Daily Majors: Avishek Mistry, Rajat Sharma & Armaan Kochhar Shine Bright on New Year’s Day

The New Year may have ushered in with sparkling fireworks and celebrations, but for the online poker community, the real action was just getting started. While many were still relishing the holiday mood or easing into their resolutions, a determined group of players hit the virtual tables with renewed energy and high hopes for a big score in 2025. Though the online fields may have felt slightly quieter than usual, the stakes remained as gripping as ever. The tables brimmed with opportunities, and the action was nothing short of fierce.

Among the highlights of the week was the electrifying return of ‘SanWitcher,’ a player whose prowess had already turned heads last month with a notable win in the Daily Special 30. After a brief hiatus, they came back to the Natural8 India tables with an unmistakable hunger to win, and win they did.

Their biggest moment came in the Bounty Hunters Special 32, where they outlasted a competitive field of 586 players to claim the top prize of ₹2.63 Lakhs. If that wasn’t enough to send shockwaves through the community, ‘SanWitcher’ doubled down with an impressive third-place finish in the Bounty Hunters Special 10.80, pocketing ₹1.63 Lakhs. By the end of the day, they had racked up a staggering ₹4.26 Lakhs in total winnings.

Wednesday night was a spectacle on the online poker scene, with players delivering standout performances and unforgettable moments. At the top of the list was ‘kushalg,’ who claimed a breakthrough victory in PokerBaazi’s The Pride. After a hard-fought battle and a heads-up deal, they walked away with a site-best ₹4.17 Lakhs – their first-ever flagship title on the platform. Sharing the spotlight was Avishek Mistry, who turned his runner-up finish into a career milestone, earning ₹3.97 Lakhs. For both players, it was a night that will be etched in their poker journey.

New Year’s Day also marked the comeback of Rajat Sharma, who hadn’t been seen on the virtual felt for nearly a month. Sharma returned with a statement, dominating PokerBaazi’s WTF to clinch ₹3.50 Lakhs. He didn’t stop there, adding another deep run to his tally and wrapping up the night with ₹3.55 Lakhs in total winnings. Meanwhile, ‘runner_runner’ turned heads with their own performance, taking second place in the WTF for a career-best ₹2.32 Lakhs.

And then there was Armaan Kochhar, whose precision and skill were on full display. The poker pro, who transitioned from a career in law, made his presence felt on Natural8 India with two standout finishes. Kochhar topped the Speed Racer Bounty Americas 108, outlasting 99 competitors to take home ₹2.23 Lakhs. Not content with just one big score, he followed it up with a fourth-place finish in the Midnight Madness 88, adding ₹1.04 Lakhs to his haul. His total for the night stood at an impressive ₹3.28 Lakhs.

In Adda52’s Wipeout, Varun Mittal made his presence known, navigating the competition with precision to claim the top spot and ₹1.88 Lakhs. This win wasn’t just another addition to his poker resume—it marked his fifth-largest payday on the platform and pushed his total Wednesday earnings to an impressive ₹2.22 Lakhs. Sahil Mahboobani wasn’t far behind, finishing second for ₹1.38 Lakhs. He didn’t stop there, picking up another cash to round out his day with a tidy ₹1.78 Lakhs.

Over at PokerBaazi, Amit Gehani found his stride in The Pride Lite. After an intense heads-up battle, Gehani struck a deal that earned him ₹1.46 Lakhs, cementing his spot at the top. His opponent, ‘mrtj7808,’ walked away with ₹1.23 Lakhs for their runner-up finish, making it a night to remember for both players.

Meanwhile, PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance saw an exhilarating finish. After a hard-fought contest, ‘smartBoss548885’ clinched the top prize, walking away with a career-best ₹1.90 Lakhs. Adding another deep run to their name, they boosted their total winnings for the night to ₹1.98 Lakhs. Not far behind was Penjo Wangchuk, who secured ₹1.24 Lakhs for his second-place finish, marking the sixth-largest score of his poker journey.

On the first day of 2025, Siddhant Singh turned the Junglee Poker tables into his domain. Singh’s skill and strategy were on full display as he navigated the competition in the Wednesday Superstack, walking away with ₹1.62 Lakhs. But he wasn’t done—three more deep runs pushed his total winnings to an impressive ₹1.91 Lakhs for the night. While Singh celebrated a commanding performance, ‘carnal’ also made waves, earning ₹96,615 for a hard-fought runner-up finish.

Over at Pocket52, Rahul Sengar had his own moment in the spotlight. Competing in the Pocket Rockets, Sengar claimed his first-ever flagship title on the platform. The win, worth ₹1.62 Lakhs, was the highlight of a stellar day that saw him close with ₹1.73 Lakhs in total winnings. It was a promising start to 2025 for the rising star, and one that sets the stage for more to come.

The night didn’t stop delivering surprises. Across various Wednesday marquee events, a wave of winners celebrated their successes. Among them were Abheek Nagpal, Shubham Agrawal, Kabir Dhamija, Navneet Tanwar, Jeetu Surana, Abhishek Pal, Gourav Das, Nakul Sharma and Aniruddha Joshi, each adding their names to the growing list of champions.

Here are the Wednesday highlights!

The Pride – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 340

Re-entries – 270

Prize Pool – ₹30,50,000

Places Paid – 87

The virtual felt was ablaze with action on New Year’s Day on PokerBaazi, crackling with more energy than a New Year’s Eve fireworks display! The ₹30 Lakhs GTD The Pride drew a hungry pack of 340 players (610 entries), all vying for a piece of the substantial prize pool and the coveted title, hoping to start the year with a bang. After a grueling seven-and-a-half-hour, it was ‘kushalg’ who emerged as the champion!

‘kushalg’ is no stranger to the grind, having been a part of the PokerBaazi community since March 2022. They’ve experienced the highs and lows of the game, even securing a Daily Night SPRINT title along the way. But a flagship victory had always remained just beyond their grasp, like that last, elusive cookie on the New Year’s buffet – until now.

This time, the stars aligned. With a lethal mix of fearless aggression, sharp reads, and a sprinkle of poker magic, ‘kushalg’ conquered the stacked field with precision. Their efforts culminated in a site-best ₹4.17 Lakhs payday (thanks to a heads-up deal) and their first-ever flagship win on the platform.

kushalg’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹10.09 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

While ‘kushalg’ celebrated their breakthrough, Avishek ‘Ronywalker’ Mistry brought his A-game to the table. Coming off a final table finish in Sunday’s BSS SuperStack, Mistry was determined to break his seven-week title drought. Battling relentlessly, Mistry secured a runner-up finish and a career-best payout of ₹3.97 Lakhs, courtesy of the heads-up deal.

Avishek Mistry’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.48 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹11.95 Lakhs

The Pride’s final table was a cabinet of poker talent, a veritable New Year’s Day parade of skilled players, including circuit reg Vinay ‘Vinstill’ B (3rd for ₹2.44 Lakhs), Ankit ‘gabru1410’ Agarwal (4th for ₹1.85 Lakhs), Tuesday’s Mechanical Bull champion Debneil ‘ChhotaDon’ Mukherjee (5th for ₹1.37 Lakhs), Mohit ‘bhaiyamohit’ Dhingra (6th for ₹1.13 Lakhs), last night’s 7-Max Deepstack Turbo champion Aniruddha ‘PocketacesAJ’ Joshi (7th for ₹92,720), and Jyotindra ‘JacksPaaro’ Dubey (8th for ₹73,810).

With a buy-in of ₹5,750, The Pride smashed its ₹30 Lakhs guarantee, generating an enticing ₹30.50 Lakhs prize pool. The top 87 players cashed, with a min-cash of ₹10,370, providing excellent value and making it a profitable Wednesday night for many.

Final Table Results

1. kushalg – ₹4,16,510*
2. Avishek ‘Ronywalker’ Mistry – ₹3,96,925*
3. Vinay ‘Vinstill’ B – ₹2,44,000
4. Ankit ‘gabru1410’ Agarwal – ₹1,85,440
5. Debneil ‘ChhotaDon’ Mukherjee – ₹1,36,945
6. Mohit ‘bhaiyamohit’ Dhingra – ₹1,13,460
7. Aniruddha ‘PocketacesAJ’ Joshi – ₹92,720
8. Jyotindra ‘JacksPaaro’ Dubey – ₹73,810

*denotes a heads-up deal

WTF – ₹20 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,750

Entries – 581

Re-entries – 388

Prize Pool – ₹23,15,910

Places Paid – 130

There’s always a spark on Wednesday nights at PokerBaazi, but when the New Year starts on a Wednesday, that spark feels brighter than ever. This week, the highlight came from none other than Rajat ‘LungFakeer’ Sharma, the wealth manager who swapped balance sheets for poker tables and hasn’t looked back since.

Almost four weeks had passed since Sharma’s last victory in PokerBaazi’s WTF, and fans were eager to see if he could deliver another big moment. Over the past month, Sharma displayed impressive consistency, stacking up multiple deep runs, including five final table finishes, yet the top spot remained elusive. Last night, Sharma silenced the doubters. Drawing on a blend of skill, focus, and a touch of good fortune, he clinched the top spot in PokerBaazi’s ₹20 Lakhs GTD WTF, proving once again why he’s a force to be reckoned with.

The 7:30 PM flagship event attracted a stellar field of 581 players (969 total entries), each vying for a piece of the action. After a marathon seven hours and 47 minutes of play, Sharma emerged victorious, walking away with ₹3.50 Lakhs! The win marked a strong start to 2025 for Sharma, reigniting his momentum on the felts.

Adding to his winnings, Sharma cashed in the Daily Last Chance, finishing 71st for ₹5,462. Altogether, he brought in ₹3.55 Lakhs on the very first day of 2025.

While Sharma basked in the glow of victory, ‘runner_runner’ delivered their own headline-worthy performance. A Delhi-based regular since 2018, ‘runner_runner’ had been on a five-month title drought. Last night, they came agonizingly close to ending that streak, finishing second in the WTF for a personal-best ₹2.32 Lakhs. Notably, their previous best score also came from a near-miss in the same event back in September 2023!

runner_runner’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹9.24 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹1.36 Lakhs

The WTF final table was a veritable shark tank, packed with skilled players including Tuesday’s Mechanical Bull finalist Neeraj ‘SelfClaimedPro’ Kumar (5th for ₹1.04 Lakhs), Abhishek ‘aajtohogaa’ Sharma (6th for ₹80,594), and Saturday’s WAR Faceoff podium finisher Arindam ‘bossy’ Mukherjee (7th for ₹60,214).

The ₹2,750 buy-in WTF generated a substantial prize pool of ₹23.16 Lakhs, easily surpassing its ₹20 Lakhs guarantee. The top 130 spots paid at least ₹5,790 – more than double the initial investment, making it a profitable night for many and a stellar start to the new year for those who cashed!

Final Table Results

1. Rajat ‘LungFakeer’ Sharma – ₹3,49,934
2. runner_runner – ₹2,31,591
3. kekda – ₹1,71,377
4. Thereallokimon – ₹1,32,007
5. Neeraj ‘SelfClaimedPro’ Kumar – ₹1,03,984
6. Abhishek ‘aajtohogaa’ Sharma – ₹80,594
7. Arindam ‘bossy’ Mukherjee – ₹60,214
8. halfrich – ₹43,076

The Pride Lite – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,000

Entries – 362

Re-entries – 250

Prize Pool – ₹10,64,880

Places Paid – 94

The banker Amit ‘kavipri’ Gehani, who is known for taking down the prestigious IOPC The Crown in 2022, kicked off 2025 with a bang by conquering #PokerBaazi’s ₹10 Lakhs GTD The Pride Lite! Known for his signature aggressive style that can leave opponents sweating bullets, Gehani made Wednesday night his personal poker playground.

Gehani, who had already conquered The Pride last month, was on a quest for another title, like a kid hunting for the best candy on New Year’s Eve. After narrowly missing out on wins with five final table finishes in the last month, Gehani was on a mission to break his four-week title drought. And break it, he did! Facing a staggering 612 entries (362 unique), Gehani’s calculated risks and bold plays secured him his first-ever The Pride Lite title. The marathon six-hour grind ended with him claiming a well-deserved ₹1.46 Lakhs after a heads-up deal.

Amit Gehani’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Spartan Poker and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹6.45 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹34.31 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

The heads-up showdown in The Pride Lite was a thrilling spectacle, a duel between Gehani and ‘mrtj7808’, a low-stakes player who has been grinding on the platform for over 4.5 years. ‘mrtj7808’ was gunning for their first title in four months, playing as their New Year’s resolution depended on it. Armed with three bullets, ‘mrtj7808’ fought tooth and nail but, in the end, had to accept a hard-fought second place and ₹1.23 Lakhs (from the deal) – their best score on the platform and a hefty step towards recovering some of their site losses.

The Pride Lite also saw some solid performances from other familiar players, like last month’s Sunday Big Slick champion Satyam ‘EspenJorstad’ Bhalla (3rd for ₹79,866), the “High Roller Specialist” Karan ‘collingwood’ Sitlani (4th for ₹60,698), and Co-Founder & CMO of SportsBaazi Puneet ‘neo1’ Dua (6th for ₹42,382).

With a ₹2,000 buy-in, The Pride Lite was already a hot ticket, and the ₹10.65 Lakhs prize pool made it even more irresistible, like a plate full of freshly baked cookies. The top 94 finishers got a share of the prize pool, with even the minimum cash worth a respectable ₹4,260 – more than twice the buy-in! It was a profitable Wednesday night for many and a sweet, sweet start to the new year for all who cashed.

Final Table Results

1. Amit ‘kavipri’ Gehani – ₹1,46,226*
2. mrtj7808 – ₹1,22,656*
3. Satyam ‘EspenJorstad’ Bhalla – ₹79,866
4. Karan ‘collingwood’ Sitlani – ₹60,698
5. Jameso – ₹51,434
6. Puneet ‘neo1’ Dua – ₹42,382
7. kw1996 – ₹33,544
8. jackiehusky – ₹24,812

*denotes a heads-up deal

Daily Last Chance – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 317

Re-entries – 254

Prize Pool – ₹12,41,354

Places Paid – 87

The virtual felt of PokerBaazi was ablaze with New Year’s Day excitement as 317 players (571 entries) gathered for the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance. Emerging victorious from this thrilling contest was the enigmatic ‘smartBoss548885’, adding an impressive win to their growing poker resume and starting the year off with a bang.

‘smartBoss548885’ first made waves with a victory in the ₹8K GTD DSK last July and has since solidified their position as a rising force in PokerBaazi’s MTT arena. Coming off a victory and podium finish in last month’s Daily Morning SPRINT, they rode that momentum into the new year with unmatched determination.

Employing a dual-entry strategy, ‘smartBoss548885’ navigated the challenging field with precision and composure for over six hours, ultimately seizing the top prize of ₹1.90 Lakhs—their biggest score on PokerBaazi to date! Adding to their celebration, they notched deep runs in two other events, bringing their total winnings to a festive ₹1.98 Lakhs.

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,90,175

> 64th in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹7,411

smartBoss548885’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹6.45 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹2,304 | Titles Won in 2025: #1

Hot on their heels was Penjo ‘Shutterisland’ Wangchuk, a player whose recent form has been nothing short of stellar. Known for clinching a (7-Max) SPRINT title and a (PLO-6) Daily final table finish last month, Wangchuk came tantalizingly close to ending a two-week title drought.

In a nail-biting heads-up duel, Wangchuk battled fiercely but had to settle for a runner-up finish, pocketing ₹1.24 Lakhs—his sixth-largest career payday. Not a bad way to start 2025!

Penjo Wangchuk’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹57.54 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹10.98 Lakhs

The Daily Last Chance final table included other familiar faces. Among the notable players who made deep runs were Manav ‘mgehe’ Gehe (3rd for ₹93,226), the multi-talented Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor (4th for ₹70,757), WPT#58 Bounty Hunter podium finisher Vishal ‘VishalMaharaj’ Maharaj (6th for ₹49,406), and recent WPT#12 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo finalist Bhanu ‘Chennaino1’ Prakash KC (8th for ₹28,924).

The ₹2,500 buy-in Daily Last Chance delivered a festive treat for poker enthusiasts, boasting a ₹12.41 Lakhs prize pool that comfortably surpassed its ₹10 Lakhs guarantee—like an overflowing stocking of surprises! The top 87 finishers each took home at least ₹5,462, more than double the cost of entry. This late-night favourite continues to attract both seasoned pros and eager newcomers, offering the perfect platform for turning New Year aspirations into reality.

Final Table Results

1. smartBoss548885 – ₹1,90,175
2. Penjo ‘Shutterisland’ Wangchuk – ₹1,24,135
3. Manav ‘mgehe’ Gehe – ₹93,226
4. Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor – ₹70,757
5. Frankie08 – ₹59,957
6. Vishal ‘VishalMaharaj’ Maharaj – ₹49,406
7. alienatedPotter – ₹39,103
8. Bhanu ‘Chennaino1’ Prakash KC – ₹28,924

Abheek ‘SHIPITUP18’ Nagpal (Won ₹5 Lakh 7-Max Afternoon Boost for ₹63,684), Shubham ‘turramkhan17’ Agrawal (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹27,000), Kabir ‘kabira36’ Dhamija (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD PLO-5 Afternoon Boost for ₹24,730), Navneet ‘AlligatorN’ Tanwar (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹20,320), Jeetu ‘G21982’ Surana (Won ₹1 Lakh 6-Max SPRINT for ₹11,220), ‘rish6993’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Boost for ₹10,000), and ‘champ1987’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Boost for ₹9,480) won the other Wednesday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

Wednesday Superstack – ₹7 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,450

Entries – 179

Prize Pool- ₹7,00,000

Regular Prize Pool- ₹4,31,500

Bounty Prize Pool- ₹2,68,500

Places Paid – 20

The first day of 2025 on Junglee Poker kicked off with a bang as the ₹7 Lakhs GTD Wednesday Superstack delivered non-stop thrills! With 179 players piling into the 8 PM marquee event, the competition was fierce, stretching into the early hours of the morning. Finally, at 3:43 AM, it was Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana-1’ Singh who emerged as the champion!

Already famed as one of PokerBaazi’s Baazi Millionaires (June 2024), Siddhant Singh continued to prove why he’s a force to be reckoned with. Fresh off a win in Spartan Poker’s Bullet last week and riding a wave of six final table finishes, including a runner-up spot in PokerBaazi’s The Quest, Singh started 2025 with style!

With surgical precision and an unrelenting drive, Singh claimed his first win of the year, taking home ₹11,951, with a whopping ₹87,000 coming from bounties! Adding to his stellar night, Singh made deep runs in six other events across platforms, amassing a total mid-week haul of ₹1.91 Lakhs.

> 1st in Junglee Poker’s Wednesday Superstack for ₹1,61,951* (₹87,000 in bounties)

> 20th in Adda52’s Wipeout for ₹8,361

> 102nd in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹5,790

> 10th in Spartan Poker’s Bullet for ₹4,800

Siddhant Singh’s online stats (excluding Junglee Poker, Natural8 India and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.81 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹67.25 Lakhs

Close behind was ‘carnal,’ a mystery site grinder, who gave Singh a run for his money before settling for second place in the Wednesday Superstack and a respectable ₹96,615 (₹21,750 in bounties).

Online regulars like Satyam ‘joonjoon10’ Joon (7th for ₹26,069) (₹7,688 in bounties) and Aryaman ‘AryaKnight’ Arora (8th for ₹21,782) (₹7,500 in bounties) also graced the Wednesday Superstack final table.

Even though the ₹3,450 buy-in Wednesday Superstack had a significant ₹1.63 Lakhs overlay, it still delivered a ton of value and excitement. The top 20 finishers all cashed from the ₹4,31,500 prize pool, with many others snagging bounties from the ₹2,68,500 bounty pool, making it a profitable night for those who dared to compete.

Final Table Results (Including Bounties)

1. Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana-1’ Singh – ₹1,61,951
2. carnal – ₹96,615
3. cardsniper – ₹59,504
4. rajvinod123 – ₹49,906
5. numerouno001 – ₹38,453
6. iguess..d – ₹31,650
7. Satyam ‘joonjoon10’ Joon – ₹26,069
8. Aryaman ‘AryaKnight’ Arora – ₹21,782

‘kidnuke-0035’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Wednesday Mania for ₹64,268) and ‘emcnirvana’ (Won ₹80K GTD Wednesday Sunsetter for ₹21,232) won the other Wednesday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Wipeout – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,350

Entries – 185

Re-entries – 145

Prize Pool – ₹10,00,000

Places Paid – 53

Varun ‘BuffBluff’ Mittal kicked off 2025 with a bang, securing a spectacular win in Adda52’s ₹10 Lakhs GTD Wipeout. Known for his sporadic yet impactful appearances since 2020, Mittal returned to the online felt after a two-month hiatus with a vengeance.

Mittal, who had previously tasted victory in PokerBaazi’s IPM#89 (6-Max) Turbo in August and The Summit in October, had been experiencing a bit of a title drought. Despite some deep runs and near misses in November’s Big Whale (twice) and Maverick, as well as consistent deep runs in December, a title win to close out the year had remained elusive.

But all that changed on New Year’s Day. Mittal navigated a field of 185 unique players (330 total entries) in the 8 PM headliner event. After an intense 7.5-hour grind, he emerged victorious, claiming the Wipeout title and a hefty ₹1.88 Lakhs payday – the fifth-largest score of his career!

And that wasn’t all. Earlier in the day, Mittal had already warmed up with a podium finish in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost, adding ₹34,496 to his winnings. By the end of the day, Mittal had amassed over ₹2.22 Lakhs in winnings, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting year for this talented poker player.

> 1st in Adda52’s Wipeout for ₹1,87,841

> 3rd in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost for ₹34,496

Varun Mittal’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹55.51 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹11.56 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

But the story didn’t end there. Sahil ‘imhighishove’ Mahboobani, a seasoned poker pro from Gurgaon, continued his scorching run of form into the New Year. Known for his sharp skills and a recent win in Pocket52’s Pocket Kings this past Sunday, Mahboobani added another impressive performance to his resume. He claimed the runner-up spot in the Wipeout, earning ₹1.38 Lakhs. Adding to his triumphs, he also made a deep run in PokerBaazi’s The Pride, bringing his total winnings for the day to over ₹1.78 Lakhs.

> 2nd in Adda52’s Wipeout for ₹1,37,687

> 15th in PokerBaazi’s The Pride for ₹40,260

Sahil Mahboobani’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹20.67 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹5.33 Crores

The Wipeout final table had some familiar faces in the mix, including last week’s Wipeout podium finisher and The Pride Lite runner-up Nandan ‘LotJ24’ Pugalia (3rd for ₹1.01 Lakhs), last month’s Godfather Lite finalist Jaikishan ‘Royalking7424’ Jangid (7th for ₹29,134), and yesterday’s Nighttide DST Adda finalist Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar (8th for ₹21,355).

The ₹3,350 buy-in Wipeout offered an unexpected New Year’s bonus for value hunters. With a ₹43,000 overlay, the tournament provided extra value for the 53 players who made it to the money, each earning a minimum of ₹6,353. It was a festive way to ring in the new year, blending the excitement of competition with a bit of extra holiday cheer for the players who cashed!

Final Table Results

1. Varun ‘BuffBluff’ Mittal – ₹1,87,841
2. Sahil ‘imhighishove’ Mahboobani – ₹1,37,687
3. Nandan ‘LotJ24’ Pugalia – ₹1,00,924
4. shyamrathi – ₹73,977
5. dragon55 – ₹54,225
6. jerin1694 – ₹39,747
7. Jaikishan ‘Royalking7424’ Jangid – ₹29,134
8. Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar – ₹21,355

‘Vickysins’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bumper Car for ₹41,612), Abhishek ‘abhispal’ Pal (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Nighttide DST Adda for ₹32,772), Gourav ‘piyush0657’ Das (Won ₹1.20 Lakhs GTD Maverick Lite for ₹22,940), ‘sonu0303’ (Won ₹55K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹19,225), Nakul ‘NakulSharma11’ Sharma (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹19,200), and ‘KaranAhir796’ (Won ₹45K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹12,374) won the other Wednesday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

Pocket Rockets – ₹6.50 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,300

Entries – 98

Re-entries – 73

Prize Pool – ₹6,50,000

Places Paid – 21

Rahul ‘YSoSerious’ Sengar, the Pocket52 regular, ignited his 2025 online grind with a bang, continuing his hot streak from the last couple of months in 2024. He turned his attention to Pocket52’s ₹6.50 Lakhs GTD Pocket Rockets, and, well, let’s say he didn’t disappoint.

Sengar, who posted three podium finishes in November, including a career-best runner-up finish in the PPC Pocket Kings, and another eight final table finishes in December, including back-to-back wins in Pocket Soda this past Saturday and Sunday, was on a mission in the Pocket Rockets. He navigated a 171-player field (98 unique entries) quite masterfully.

He battled for 7 hours and 20 minutes before emerging victorious, claiming a second-best platform score worth ₹1.62 Lakhs and his first-ever Pocket52 flagship title. It was a win that was surely sweeter than that first cup of coffee on New Year’s Day. Last night, he also finished fourth in Pocket Soda, pocketing a cool ₹11,268 and raking in ₹1.73 Lakhs on the first day of 2025.

Rahul Sengar’s Pocket52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹12.76 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹4.15 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

‘High Roller Specialist’ Karan ‘WoW4bet’ Sitlani, also famed as a WPT Cambodia title holder, was looking to close an almost two-month-long title drought and register his first win of 2025. And he almost ran the distance in Pocket Rockets, finishing a close second for ₹1.13 Lakhs. Sitlani wasn’t satisfied with only one final table appearance. He posted another cool fourth-place finish in PokerBaazi’s The Pride Lite, taking home ₹60,698 and bringing his total haul for the day to ₹1.74 Lakhs.

Karan Sitlani’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹4.18 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹72.42 Lakhs

The New Year’s Day grind was also profitable for Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar, who bagged away ₹73,035 in Wednesday winnings from five deep runs. His notable final table finishes included:

> 6th in Pocket52’s Pocket Rocket for ₹32,370

> 8th in Adda52’s Wipeout for ₹21,355

> 4th in Adda52’s Nighttide DST Adda for ₹13,366

Sahil Babbar’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 & Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.61 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹50.11 Lakhs

Abhishek ‘MALIKSAAB’ Malik also FT-ed the Pocket Rockets, finishing eighth for ₹21,580.

Despite a significant overlay of over ₹1.59 Lakhs, the ₹3,300 buy-in Pocket Rockets ensured that the top 21 finishers got a piece of the ₹6.50 Lakhs prize pool. Each player who cashed earned at least ₹7,215 – over two times their buy-in! With a value like that, it’s no surprise that #Pocket52 is quickly becoming a favourite among serious poker players.

Final Table Results

1. Rahul ‘YSoSerious’ Sengar – ₹1,61,655
2. Karan ‘WoW4bet’ Sitlani – ₹1,13,295
3. Changes – ₹72,865
4. gan9977 – ₹53,950
5. DennyCrane – ₹40,495
6. Sahil ‘illuminati777’ Babbar – ₹32,370
7. Bikerrain_gmtu7 – ₹26,910
8. Abhishek ‘MALIKSAAB’ Malik – ₹21,580

Aniruddha ‘PocketAces_’ Joshi (Won ₹4 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹99,480), ‘ram2443’ (Won ₹1.20 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹33,780), and ‘CallsTyron_f9ruy’ (Won ₹80K GTD Brunch for ₹24,000) Wednesday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

‘stepbro’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹44,400) and ‘Beast2023‘ (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!