Daily Majors: POY Race Heats Up as Anant Purohit Headlines Four Thursday Millionaires; Pranay Chawla Wins Back-To-Back WPT Trophies

As the end-of-year festivities take hold and the scent of gingerbread and mulled spices lingers, the world of poker has refused to quiet down. Instead, it feels like everyone is leaning in, eager to see who will close out the year with a bang. Live tables and online platforms are both humming with restless energy, and for Indian players, these last few weeks have been more than just bright lights and big paychecks—they’ve been about carving a place in the record books.

Over at the WSOP Paradise, Santhosh Suvarna continued his impressive run with yet another final table appearance, this time in the $5,000 The Closer NLHE Bounty Turbo. He walked away with a cool $50,800 (~₹43.21 Lakhs) – not a bad way to spend the holidays!

But the real story unfolded back home in India, where Thursday turned into an absolute payday frenzy. Four players achieved millionaire status, sending shockwaves through the online poker community. PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series was the epicenter of the action, with Day 12 boasting ₹2 Crores in guarantees across five tournaments. Two millionaires were crowned on PokerBaazi, leaving everyone watching on the edge of their seats. Natural8 India also hosted a millionaire-maker event, while Adda52 wasn’t about to be outdone, awarding another seven-figure prize. Across the board, players brought their A-game, turning an ordinary Thursday into a night of intense battles, incredible triumphs, and unforgettable moments.

And who emerged as the hero of this thrilling saga? None other than POY contender Anant Purohit. After setting the felt on fire in November, Purohit has continued his red-hot streak into December. With the POY race heating up, he delivered a masterclass performance in Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR 525. Facing a massive field of 661 entries, Purohit fought his way to a fourth-place finish worth ₹20.04 Lakhs. But he wasn’t done yet. He capped off the day with a podium finish in PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super HighRoller (₹10.95 Lakhs), bringing his total winnings for the day to a jaw-dropping ₹30.98 Lakhs. This phenomenal Thursday run saw Purohit leapfrog over Nishaanth Shanmughasundaram into the #3 spot in the POY race.

Purohit’s December is shaping up to be one for the record books:

• Total winnings this month: ₹74.25 Lakhs
• Yearly tally on Natural8 India: ₹4.34 Crores
• Total 2024 winnings across platforms: ₹5.61 Crores

Pranay Chawla seems to be unstoppable right now. You might remember him as a finalist in PokerBaazi’s inaugural Game Changer and the champion of the 2020 IOPC July Edition #92 Destiny. Well, he’s back in the spotlight with a vengeance. After taking down the WPT#61 Mega Championship the previous night, Chawla went on to conquer PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super HighRoller, adding another WPT Online trophy to his collection and a massive ₹19.06 Lakhs to his bankroll – his biggest score of the year! But wait, there’s more! Chawla also snagged a Day 2 seat in the WPT#86 Main Event, putting him in prime position for another deep run. And with this win, he’s officially crossed the ₹1 Crore milestone in winnings for 2024.

Meanwhile, Samyak Sethi, the NPS#40 (7-Max) Friday Freestyle gold medalist, was busy making history of his own. He delivered a career-defining performance in the WPT#67 Super HighRoller, finishing second for a cool ₹13.82 Lakhs. With three deep runs and a total of ₹13.95 Lakhs in winnings, Sethi smashed through the ₹4 Crore lifetime earnings mark. Talk about a legendary Thursday!

But the excitement didn’t stop there. Vaibhav Temani, the 2021 IOPC July Edition The Crown champion, decided to turn Thursday into his personal playground. He kicked things off by capturing his first-ever Godfather title on Adda52, walking away with ₹4 Lakhs after a heads-up deal – his second-biggest score on the platform this year. As if that wasn’t enough, he then went on a tear on Natural8 India, finishing as the runner-up in the Bounty Fifty Stack 54 for another ₹8.34 Lakhs. With two more deep runs under his belt, Temani’s total winnings for the day reached an incredible ₹12.44 Lakhs.

And let’s not forget Shravan Chhabria, who gave Temani a run for his money in the Godfather, ultimately finishing as the runner-up and taking home ₹3.85 Lakhs from the deal. He also managed to add two more deep runs to his resume, bringing his total winnings for the day to a respectable ₹5.44 Lakhs.

Ankur Sehgal, who narrowly missed out on the title in the WPT#15 (7-Max) Turbo, finally got his moment to shine. He took down PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo, outlasting a tough field and striking a heads-up deal to secure ₹3.87 Lakhs – his fourth-best score on PokerBaazi and fifth-best of the year! But Sehgal wasn’t content with just one deep run. He also made a splash in the WPT#67 Super Highroller, bringing his total winnings for the day to an impressive ₹5.26 Lakhs. Then there’s Prem Prakash, the Winter Series-52 Main Event champion, who finished as the runner-up in the WPT#66 Turbo, taking home ₹4.09 Lakhs from the deal – his best score ever on PokerBaazi and second-largest payday of 2024. With another deep run to his name, Prakash’s total winnings for the day climbed to ₹4.30 Lakhs.

Nikhil Ramesh, who’s fresh off a victory in last week’s WPTO#13 (PLO-5), continued his winning ways by capturing his second WPT title in the WPT#69 (PLO-6). He navigated a tricky three-way deal to secure ₹3.64 Lakhs – his second-largest score on PokerBaazi. Shaurya Modi put up a valiant fight, finishing second and grabbing ₹2.23 Lakhs from the deal – his fourth-largest platform score. Modi also managed another deep run, bringing his total winnings for the day to ₹2.49 Lakhs. And let’s not forget ‘Taalam,’ who claimed the third spot and walked away with a site-best ₹2.61 Lakhs from the deal.

Karan Thakker broke a 1.5-month title drought with a thrilling victory in PokerBaazi’s WPT#65 Superstack. He struck a heads-up deal to claim a personal-best ₹3.11 Lakhs – a truly memorable win! M Jimmy, a four-time NPS medalist and last month’s The Quest Lite champion, gave Thakker a tough battle, finishing as the runner-up and taking home ₹3.09 Lakhs – his second-best online score to date.

Chandan Das, a name you might not know yet, just announced himself in a big way. He crushed the competition in PokerBaazi’s WPT#64 DeepStack, taking home ₹2.46 Lakhs – his biggest score on the platform this year and the fourth-best of his career.

Over on Pocket52, the legend himself, three-time POY and Young Gun Gaurav Sood, continued his reign of terror. Fresh off winning three WPT India Online titles last week, Sood added another trophy to his case by conquering the Pocket Magnets for ₹1.76 Lakhs. But he wasn’t done there. Sood went on a tear with three more deep runs, including a strong showing in the WPT#69 (PLO-6), bringing his total earnings for the day to ₹2 Lakhs. This incredible performance catapulted him to #3 on the WPT India Online leaderboard. Meanwhile, ‘BingeBinker’ put up a great fight, finishing second in the Pocket Magnets and taking home ₹1.24 Lakhs – their third-biggest score on Pocket52 this year.

And speaking of underdogs, Junglee Poker’s mysterious ‘sportfire220479’ emerged from the shadows to claim the Thursday Thunder title and a cool ₹1.26 Lakhs.

But the action wasn’t limited to the big names. Thursday saw some incredible performances from players who might not be household names yet, but they’re definitely making a name for themselves now. Arbaaz Ahmed, Sadeep Chhabra, Nikku Agarwal, Shivam Shukla, and Paramjeet all rose to the occasion, each taking down their respective marquee events.

Here are the Thursday highlights!

PokerBaazi

WPT#67 Super HighRoller – ₹1 Crore GTD

Buy-in – ₹50,000

Entries – 177

Re-entries – 97

Prize Pool – ₹1,19,12,972

Places Paid – 51

Day 12 of the colossal ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series at PokerBaazi arrived as if someone had lit a fuse and stepped back. The fourth flight of the WPTO#68 Main Event was set to go, and five other tournaments joined the fray, together throwing a head-spinning ₹2 Crores into the pot. Even so, everyone knew where all eyes would turn. The ₹1 Crore GTD WPT#67 Super HighRoller, kicking off at 7:30 PM, stood at the center of the stage, holding the sixth WPT trophy of the series up for grabs. The room soon filled with 177 known predators and 274 total entries, each one seasoned and hungry. Among them stood one name that had already raised eyebrows: Pranay ‘setmeup’ Chawla.

Chawla, a finalist in PokerBaazi’s inaugural Game Changer and champion of the 2020 IOPC July Edition #92 Destiny, had been on a relentless pursuit of glory. He added PokerBaazi’s WTF title to his trophy cabinet in June and continued his hot streak with deep runs and final-table appearances. Just the day before, he had conquered the ₹1 Crore GTD WPT#61 Mega Championship, claiming his first WPT Online trophy and the biggest payday of his 2024 campaign.

But Chawla wasn’t satisfied. He returned to the virtual arena on Thursday, ready to etch his name in WPT history. In the WPT#67 Super HighRoller, Chawla faced a gauntlet of elite players and emerged victorious after a grueling seven hours and fifty minutes of intense poker warfare. He pocketed a staggering ₹19.06 Lakhs and achieved a remarkable feat: becoming the first player in the series to win back-to-back WPT trophies. This victory propelled him up the earnings leaderboard, placing him just behind POY#3 Anant Purohit for the day.

Chawla’s dominance didn’t end there. He secured a Day 2 seat of the ₹5 Crores GTD WPT#86 Main Event from qualifier four and surpassed the one-crore milestone in his 2024 winnings. It feels like just yesterday he was hunting for another title, and now he stands with two trophies in rapid succession, a fresh infusion of confidence, and a run that promises to keep everyone else guessing what he might do next.

Pranay Chawla’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹5.31 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.38 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #3 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.05 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹30.81 Lakhs

Samyak ‘stonedurrr’ Sethi, a name synonymous with steady, calculated play, just added a new chapter to his poker story. Already recognized for his impressive skills, including an NPS#40 (7-Max) Friday Freestyle gold from March, Sethi made a statement in the WPT#67 Super HighRoller that had everyone talking.

He navigated the high-stakes battlefield with precision and instinct, coming within a whisker of capturing the coveted title. While he ultimately settled for second place, his performance was nothing short of extraordinary. He walked away with a career-best ₹13.82 Lakhs, a score that would make even the most seasoned pro envious.

That number alone would turn heads, but what truly caught the collective poker eye was how he got there. He had earned not one but two tickets into the prestigious event through a modest ₹4,600 buy-in satellites, and he only needed one of those golden passes to turn everything around, pushing his initial expense to the background and claiming over 310 times what he invested.

For many, this would be a reason to celebrate and call it a night. But Sethi wasn’t done. He continued his grind, adding two more cashes to his already impressive Thursday haul. By the end of the session, he had amassed over ₹13.95 Lakhs in winnings, securing his spot as Thursday’s third-biggest earner. This impressive performance not only boosted his bankroll but also propelled him past the ₹4 Crore lifetime milestone.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super HighRoller for ₹13,81,905* (career-best)

> 68th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#69 (PLO-6) for ₹7,415

> 159th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo for ₹5,463

Longtime poker veteran Anant ‘Pro_Pro’ Purohit, who is riding a wave of success in a year that many would envy, has done it again. His hot streak from November, where he closed out the month at the top of the heap, has now carried him well into December. After last night’s display, he sits comfortably in second place on this month’s charts and has now pulled ahead of Nishaanth Shanmughasundaram to hold the #3 spot in the fiercely contested 2024 Player of the Year race.

He began by placing third in PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super HighRoller and scooping up ₹10.95 Lakhs. What makes this payday more special is that he stepped into the ring through a ₹4,600 buy-in satellite, firing two bullets to achieve an enviable 119X return on his initial outlay.

He then added to his achievements on Natural8 India’s Bounty Hunters HR 525, pushing through a field of 662 entries to grab fourth place and another ₹20.04 Lakhs. By the day’s end, the tally stood at a remarkable ₹30.98 Lakhs, a figure that left no doubt over who reigned supreme in the daily rankings.

Anant Purohit’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹13.72 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹5.10 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #6 | Annual Winnings (including all platforms): ~₹5.61 Crores | Annual Profits (including all platforms): ~₹3.90 Crores | Ranked #3 in the 2024 Leaderboard Standings (Total Cashes)

The WPT#67 Super HighRoller final table gathered names that carried serious weight. Rohit ‘rocky9971’ Goel (4th for ₹8.34 Lakhs), G.O.A.T. 2024 champion ‘Ksc7’ (5th for ₹5.96 Lakhs), and the trailblazing WSOP bracelet winner Aditya ‘Istredd’ Agarwal (6th for ₹4.77 Lakhs) took their seats and refused to ease off the gas, each pushing the action until the very last showdown.

This tournament felt like a magnet for top-tier talent, and the depth of the field ran well beyond the final six. Bharat ‘Thinkfloyd’ Vasan (7th for ₹3.94 Lakhs), Akash ‘UtgWithUrMOM’ Malik (8th for ₹3.23 Lakhs), Ashish ‘OMG_spew’ Munot (9th for ₹2.54 Lakhs), Akshay ‘sherlock52’ Nasa (11th for ₹2.54 Lakhs), Tanmay ‘truman’ Benara (12th for ₹1.89 Lakhs), Abhishek ‘theheisenberg’ Paul (13th for ₹1.89 Lakhs), Young Gun Anish ‘fishlover001’ Vijayvegia (14th for ₹1.89 Lakhs), Ashish ‘notoriouskonvict’ Nailwal (15th for ₹1.89 Lakhs), Shravan ‘FishStars’ Chhabria (16th for ₹1.39 Lakhs), last night’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo champion Ankur ‘stonecold’ Sehgal (17th for ₹1.39 Lakhs), Nikhil ‘xplorer’ Kedia (19th for ₹1.39 Lakhs), and Jasven ‘JasvenSaigal’ Saigal (20th for ₹1.39 Lakhs) all stepped into the fray and earned a share.

With a ₹50,000 buy-in, the WPT#67 Super HighRoller blasted past its initial promise, pushing the prize pool up to an imposing ₹1.19 Crores. A total of 51 players found themselves in the money, and even the smallest payout hit ₹75,052, ensuring that nobody walked away empty-handed. It was a night of high-stakes action and impressive performances, further solidifying the WPT India Online series as a must-play event for serious poker players.

Final Table Results

1. Pranay ‘setmeup’ Chawla – ₹19,06,076
2. Samyak ‘stonedurrr’ Sethi – ₹13,81,905
3. Anant ‘Pro_Pro’ Purohit – ₹10,94,802
4. Rohit ‘rocky9971’ Goel – ₹8,33,908
5. Ksc7 – ₹5,95,649
6. Aditya ‘Istredd’ Agarwal – ₹4,76,519

WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,500

Entries – 577

Re-entries – 479

Prize Pool – ₹32,13,408

Places Paid – 161

In the electrifying ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series hosted by PokerBaazi, Day 12 witnessed a breakout performance from Mumbai’s Ankur ‘Stonecold’ Sehgal. Sehgal finally snagged his first title of the year in the high-paced ₹30 Lakhs GTD WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo.

Sehgal, a familiar face on PokerBaazi since 2018, had been knocking on the door of victory all year. He’d made deep runs and impressive finishes, including runner-up scores in Adda52’s Big Whale and PokerBaazi’s BSS SuperStack. But the elusive title win remained just out of reach. With renewed determination, Sehgal entered December ready to conquer. He kicked off the WPT India Online series with a strong runner-up finish in the WPT#15 (7-Max) Turbo, but he wasn’t satisfied. He craved a title, and last night, his persistence paid off.

The 6:30 PM Turbo flagship event drew a massive field of 1,056 entries (577 unique), easily crushing its guarantee. Sehgal’s journey to victory was far from smooth. After an early exit, he re-entered the fray, determined to make his mark. He battled through over seven hours of intense action, navigating a challenging field with composure and skill. In the end, it was Sehgal who stood tall, claiming his first WPT Online title and the ₹3.87 Lakhs top prize after a heads-up deal. This impressive win marks his fourth-best score on PokerBaazi and his fifth-best of the year.

But Sehgal wasn’t done. He continued his dominance with a deep run in the WPT#67 Super Highroller, adding to his Thursday winnings and finishing the day with a remarkable ₹5.26 Lakhs in earnings.

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo for ₹3,86,801* (heads-up deal)

> 17th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super Highroller for ₹1,39,382

Not to be overshadowed, Prem ‘premprakash933’ Prakash put in a phenomenal effort! The Winter Series-52 Main Event champion and a PokerBaazi grinder since 2022, Prakash was chasing his second career title and his first WPT Online title.

Like Sehgal, Prakash fired two bullets and showed unwavering determination. His efforts culminated in a runner-up finish, earning ₹4.09 Lakhs from the deal —his best score on PokerBaazi and second-biggest payday of 2024. He sweetened the night further with a deep run in WPT#65 SuperStack, pushing his total Thursday haul to over ₹4.30 Lakhs, marking a remarkable return to profitability.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo for ₹4,09,482* (heads-up deal)

> 13th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#65 SuperStack for ₹20,750

Prem Prakash’s online stats (PokerBaazi and PokerStars India): Lifetime Winnings: ₹42.46 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹10.26 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1 | Annual Winnings: ₹23.38 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹10.38 Lakhs

The WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo final table brought together some of the most formidable contenders, including last Saturday’s Head Shot Bounty finalist Shiven ‘Sampapa’ Meena (3rd for ₹2.25 Lakhs), last night’s WPT#65 SuperStack finalist Laksh ‘boomtlt23’ Pal Singh (5th for ₹1.43 Lakhs), Wednesday’s Maverick podium finisher Vishal ‘Darky’ Ojha (6th for ₹1.12 Lakhs), and Sushil ‘qazxsw2’ Kumar (8th for ₹83,549).

With a ₹3,500 buy-in, WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo blew past its advertised guarantee, amassing an impressive ₹32.13 Lakhs prize pool. Competition for a share of the winnings was intense, with only the top 161 players earning a payout. Even the smallest cash of ₹5,463 offered a respectable return, solidifying this event as yet another standout success in the WPT India Online series.

Final Table Results

1. Ankur ‘Stonecold’ Sehgal – ₹3,86,801*
2. Prem ‘premprakash933’ Prakash – ₹4,09,482*
3. Shiven’ Sampapa’ Meena – ₹2,24,939
4. mokypoky – ₹1,80,272
5. Laksh ‘boomtlt23’ Pal Singh – ₹1,42,675
6. Vishal’ Darky’ Ojha – ₹1,11,827
7. Sushil ‘qazxsw2’ Kumar – ₹83,549

*denotes a heads-up deal

WPT#69 (PLO-6) – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,000

Entries – 400

Re-entries – 615

Prize Pool – ₹26,48,135

Places Paid – 152

PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online Series kept the action blazing on Thursday, with electrifying performances and jaw-dropping wins lighting up the virtual felts. Nikhil ‘rn275’ Ramesh claimed the spotlight as one of the standout champions, capturing his second WPT title of the series.

A familiar name in the MTT scene since 2019, Nikhil Ramesh returned to the spotlight after over a year of silence. His December comeback has been nothing short of spectacular! After warming up with a victory in Junglee Poker’s Thursday PLO-4 Mini Highroller, he stormed into the WPT India Online series, claiming his first #PokerBaazi title of the year in WPTO#13 (PLO-5) last week.

Last night, Ramesh delivered another show-stopping performance in the ₹25 Lakhs GTD WPT#69 (PLO-6). Facing a field of 1,015 entries (400 unique) in a marathon 8-hour and 33-minute battle, Ramesh fired two bullets and navigated the competition with his PLO finesse. He ultimately claimed victory, earning ₹3.64 Lakhs after a three-way deal —his second-largest score on PokerBaazi.

Nikhil Ramesh’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹69.27 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹17.03 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹8.54 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹6.24 Lakhs

Shaurya ‘shaur23’ Modi, an online grinder with a scalpel-sharp game, also made waves in WPT#69 (PLO-6). Determined to break his seven-month title drought, Modi played with focus and intensity. While he narrowly missed out on the win, he secured a strong runner-up finish, taking home ₹2.23 Lakhs from the deal —his fourth-largest score on the platform. Modi also made a deep run in the WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo, boosting his total mid-week winnings to a handsome ₹2.49 Lakhs.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#69 (PLO-6) for ₹2,22,784* (three-way deal)

> 17th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo for ₹26,671

Shaurya Modi’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.48 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹6.50 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

‘Taalam,’ a player who has been grinding since 2018, achieved a career-high by finishing third in the WPT#69 (PLO-6), earning a site-best ₹2.61 Lakhs from the same deal. The win also helped him recover some of his past losses on the platform.

Taalam’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹10.25 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

While the top spots grabbed headlines, Dinesh ‘Daddu26’ Singh also made his mark in the WPT#69 (PLO-6), battling his way to a fifth-place finish and a respectable ₹1.18 Lakhs payday.

The ₹3,000 buy-in WPT#69 (PLO-6) attracted a competitive field, generating a massive ₹26.48 Lakhs prize pool, shared among the top 152 finishers. Even the minimum cash of ₹4,767 offered a solid return on investment. The WPT India Online series continues to deliver thrilling action and impressive payouts, and the excitement is building as the weekend approaches.

Final Table Results

1. Nikhil ‘rn275’ Ramesh – ₹3,64,108*
2. Shaurya ‘shaur23’ Modi – ₹2,22,784*
3. Taalam – ₹2,60,512*
4. RampageR1 – ₹1,50,944
5. Dinesh ‘Daddu26’ Singh – ₹1,18,107
6. bibidibobidiboo – ₹92,155

*denotes a three-way deal

WPT#65 Superstack – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 607

Re-entries – 474

Prize Pool – ₹25,00,000

Places Paid – 161

Forget your usual Thursday night plans because the real action was on PokerBaazi! Day 12 of the ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series was a spectacle, and Karan ‘karannthakker’ Thakker emerged as one of the night’s standout winners.

Thakker, a long-time poker reg, returned to the winner’s circle in style, taking down the ₹25 Lakhs GTD WPT#65 Superstack and ending a 1.5-month title drought. He dominated a massive field of 1,081 entries (607 unique) in the 5:30 PM flagship event. After eight hours and 14 minutes of intense play, he emerged victorious, claiming a personal-best ₹3.11 Lakhs following a heads-up deal.

Karan Thakker’s online stats (excluding Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹72.03 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹30.54 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2023: #8

M ‘Bluffmaster055’ Jimmy, a four-time #NPS medalist and last month’s The Quest Lite champion, also put up a valiant fight. Firing two bullets, Jimmy battled fiercely but ultimately settled for second place. Still, he walked away with a respectable ₹3.09 Lakhs from the deal —his second-best online score to date.

M Jimmy’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹99.81 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹21.55 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2

The final table of the WPT#65 Superstack was indeed a sight to behold, featuring notables like Ranjeet ‘Rj147’ Negi (3rd for ₹1.75 Lakhs), Sreeharsha ‘yUDdam’ Boneni (5th for ₹1.11 Lakhs), last night’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo finalist & PokerBaazi Team Pro Laksh ‘boomtlt23’ Pal Singh (6th for ₹87,000), Shobhit ‘Heisenbergj’ Jaju (7th for ₹65,000), and Karan ‘Mahadevpoker’ Pantola (8th for ₹46,750) all battling for supremacy.

With a ₹2,500 buy-in, the WPT#65 Superstack fell short of its advertised guarantee by ₹1.50 Lakhs. However, the battle for a piece of the ₹25 Lakhs guaranteed prize pool was fierce, with only the top 161 players making it into the money. Even the min-cash was a respectable ₹4,250, ensuring that those who cashed saw a decent return on their investment.

Final Table Results

1. Karan ‘karannthakker’ Thakker – ₹3,10,707*
2. M ‘Bluffmaster055’ Jimmy – ₹3,08,793*
3. Ranjeet ‘Rj147’ Negi – ₹1,75,000
4. DeuceBag – ₹1,40,250
5. Sreeharsha ‘yUDdam’ Boneni – ₹1,11,000
6. Laksh ‘boomtlt23’ Pal Singh – ₹87,000
7. Shobhit ‘Heisenbergj’ Jaju – ₹65,000
8. Karan ‘Mahadevpoker’ Pantola – ₹46,750

*denotes a heads-up deal

Chandan ‘cddas’ Das won the ₹20 Lakhs WPT#64 Deepstack for ₹2.46 Lakhs.

₹5 Crores GTD WPT#50 Main Event – Qualifier 4

Q4> Entries – 169 | Re-entries – 78 | Survivors – 17 | Chip Leader – Thiyam ‘thiyam’ Dannish – 913,000

Combined> Entries – 669 | Re-entries – 253 | Survivors – 74 | Overall Chip Leader – Varun ‘Sareenv17021959’ Sareen – 1,098,000

WPT India Online Leaderboard Standings – Day 12

Arbaaz ‘abbc’ Ahmed (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹40,320), ‘khanarana’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹19,470), and ‘storm_77’ (Won ₹1 Lakh 6-Max SPRINT for ₹12,420) won the other Thursday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

‘sportfire220479’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD Thursday Thunder for ₹1.26 Lakhs) and ‘bhag77’ (Won ₹90K GTD Thursday Sunsetter for ₹21,793) won the Thursday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Godfather – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 219

Re-entries – 221

Re-buys – 10

Prize Pool – ₹25,00,000

Places Paid – 63

Vaibhav ‘vane_shado’ Temani, the 2021 IOPC July Edition The Crown champion, experienced a Thursday night filled with both exhilarating highs and agonizing lows. Fresh off a fifth-place finish in the WPT#37 (PLO-5) HighRoller, he amassed ₹12.44 Lakhs in winnings from four deep runs, including a near-miss on Natural8 India and a title win on Adda52.

The highlight of Temani’s night was his performance in Adda52’s ₹25 Lakhs GTD Godfather. He battled through a field of 450 entries (219 unique) over eight and a half hours of intense play, ultimately claiming his first-ever Godfather title and a ₹4 Lakhs payday after a heads-up deal. This win marked his second-largest Adda52 score of 2024 and solidified his presence as a top contender.

Yet, even this win felt almost secondary to what happened on Natural8 India’s Bounty Fifty Stack 54. Facing a colossal field of 2,129 entries, Temani pushed himself to the brink of victory. For a moment, it looked as though he might have it all. In the end, he fell just short, settling for runner-up and a massive payout of ₹8.34 Lakhs. This near-miss added a bittersweet layer to his already impressive Thursday performance.

> 2nd in Natural8 India’s Bounty Fifty Stack 54 for ₹8,34,185

> 1st in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹4,00,052* (heads-up deal)

> 107th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#69 (PLO-6) for ₹6,091

> 148th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#64 Deepstack for ₹3,395

Vaibhav Temani’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹7.68 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.36 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #6 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.39 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹15.73 Lakhs

Meanwhile, Shravan ‘sweatmyass13’ Chhabria, known for his consistency and impressive track record, also made a splash in Adda52’s Godfather. He was aiming for his second Godfather title and came close, finishing as the runner-up after a heads-up deal and taking home ₹3.85 Lakhs. Chhabria’s strong performance extended beyond the Godfather, as he added two more deep runs to his Thursday resume, bringing his total winnings for the day to an impressive ₹5.44 Lakhs.

> 2nd in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹3,85,348* (heads-up deal)

> 16th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#67 Super HighRoller for 1,39,382

> 21st in PokerBaazi’s WPT#66 (7-Max) Turbo for 19,280

Shravan Chhabria’s online stats (excluding natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹8.31 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹2.95 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.44 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹56.43 Lakhs

The Godfather final table was packed with notable contenders who added plenty of tension to the late stages, including online crusher Aditya ‘konstantin’ Singh (3rd for ₹2.43 Lakhs), Saturday’s WAR Knockout finalist Ashish ‘ashish_fa’ Kumar (4th for ₹1.78 Lakhs), Harsh ‘crackerjack1’ Raaj (5th for ₹1.31 Lakhs), Monday’s WPT#49 Mini Deepstack finalist Shashank ‘Goldfish03’ Shekhar (6th for ₹95,897), and the recent WPT#52 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo runner-up Sahil ‘imhighishove’ Mahboobani (8th for ₹51,524).

The ₹5,750 buy-in Godfather went through its own dramatic twist—experiencing a ₹2.50 Lakhs overlay. For the top 63 finishers, the night ended on a profitable note, each guaranteed at least ₹12,631, more than double their initial investment.

Final Table Results

1. Vaibhav ‘vane_shado’ Temani – ₹4,00,052*
2. Shravan ‘sweatmyass13’ Chhabria – ₹3,85,348*
3. Aditya ‘konstantin’ Singh – ₹2,43,499
4. Ashish ‘ashish_fa’ Kumar – ₹1,78,484
5. Harsh ‘crackerjack1’ Raaj – ₹1,30,829
6. Shashank ‘Goldfish03’ Shekhar – ₹95,897
7. ag2703 – ₹70,292
8. Sahil ‘imhighishove’ Mahboobani – ₹51,524

*denotes a heads-up deal

‘capteagle’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD Monster Turbo for ₹1 Lakh), Sandeep ‘pizzakhanahai’ Chhabra (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Godfather Lite for ₹34,684), ‘Mughaking1996’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹23,982), Shivam ‘brooskyradio11’ Shukla (Won ₹55K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹19,683), ‘Sirfuxalot20’ (Won ₹45K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹16,301), and Paramjeet ‘culuxtum’ (Won ₹30K GTD Freeze Out Adda for ₹11,714) won the other Thursday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

Pocket Magnets – ₹8 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,300

Entries – 144

Re-entries – 127

Prize Pool – ₹8,00,000

Places Paid – 20

Thursday night on Pocket52 was a battleground, with the ₹8 Lakhs GTD Pocket Magnets attracting a fierce field of poker warriors. Amid the fierce competition, one player shone brightest: Three-time POY and Young Gun, Gaurav ‘aafatwaapas’ Sood.

Fresh off a spectacular run last week, which included three WPT India Online titles, Sood showed no signs of slowing down. Facing a stacked field of 271 entries (144 unique), Sood navigated nearly seven hours of intense play, ultimately emerging victorious. He fired two bullets and walked away with a hefty ₹1.77 Lakhs payday, adding another trophy to his already impressive collection. But Sood wasn’t done. He showcased his versatility with three other deep runs, bringing his Thursday night winnings to a cool ₹2 Lakhs. These scores included a score in the WPT#69 (PLO-6), catapulting him to #3 on the ₹50 Lakhs GTD WPT India Online leaderboard with 10,660 points from 32 scores in the series.

> 1st in Pocket52’s Pocket Magnets for ₹1,76,720

> 56th in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹12,631

> 25th in Adda52’s Monster Turbo for ₹5,833

> 126th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#69 (PLO-6) for ₹4,767

Gaurav Sood’s online stats (excluding Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹22.47 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹11.56 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #22 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.80 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹1.17 Crores | Ranked #20 in the 2024 Leaderboard Standings (Total Cashes) | Moves to #3 on the ₹50 Lakhs WPT India Online Leaderboard

The Pocket Magnets wasn’t a one-person show. ‘BingeBinker’ put up a stellar fight, making it to the final heads-up battle against Sood. Though they narrowly missed the title, their ₹1.24 Lakhs payout marked their third-biggest score on Pocket52 this year.

BingeBinker’s Pocket52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹7.30 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The Pocket Magnets final table was a showcase of poker talent, featuring seasoned regulars like Tanmay ‘tanmay19’ Benara (3rd for ₹79,760), Amit Kumar ‘SachinTendulkar’ Sahu (4th for ₹59,040) and Young Gun Ashwin ‘John_wick1399’ Vijayvergiya (5th for ₹44,320).

With a ₹22,230 overlay, the ₹3,300 buy-in Pocket Magnets was a dream come true for value hunters. The top 20 players shared the spoils, with even the min-cash of ₹7,920 offering solid returns. For those who joined the action, it was a thrilling night where every chip counted.

Final Table Results

1. Gaurav ‘aafatwaapas’ Sood – ₹1,76,720
2. BingeBinker – ₹1,24,000
3. Tanmay ‘tanmay19’ Benara – ₹79,760
4. Amit Kumar ‘SachinTendulkar’ Sahu – ₹59,040
5. Ashwin ‘John_wick1399’ Vijayvergiya – ₹44,320
6. gladZoysa_f0u5c – ₹35,440
7. wiseturing_gbxhy – ₹29,440
8. moneymaker07 – ₹23,600

‘Akshit_bunny’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹1.10 Lakhs), ‘Doctor_Doom’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹40,200), and ‘BR03Z0341’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Brunch for ₹30,000) other Thursday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

‘PushpaRaj44’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹59,481), ‘Maverick12345’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹44,400), and Nikku ‘3680poker’ Agarwal (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200) won the Thursday marquees on Spartan Poker.

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