button_Hai_Bro’ Grover – ₹60,000
6. Amar ‘PsykoEko’ Iyer – ₹48,625
7. Vivek ‘viveksnmc10’ Pal – ₹38,250
8. juicyBanker8260 – ₹28,125

Daily Last Chance – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 525

Re-entries – 220

Prize Pool – ₹16,19,630

Places Paid – 82

The witching hour had come and gone, but the Friday night poker fire still burned bright on PokerBaazi. At the centre of this inferno was Nandan ‘ragemonster’ Pugalia, a Kolkata grinder known for his explosive play and relentless aggression. Just five days after taking down Adda52’s Sunday Big Slick, Pugalia was back in the winner’s circle, proving that his recent surge isn`t a flash in the pan but the beginning of something special.

Pugalia, a protégé of India’s OG PokerGuru Aditya Agarwal, has been riding a wave of success. He had kicked off November with a fierce second-place finish in Spartan Poker’s Tuesday Twister, followed by a victory in PokerBaazi’s Blockbuster Lite and another near-miss in Adda52’s The Ballers. These were just a few highlights in a month overflowing with impressive results across the online poker landscape. And now, with his latest conquest in the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance, Pugalia had claimed his third title of the month and his 19th overall this year – an extraordinary feat for any player, let alone one under the tutelage of the great Aditya Agarwal.

The Daily Last Chance, a 10:30 PM flagship event, drew a staggering field of 525 players (745 total entries), shattering its guarantee. Pugalia waged war on the virtual felt for over six hours, his aggressive style on full display in a gruelling battle of wits and endurance. Finally, after a tense heads-up deal, he emerged victorious, adding the missing Daily Last Chance title to his already impressive trophy cabinet and a cool ₹1.53 Lakhs to his bankroll. But the night wasn’t over yet. Pugalia went on to cash in two of PokerBaazi’s biggest flagship events, pushing his total winnings to almost ₹1.69 Lakhs and hitting the ₹1 Crore mark in tracked online profits!

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,53,448* (heads-up deal)

> 77th in PokerBaazi’s The Quest for ₹10,755

> 87th in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹4,718

Nandan Pugalia’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocke52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹3.26 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1 Crore | Titles Won in 2024: #19 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.69 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹45.71 Lakhs

Adding to the drama was the mysterious ‘mkrao0007,‘ a player who had been making waves on PokerBaazi for the past four months. With their sights set on a second platform title and first in the Daily Last Chance, they fought tooth and nail, determined to etch their name into the tournament’s history. Despite their best efforts, they ultimately finished in second place. However, a personal-best ₹1.36 Lakhs from the heads-up deal provided some consolation, wiping out all previous losses in a single, glorious stroke.

mkrao0007’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹3.53 Lakhs | Site Winnings: ₹1.05 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The Daily Last Chance final table was a gathering of accomplished players. Mohak ‘Tiltin’ Kapoor, the reigning king of the annual TLB leaderboard and a finalist in last week’s WTF, finished third for ₹89,025. Thursday’s Daily Last Chance champion Samarth ’tiltsingh’ Bhandari, hoping for a repeat victory, took fifth place for ₹50,470, while last week’s BSS Super Value runner-up Arvind ‘ArvindRathi001’ Rathi finished eighth for ₹24,322.

The ₹2,500 buy-in Daily Last Chance continued its reign as a player favourite. The late-night flagship event generated a scorching ₹16.20 Lakhs prize pool – over 60% more than its advertised guarantee – rewarding the top 82 finishers. With a minimum cash of ₹5,479, more than double the entry fee, the tournament offered incredible value. The action raged on, spilling over into the early hours of Saturday morning, bringing an electrifying end to a night overflowing with poker excitement.

Final Table Results

1. Nandan ‘ragemonster’ Pugalia – ₹1,53,448*
2. mkrao0007 – ₹1,36,259*
3. Mohak ‘Tiltin’ Kapoor – ₹89,025
4. Realfc – ₹65,399
5. Samarth ‘tiltsingh’ Bhandari – ₹50,470
6. jalaj1611 – ₹43,154
7. Nabin533 – ₹36,067
8. Arvind ‘ArvindRathi001’ Rathi – ₹24,322

*denotes a heads-up deal

Nikhil ‘chrisnikhil’ Krishna (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD (7-Max) Afternoon Boost for ₹70,157), ‘StrangeCall’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD PLO-6 Daily for ₹28,280), Janish ‘janish1998’ Jain (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹27,000), ‘usethismoney’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹15,550), Vijay ‘Marcopolo10’ Singh Gurjar (Won ₹1 Lakh 6-Max Hyper for ₹16,000), ‘RomanReignsss’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Midnight SPRINT for ₹10,370), and ‘pokerpanki’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Boost for ₹10,120) won the other Friday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

Friday Supernova – ₹9 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,450

Entries – 249

Total Prize Pool – ₹9,00,000

Regular Prize Pool – ₹5,26,500

Bounty Prize Pool – ₹3,73,500

Places Paid – 27

Friday night erupted in a dazzling display of online poker fireworks, and at the heart of the explosion was JaiKiran ‘ZEEKE777’ Kumar, POY #13 and the February leaderboard topper. A player known for consistent dominance in mid to high-stakes tournaments, Kumar was about to transform Friday night into a personal highlight reel, leaving a trail of bewildered opponents in his wake.

By the time the digital dust settled, Kumar had not one, but two championship titles to his name, alongside two impressive deep runs. His total winnings for the night soared to a stunning ₹5.29 Lakhs. This incredible performance made him the second-biggest winner of the day, surpassed only by Anant Purohit, who was busy orchestrating a masterclass of his own over on Natural8 India.

Kumar’s poker achievements read like a Hall of Fame scroll. From his conquest of PokerBaazi’s Game Changer 4.0 in 2020 to his stunning victory in Adda52’s Mega Millions in May and a career-best final table appearance in Natural8 India’s Lunar Mystery Bounty earlier this year, he had consistently proven himself to be a strategist of the highest order. But this Friday night, he was about to ascend to even greater heights.

The night began with a bang as Kumar entered the ₹9 Lakhs GTD Friday Supernova on Junglee Poker. Like a seasoned general commanding his troops, he navigated the battlefield of 249 challengers with a masterful blend of aggression and patience. After a gruelling seven-hour-and-five-minute war of attrition, Kumar emerged triumphant, claiming the ₹1.67 Lakhs top prize, which included a hefty ₹87,820 in bounties. Site-user ‘kuchnhih’ put up a strong fight, finishing a close second for ₹1.22 Lakhs (₹43,195 in bounties).

But Kumar’s hunger for victory was far from satiated. A mere 54 minutes later, he was back on top, this time conquering Adda52’s ₹20 Lakhs GTD The Ballers. With unwavering focus and a relentless strategy, he tore through the competition like a force of nature. After eight hours of intense poker action, Kumar again stood victorious, adding a massive ₹3.91 Lakhs to his winnings. This marked his second The Ballers title in just three weeks, a clear indication that this online beast was showing no signs of slowing down.

Kumar’s Friday achievements include:

> 1st in Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹3,91,111

> 1st in JungleePoker’s Friday Supernova for ₹1,66,742* (₹87,820 in bounties)

> 88th in PokerBaazi’s The Quest for ₹10,755

> 59th in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹5,479

The Friday Supernova final table also witnessed impressive performances from other notable players, including last night`s The Quest Lite podium finisher Rising Star Aman ‘KarmaPoker77’ Parakh (3rd for ₹69,874, with ₹12,328 in bounties), POY #11 Sashank ‘TheTamizhDurrr’ Chakravarthy (5th for ₹46,987, with ₹14,344 in bounties), and Raghav ‘misterbean’ Ananth (7th for ₹29,032, with ₹10,500 in bounties).

The ₹3,450 buy-in Friday Supernova proved to be a goldmine for those with the skill and luck to navigate its treacherous waters. The ₹9 Lakhs guaranteed prize pool had a ₹1.53 Lakhs overlay, adding even more value for the 27 players who cashed from the ₹5.27 Lakhs prize pool. With countless others snagging bounties from the ₹3.73 Lakhs bounty pool, the action was non-stop, and the rewards plentiful.

Final Table Results (Including Bounties)

1. JaiKiran ‘ZEEKE777’ Kumar – ₹1,66,742
2. kuchnhih – ₹1,21,538
3. Aman ‘KarmaPoker77’ Parakh – ₹69,874
4. mental – ₹48,111
5. Sashank ‘TheTamizhDurrr’ Chakravarthy – ₹46,987
6. litprincess – ₹28,525
7. Raghav ‘misterbean’ Ananth – ₹29,032
8. pokerface7 – ₹33,368

‘nolimit11’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Friday Fighter for ₹63,475) and ‘semag’ (Won ₹80K GTD Friday Sunsetter for ₹19,871) won the other Friday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

The Ballers – ₹20 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹8,050

Entries – 142

Re-entries – 107

Prize Pool – ₹20,00,000

Places Paid – 39

Friday night was ablaze with poker action, but one player was about to unleash a storm amidst the usual flurry of bets and bluffs. JaiKiran ‘jeditriv’ Kumar, a name synonymous with online poker excellence, was about to pull off a performance for the ages.

Already a dominant force ranked #13 in the Player of the Year race and the February leaderboard topper, Kumar was no stranger to success. But this Friday, something felt different. There was an electricity in the air, a sense that something extraordinary was about to unfold. And indeed, it did. By the time the digital smoke cleared, Kumar had transformed Friday night into his personal kingdom, leaving a trail of stunned opponents in his wake. Two championship titles, two deep runs, and an astounding ₹5.29 Lakhs in winnings – a performance so dominant it made him the second-biggest scorer of the day, trailing only Anant Purohit, who was busy putting on a masterclass of his own over on Natural8 India.

Kumar, a master of strategy and versatility, boasts a poker resume that would turn any grinder green with envy. He conquered PokerBaazi’s Game Changer 4.0 in 2020, triumphed in Adda52’s Mega Millions in May, and achieved a career-best final table run in Natural8 India’s Lunar Mystery Bounty earlier this year. But tonight, he was about to etch his name even deeper into poker legend.

His first conquest unfolded in Junglee Poker’s ₹9 Lakhs GTD Friday Supernova. With the precision of a surgeon and the stealth of a ninja, he carved his way through a field of 249 challengers in the 8 PM marquee. The battle raged for seven hours and five minutes, a relentless test of skill, nerve, and endurance. Yet, Kumar remained unfazed, his focus laser-sharp. Finally, he emerged from the fray victorious, claiming the ₹1.67 Lakhs top prize, including a hefty ₹87,820 in bounties.

But the night was far from over. Less than an hour later, Kumar was back on top again, this time in Adda52’s ₹20 Lakhs GTD The Ballers. A formidable field of 141 rivals (249 total entries) stood between him and another title. An eight-hour marathon ensued, a gruelling test of mental and physical stamina. Yet, Kumar seemed to thrive under pressure. He unleashed a relentless barrage of bets and raises, dismantling his opponents one by one. When the final card fell, he stood alone at the summit, a champion again, his pockets bulging with an additional ₹3.91 Lakhs. This marked his second The Ballers victory in a mere three weeks, clearly demonstrating his dominance in the tournament.

Kumar’s Friday achievements include:

> 1st in Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹3,91,111

> 1st in Junglee Poker’s Friday Supernova for ₹1,66,742* (₹87,820 in bounties)

> 88th in PokerBaazi’s The Quest for ₹10,755

> 59th in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹5,479

Even Aritra ‘flushnace’ Sengupta, a formidable player in his own right, couldn’t withstand Kumar’s onslaught. Despite a valiant effort, Sengupta had to settle for the runner-up spot and a career-high ₹2.89 Lakhs.

The final table of The Ballers was stacked with talent, featuring three other notables: Thursday’s Adda52 Monster Turbo champion Sanish ‘sanish21’ Chhabra (4th for ₹1.58 Lakhs), last night’s WTF runner-up Habil ‘MuckTheSystem’ Jiruwala (5th for ₹1.17 Lakhs) and PokerStars India ambassador Goonjan ‘gmtesting’ Mall (6th for ₹86,610).

Even though it fell ₹2.57 Lakhs short of its ₹20 Lakhs guarantee, The Ballers delivered an electrifying spectacle of poker action. With its ₹8,050 buy-in and only 35 players making it into the money, the competition was fierce, and the rewards substantial. Those who survived the onslaught walked away with at least ₹19,154 – a fitting reward for their skill and efforts. It was another unforgettable night on the virtual felts of Adda52!

Final Table Results

1. JaiKiran ‘jeditriv’ Kumar – ₹3,91,111
2. Aritra ‘flushnace’ Sengupta – ₹2,89,304
3. bluffme19 – ₹2,13,997
4. Sanish ‘sanish21’ Chhabra – ₹1,58,293
5. Habil ‘MuckTheSystem’ Jiruwala – ₹1,17,089
6. Goonjan ‘gmtesting’ Mall – ₹86,610

₹50 Lakhs GTD Big Whale – Day 1A & B

Combined > Entries – 272 | Re-entries – 144 | Re-buys – 6 | Survivors – 43 | Overall Chip Leader – ‘tujhekya’ (500,979)

Rajneesh ‘rajneesh620’ Thakur (Won ₹4.50 Lakhs GTD Friday Bounty for ₹75,064), Suraj ‘Iamondrugs’ Bhan (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD The Ballers Lite for ₹39,111), Randeep ‘randysingh’ Lather (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Nighttide DST for ₹30,498), Shekhar ‘brat_poker’ Singh (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹27,477), Shivam ‘brooskyradio11’ Shukla (Won ₹55K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹14,670), and Paramjeet ‘culuxtum’ (Won ₹45K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹13,648) won the other Friday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

Pocket Highroller – ₹15 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹11,000

Entries – 83

Re-entries – 67

Prize Pool – ₹15,00,000

Places Paid – 18

The Friday night lights were shining bright on Pocket52’s ₹15 Lakhs GTD Pocket Highroller. With a ₹11,000 buy-in, it’s a tournament that draws in the sharks, the grinders, and those dreaming of poker glory. But no one could have predicted the whirlwind that was about to unfold.

Emerging from the depths of the competition, a relative unknown by the name of ‘Shyam_123’ shocked everyone. This wasn’t a seasoned veteran with a trophy cabinet overflowing with accolades. No, ‘Shyam_123’ was a newcomer, having only joined Pocket52 the previous month. This was just their fourth tournament ever. Yet, against a field of 82 skilled opponents (150 total entries) in the 8 PM headliner, they displayed skills that belied their experience. With a mix of sharp play and well-timed fortune, they outmanoeuvred their opponents, claiming an improbable victory and a staggering ₹3.86 Lakhs prize.

Shyam_123’s Pocket52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹3.86 Lakhs | Site Winnings: ₹3.63 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The Pocket Highroller was a battleground of skill and ambition. ‘frankie08’ (anonymity requested), an online regular active on Pocket52 for just over two months, was on a mission. Fresh off a near miss in the Pocket Kings just days prior, they were determined to etch their name into the Pocket52 winner’s circle. A recent victory in PokerBaazi’s The Quest Lite and deep runs in Daily Last Chance and The Big Show had fueled their confidence. Four bullets they fired, a testament to their unwavering resolve. But the poker gods, it seemed, had other plans. A second-place finish and ₹2.70 Lakhs was a commendable result, their second-biggest score on Pocket52, but for ‘frankie08’, it was another near miss, another chance at victory snatched away.

frankie08’s Pocket52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹8.23 Lakhs | Site Winnings: ₹4.18 Lakhs

Adding to the intensity, Ankit ‘Ankit-W’ Wadhawan, the 2023 POY #5, entered the fray. November had been a golden month for Wadhawan, with back-to-back victories in Spartan Poker’s Monday Masters and Wednesday Warrior, podium finishes in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show and Spartan Poker’s Thursday Thriller, and four final table appearances. He has been on a red-hot streak.

Wadhawan has been equally dominant on Pocket52, boasting two final table finishes in PPC Pocket Kings and wins in Pocket Jacks and Pocket Magnets. He entered the Pocket Highroller with his eyes on a third Pocket52 title this month. Even with two bullets fired and a tough fight, the top spot eluded the Chandigarh pro, but he still grabbed a podium finish and ₹1.74 Lakhs – his third-best score on the platform. And his winning ways didn’t stop there. Wadhawan cashed in two other events, bringing his total winnings for the night to nearly ₹2.06 Lakhs.

> 3rd Pocket52’s Pocket Highroller for ₹1,74,000

> 21st Adda52’s The Ballers for ₹22,278

> 21st Junglee Poker’s Friday Supernova for ₹9,285* (₹1,125 in bounties)

Ankit Wadhawan’s online stats (excluding Pocket52, Natural8 India and Junglee Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹16.64 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹5.40 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #11 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.85 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹43.95 Lakhs

The Pocket Highroller final table also had two other standouts from last night. Shagun ‘icansuckout’ Jain, who made a podium finish in Summit Lite, finished in fifth place for ₹96,600. JaiKiran ‘golisoda’ Kumar, who grabbed a double victory in The Ballers and Friday Supernova, took sixth place for ₹77,250.

The ₹11,000 buy-in Pocket Highroller narrowly missed its ₹15 Lakhs guarantee by ₹65,250. But it was a night of celebration for the 18 players who made it into the money. Even the minimum cash of ₹19,650 represented a significant return on their investment.

With its blend of high-octane action and lucrative payouts, Pocket52 is rapidly solidifying its position as the go-to destination for serious tournament players.

Final Table Results

1. Shyam_123 – ₹3,86,250
2. frankie08 – ₹2,70,450
3. Ankit ‘Ankit-W’ Wadhawan – ₹1,74,000
4. BajjooBc – ₹1,28,850
5. Shagun ‘icansuckout’ Jain – ₹96,600
6. JaiKiran ‘golisoda’ Kumar – ₹77,250

‘CharlieHarper’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo for ₹1.18 Lakhs), ‘pinkfloyd’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹39,390), and ‘hideyokids’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Brunch for ₹28,150) won the other Friday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

Young Gun Sanat ‘mehro2511’ Mehrotra (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹58,064), Gauravv ‘NuttieGuttie’ Jain (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹38,479), ‘9X5X9Y1Y2Y’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200), and ‘pandeyravi89’ (Won ₹50K GTD Holdem Hyper for ₹12,300) won the Friday marquees on Spartan Poker.

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