Daily Majors: NaveenKumar S, Akash Malik, Aman Parakh & Ankit Agarwal Make Their Mark in the Thursday Grind

2024 has been a defining year for Indian poker, and as it draws to a close, the live action in Asia is burning brighter than ever! The USOP Grand Finale Hai Phong—the biggest poker festival Vietnam has ever seen—is overflowing with record-breaking crowds, and Team India is at the heart of it all, making deep runs and grabbing headlines.

Leading this Indian poker invasion is none other than Kunal Patni, Natural8 India’s Executive Director and Ambassador. Fresh off his APT Phu Quoc rampage, Patni has been unstoppable, racking up five deep runs, including an incredible four final table appearances. His latest achievement: a fifth-place finish in Event #36: VN₫ 22 Million Mini Highroller last night, adding VN₫ 146.10 Million (₹4.87 Lakhs) to his already overflowing coffers. With a staggering VN₫ 1.504 Billion (₹50.17 Lakhs) earned in this series alone, Patni is not just playing poker; he’s teaching a masterclass. He’s also dominating the Player of the Series leaderboard, leaving the competition in his dust.

With the USOP Grand Finale Main Event in full swing, everyone’s wondering: can India repeat the success of Nishant Sharma‘s historic triple crown victory at Poker Dream 11 Malaysia? The tension is high as players battle it out for the title.

But the poker action isn’t just sizzling in Vietnam—it’s exploding back home as well! India’s online scene is on fire, with PokerBaazi and Natural8 India offering massive prize pools and fueling intense competition. Get ready for the storm because PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series kicks off this Sunday, promising 15 days of non-stop poker frenzy. Thursday’s action was a mere warm-up—a taste of the thrilling battles to come. Overlays appeared across the board, suggesting that players are strategically conserving their bankrolls for the weekend’s mega-showdown. This isn’t the calm before the storm; it’s the spark that ignites a wildfire!

Amidst all the excitement, Rahul Kharbanda seized the Thursday headlines with a spectacular comeback on Natural8 India. After two months off the grid, Kharbanda burst back onto the scene in the Bounty Hunters Mystery Paradise 54, fighting his way through a massive field to finish fifth and claim a site-best ₹8.88 Lakhs. This win catapulted his total platform earnings past ₹26 Lakhs.

Thursday also saw the return of Naveen Kumar S! After a quiet four weeks following a string of four flagship wins last month, the poker streamer came back with a vengeance, grabbing his first-ever victory in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for a whopping ₹7.50 Lakhs! Ankit Agarwal, a familiar face who’d been hungry for a win since his The Endeavour victory in July, came back for another shot at glory. He fought hard but ultimately finished second, taking home ₹5.24 Lakhs – his third-biggest score on PokerBaazi and his best this year. Deepender Singh Ahlawat, who recently came in second in the Daily Last Chance, completed The Summit podium, adding ₹4.04 Lakhs to his bankroll.

Akash Malik, the cash game veteran turned tournament beast, is on a roll on Natural8 India! Just days after narrowly missing the podium in the Sunday SAVER Hyper Turbo 250, he unleashed a double whammy on Natural8 India last night. Two deep runs, two impressive scores, and a podium finish to boot – Malik raked in a total of ₹6.46 Lakhs!

> 3rd in High Rollers Daily Wrap-Up 525 for ₹4,47,357

> 6th in Fifty Stack HR 555 for ₹1,99,092

Rising Star Aman Parakh made a champion’s return on Adda52, winning the Godfather for the second time. He took home ₹4.08 Lakhs – his seventh-best score of the year – after a heads-up deal. But Parakh wasn’t done yet. He also stormed the final table in PokerBaazi’s The Summit, accumulating a scorching ₹5.69 Lakhs from four deep runs. ‘smr1g10,’ the former The MoneyMaker 30.0 champion, finished as the runner-up in the Godfather, earning ₹3.78 Lakhs from the deal and adding another deep run to bring his Thursday total to over ₹3.82 Lakhs.

Rajat Sharma, whose last win came in The Pride three weeks ago, made a strong comeback with a win in PokerBaazi’s WTF. This was his fourth win in this flagship event this year, and it added ₹3.78 Lakhs to his Thursday winnings, which reached ₹4.26 Lakhs after four deep runs. ‘prettynoona,’ who had two big wins in September, finished second in the WTF for ₹2.50 Lakhs – their third-highest score on PokerBaazi.

Anmol Narang, the former The Millionaire champion, broke a two-and-a-half-month dry spell with a victory in PokerBaazi’s Summit Lite. He netted ₹1.58 Lakhs after a three-way deal, bringing his total earnings for the day to ₹2.61 Lakhs with cash finishes in three other flagships. ‘SupernutsDeep98′ snagged the runner-up spot for a personal-best ₹1.37 Lakhs, while Sandeep Chatlani rounded out the podium with ₹1.34 Lakhs – his sixth-best score on PokerBaazi this year, wiping out all his previous losses in one go.

The action on Natural8 India continues to heat up! Here are some other notable performances:

• ‘GTO_Only‘ tore through the field in Speed Racer Bounty 54, grabbing ₹2.89 Lakhs – their second-largest platform score.
• Shreyansh Sharma, the May leaderboard topper, maintained his impressive form with a 6th place finish in the Zodiac Main Event, earning ₹2.22 Lakhs.
• Mehul Desai made a strong return after a four-week break, finishing 4th in the Daily Deepstack HR 1050 and adding ₹2.06 Lakhs to his bankroll.

On Junglee Poker, ‘kindred35718176‘ displayed their PLO prowess by dominating the Thursday PLO 4 Mini Highroller for ₹2.52 Lakhs. Following closely was last month’s GPP#40 Friday Sunsetter champion ‘wrath69,’ who took second place for ₹1.48 Lakhs.

Anurag Srivastava, already riding high on momentum, made a dramatic return to the winner’s circle on Pocket52, taking down the Pocket Magnets for ₹1.88 Lakhs – his fourth career win on the site and his first in over 14 months. He also had a deep run in The Summit, bringing his total winnings for the day to over ₹2.13 Lakhs!

Thursday was a night of champions across the board, with victories also going to Surbhit Grover, Tukaram Kudnekar, Arun Kumar, Jatin Sablani, Gaurang Bhatti, Dhaval Doshi, and Laldingliana Tlau Vantawl.

Here are the Thursday highlights!

PokerBaazi

The Summit – ₹50 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹10,000

Entries – 277

Re-entries – 176

Prize Pool – ₹50,00,000

Places Paid – 70

Thursday night, the heat was on at PokerBaazi. The ₹50 Lakhs GTD The Summit beckoned India’s top poker players to prove their mettle, a tournament where reputations are forged and dreams are realized.

However, one name loomed large over the proceedings: Naveen Kumar ‘HappyHunter’ S (opted out of our tracking), the online phenom who had been strangely quiet in recent weeks. November was a highlight reel for him, with four flagship wins. But the past four weeks saw him enduring a rare dry spell. Even his long-awaited return to streaming, with marathon sessions interspersed with Valorant gaming, hadn’t reignited his winning streak. But as any seasoned grinder knows, it’s not a matter of if a player like Kumar will strike, but when.

And last night, that “when” became a resounding “now.” Kumar stormed back onto the virtual felt, turning The Summit into his personal victory lane. With his trademark blend of aggression and finesse, he decimated the competition, shattering his dry spell and reminding everyone why the name “HappyHunter” strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents.

The 8 PM showstopper was a battlefield, drawing 277 players (453 total entries) who clashed for over 7.5 hours. But Kumar was a force of nature, unstoppable in his pursuit of victory. He went on a rampage, eventually claiming a scorching ₹7.50 Lakhs payday and his first-ever The Summit trophy—a feat that crowned him the undisputed champion of the day.

The night also witnessed the rise of Ankit ‘gabru1410’ Agarwal, a well-known regular who had been yearning for a breakthrough since his The Endeavour win in July. He came incredibly close to capturing his first The Summit title, and while he fell just short of victory, his runner-up finish earned him a handsome ₹5.24 Lakhs—his third-biggest score on PokerBaazi and his best for the year.

Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor—actor, DJ, and poker aficionado—proved once again that his talents extend far beyond the screen and the turntables! Kapoor, who may not be the most active online player, certainly knows how to make a statement when he hits the virtual felts. Coming off a strong showing on Natural8 India last week, he delivered a strong performance in The Summit, finishing fourth for ₹3.05 Lakhs—his seventh-best score on PokerBaazi. Riding the momentum, he also went deep in two other events, including a sixth-place finish in Summit Lite, raking in over ₹3.74 Lakhs for the night.

> 4th in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹3,05,000

> 6th in PokerBaazi’s Summit Lite for ₹46,680

> 17th in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹22,500

Siddhanth Kapoor’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹4.99 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹84.20 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹1.24 Lakhs

As expected, The Summit final table was packed with heavy hitters, all riding high on recent successes. Among them were recent Daily Last Chance runner-up Deepender ‘PINAKA’ Singh Ahlawat (3rd for ₹4.04 Lakhs), Sunday`s BSS Super Value runner-up Raghav ‘Ragtag24’ Wahi (5th for ₹2.40 Lakhs), last month`s Daily Last Chance champion Ashish ‘Notoriouskonvict’ Nailwal (6th for ₹1.96 Lakhs) and last night`s Godfather champion Rising Star Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh (7th for ₹1.53 Lakhs).

The Summit was a big draw, and a jaw-dropping ₹10.61 Lakhs overlay meant the value was off the charts. The top 70 finishers walked away with at least ₹25,000 – over twice the ₹10,000 buy-in, making it an unforgettable Thursday night on PokerBaazi.

Final Table Results

1. Naveen ‘HappyHunter’ Kumar S – ₹7,50,000
2. Ankit ‘gabru1410’ Agarwal – ₹5,24,000
3. Deepender ‘PINAKA’ Singh Ahlawat – ₹4,04,000
4. Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor – ₹3,05,000
5. Raghav ‘Ragtag24’ Wahi – ₹2,40,000
6. Ashish ‘Notoriouskonvict’ Nailwal – ₹1,96,000
7. Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh – ₹1,53,000

WTF – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,300

Entries – 440

Re-entries – 395

Prize Pool – ₹25,00,000

Places Paid – 121

Thursday nights on PokerBaazi are always electrifying, but this week, the virtual felts crackled with an extra surge of energy. Rajat ‘LungFakeer’ Sharma, the wealth manager who turned his passion for poker into a profession, was back in action. After a three-week break since his last victory in The Pride, Sharma returned with a roar, ready to conquer the tables again.

Following his previous win, it seemed like the poker gods were testing Sharma’s patience. His score sheet reflected numerous deep runs, but even a final table appearance remained elusive. Was his winning streak over? Or was this just a temporary setback? Last night, all doubts were silenced. With a stroke of luck and a healthy dose of skill, Sharma took down the ₹25 Lakhs GTD WTF in epic fashion!

The 7:30 PM flagship was a battleground, with 440 players (835 total entries) vying for the top spot. For over 7.5 hours, Sharma navigated the treacherous waters of the tournament, facing off against some of the best players in India. He fired two bullets, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to victory. And in the end, it paid off. He emerged from the fray with the ₹3.78 Lakhs top prize, his 12th title of the year, and his 10th on PokerBaazi.

But Sharma wasn’t done padding his bankroll just yet. He also went deep in another three flagship events, and by the end of the night, he had amassed a total of ₹4.26 Lakhs, a king’s ransom for a night’s work.

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹3,78,000

> 46th in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹25,000

> 27th in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹15,593

> 41st in PokerBaazi’s Summit Lite for ₹7,200

Mystery player ‘prettynoona’ (active since November 2019), who first burst onto the scene with two consecutive flagship victories in The Quest and The Big Show in September, has been a consistent force ever since. Coming off a final table finish in the WTF a fortnight ago, they carried that momentum into last night’s WTF, finishing a close second for ₹2.50 Lakhs – their third-highest score on PokerBaazi.

Dhirendra ‘dhirekum’ Kumar Chauhan, the online grinder who had been battling a six-month drought, also had a night to remember. He finally ended the dry spell by taking down the first marquee tournament of the day on PokerBaazi, the ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Morning SPRINT, banking ₹22,844. He followed that up with a spectacular fifth-place finish in the WTF, adding ₹1.17 Lakhs to his bankroll – his second-highest score this year. He also made a deep run in the (7-Max) Afternoon Boost (53rd for ₹3,618) earlier in the evening. By the end of his Thursday grind, Chauhan had raked in nearly ₹1.44 Lakhs, a much-needed boost that swung him back into online profitability!

Dhirendra Kumar Chauhan’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹86.97 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹58,592 | Titles Won in 2024: #5 | Annual Winnings: ₹24.32 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹2.59 Lakhs

Basangoud ‘Pralayantaka197’ Nyamagoud also made his presence felt at the WTF final table, finishing eighth for ₹54,750.

While the WTF fell a nominal ₹1.04 Lakhs short of its advertised ₹25 Lakhs guarantee, the action was non-stop, and the ₹3,300 buy-in made it accessible to a wide range of players. The top 121 finishers shared the spoils, with even those barely making the cut pocketing ₹7,000, guaranteeing plenty of players walked away with a profit on another exciting night of poker action on PokerBaazi.

Final Table Results

1. Rajat ‘LungFakeer’ Sharma – ₹3,78,000
2. prettynoona – ₹2,50,000
3. roundRobin – ₹1,85,000
4. goodnewz – ₹1,42,500
5. Dhirendra ‘dhirekum’ Kumar Chauhan – ₹1,17,250
6. BankerPSB – ₹95,750
7. azzy0097 – ₹75,000
8. Basangoud ‘Pralayantaka197’ Nyamagoud – ₹54,750

Summit Lite – ₹12 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,000

Entries – 252

Re-entries – 181

Prize Pool – ₹12,00,000

Places Paid – 61

Anmol ‘airball’ Narang, the former The Millionaire champion who you might recognize from those Junglee Poker ads, had been quietly plotting his return. After a two-and-a-half-month absence from the winner’s circle, he finally unleashed his poker fury last night with a decisive victory in PokerBaazi’s ₹12 Lakhs GTD Summit Lite.

Narang’s hot streak began in September with consecutive wins in the 1000X#6 and Daily Super Value. Despite facing a series of near misses and deep runs in the following months, Narang’s determination remained unshaken. November saw a resurgence, with Narang reaching the final table in the Daily Last Chance and Pocket52’s Pocket Kings. He also came close to victory in Adda52’s The Mint, finishing as the runner-up. Riding this wave of success, Narang stormed back into the winner’s circle, kicking off December with his fifth title of the year!

Summit Lite was a high-octane affair, attracting a field of 252 unique challengers (433 total entries). The action was fast and furious, lasting a quick but intense 5.5 hours as Narang engaged in a battle of wits and strategy, picking off his opponents one by one. He fought hard for the victory in the 7:30 PM flagship event, and his persistence paid off. Narang claimed the title after a three-way deal, banking ₹1.58 Lakhs – his tenth-best score on PokerBaazi. Narang continued his scoring spree with deep runs in three other flagship tournaments, boosting his Thursday winnings to over ₹2.61 Lakhs.

> 1st PokerBaazi’s Summit Lite for ₹1,57,987* (three-way deal)

> 14th PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹62,500

> 10th Adda52’s Godfather for ₹29,335

> 52nd PokerBaazi’s WTF for ₹11,250

Anmol Narang’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹4.35 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹52.47 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #5 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.41 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹14.49 Lakhs

While Narang celebrated his victory, the enigmatic ‘SupernutsDeep98’ was hot on his heels. A sporadic tournament player on PokerBaazi, ‘SupernutsDeep98’ was hunting for their first major title in over three months. They put up a strong fight, but Narang’s experience and relentless play proved too much to overcome. ‘SupernutsDeep98’ finished as the runner-up but still walked away with a personal-best ₹1.37 Lakhs from the deal – a satisfying consolation prize and a significant recovery from past losses.

Meanwhile, Sandeep ‘kundumc’ Chatlani continued to impress, claiming a commendable third-place finish as part of the three-way deal. The IPM#14 (6-Max) Hyper finalist has been on a roll lately, with final table appearances in the Daily Last Chance and (6-Max) SPRINT last month. His performance in the Summit Lite earned him ₹1.34 Lakhs, his sixth-best score on PokerBaazi this year, offsetting all past losses in one fell scoop.

Sandeep Chatlani’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹74 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹33,144 | Titles Won in 2024: #6 | Annual Winnings: ₹44.85 Lakhs

The Summit Lite final table featured a strong lineup of players, including Sunday’s Blockbuster Highroller champion and recent The Mint finalist Ankit ‘d00mtr00p3r’ Wadhawan (4th for ₹72,000), 2019 IPC HighRoller champion Pranay ‘setmeup’ Chawla (5th for ₹57,600), last night’s The Summit finalist Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor (6th for ₹46,680), Ankit ‘NOTILTING’ Thakur (7th for ₹36,720), and last month’s The Big Show Lite podium finisher Inzemaam ‘Shavzz’ Husain (8th for ₹27,000).

Summit Lite may have missed its ₹12 Lakhs guarantee by ₹70,303, but the action was intense throughout. The top 61 players earned a share of the prize pool, with the minimum cash set at ₹7,200—more than double the ₹3,000 buy-in. The action never stops on PokerBaazi!

Final Table Results

1. Anmol ‘airball’ Narang – ₹1,57,987*
2. SupernutsDeep98 – ₹1,36,788*
3. Sandeep ‘kundumc’ Chatlani – ₹1,33,625*
4. Ankit ‘d00mtr00p3r’ Wadhawan – ₹72,000
5. Pranay ‘setmeup’ Chawla – ₹57,600
6. Siddhanth ‘Bullzeye’ Kapoor – ₹46,680
7. Ankit ‘NOTILTING’ Thakur – ₹36,720
8. Inzemaam ‘Shavzz’ Husain – ₹27,000

*denotes a three-way deal

Daily Last Chance – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 278

Re-entries – 191

Prize Pool – ₹10,19,606

Places Paid – 65

Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover, The MoneyMaker 90.0 champion, is officially on a heater! After a five-week dry spell, he exploded back onto the scene with a convincing victory in Adda52’s MMA Daily on Tuesday. As if that wasn’t enough, he followed it up with an even more impressive win in the Maverick on Wednesday. But Grover wasn’t done yet. Last night, he set his sights on PokerBaazi’s ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance. Spoiler alert: he completed a spectacular hat trick – three big wins in three days!

Grover, who had come close to winning this late-night 10:30 PM flagship twice before, finishing as the runner-up in June and July, was not to be denied this time. He battled for nearly 6.5 hours against a packed field of 277 other players (469 total entries), refusing to be deterred. Finally, he emerged from the fray, clutching the coveted title and a ₹1.61 Lakhs payday – his sixth-biggest score and remarkable 20th title of the year!

But Grover’s success didn’t stop there. He also found himself in the money in two of the biggest tournaments of the night, boosting his total winnings for Thursday to an admirable ₹2.02 Lakhs.

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,61,098

> 52nd in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹25,000

> 35th in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹15,593

Surbhit Grover’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Adda52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.57 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹49.73 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #20 | Annual Winnings: ₹72.75 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹23.66 Lakhs

While Grover was racking up the wins, another player was also making waves. Tamil Nadu-based ‘d2gamepoker,‘ who first hit the PokerBaazi tables in April, nearly tasted victory twice in three days. On Tuesday, they were in a prime position to win The Endeavour but fell short, finishing in sixth place. Still, they earned a personal-best ₹1.83 Lakhs, proving their talent at the tables.

Last night, ‘d2gamepoker’ came even closer to that elusive first title in the Daily Last Chance. They fought their way to the heads-up battle but couldn’t quite seal the deal, finishing second for ₹1.09 Lakhs – their second-best score on PokerBaazi.

Even without the win, ‘d2gamepoker’ had a Thursday to be proud of. They also cashed in the (7-Max) Afternoon Boost earlier, finishing 36th for ₹4,392. Their total winnings for the day topped ₹1.13 Lakhs, getting them on the cusp of breaking even.

The Daily Last Chance final table included other familiar faces. Among the notable players who made deep runs were Jason ‘jasonroyce’ Fernandes, who finished fifth for ₹48,941, and Bhavyajeet ‘Brbhavya’ Singh Rathore, who took eighth place for ₹22,941.

Unlike the other flagship tournaments last night, the ₹2,500-buy-in Daily Last Chance was a guarantee crusher, generating a ₹10.20 Lakhs prize pool. The top 65 finishers pocketed at least ₹5,608—more than double the buy-in, ensuring a good return for those who made a deep run and keeping the PokerBaazi tables buzzing well into Friday morning.

Final Table Results

1. Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover – ₹1,61,098
2. d2ga epoker – ₹1,09,098
3. sharkace – ₹83,608
4. mythical – ₹61,176
5. Jason ‘jasonroyce’ Fernandes – ₹48,941
6. t1805 – ₹39,663
7. Jesus13 – ₹31,200
8. Bhavyajeet ‘Brbhavya’ Singh Rathore – ₹22,941

‘saurabhnigam21’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD (7-Max) Afternoon Boost for ₹46,047), Tukaram ‘tukiboy’ Kudnekar (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD PLO 5 Boost for ₹33,960), ‘jackiehusky’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹27,000), ‘nissan’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD PLO 6 Daily for ₹25,470), ‘pokersushil’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹20,250), ‘babeshi978’ (Won ₹1 Lakh 6-Max Hyper for ₹16,000), ‘gunman7275’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Evening SPRINT for ₹14,260), ‘ichigoo’ (Won ₹1 Lakh 6-Max SPRINT for ₹11,750), and ‘tomspoker’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Boost for ₹9,560) won the other Thursday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

Thursday PLO 4 Mini Highroller – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹6,900

Entries – 145

Total Prize Pool – ₹10,00,000

Regular Prize Pool – ₹5,65,000

Bounty Prize Pool – ₹4,35,000

Places Paid – 14

An unexpected champion emerged from the depths of Junglee Poker’s virtual arena last night. ‘kindred35718176,’ a name rarely seen in the headlines, achieved a stunning victory in the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Thursday PLO 4 Mini Highroller.

But this was no walk in the park. ‘kindred35718176’ faced a formidable challenge, battling against a field of 145 PLO specialists in a gruelling six-and-a-half-hour clash. With a combination of skill and determination, they rose above the competition, transforming into a bounty-hunting machine. When the final pot was awarded, ‘kindred35718176’ stood tall, claiming the coveted title and a massive ₹2.52 Lakhs payday, with an incredible ₹1.46 Lakhs of that coming from bounties alone!

The competition was fierce. ‘wrath69‘, last month’s GPP#40 Friday Sunsetter champion and Monday Monster finalist, fought tooth and nail in the 8 PM showdown but finished as the runner-up, taking home a respectable ₹1.48 Lakhs (₹42,000 in bounties).

Rishab ‘NoChan(3’ Malik, a three-time The Millionaire champion and Wednesday’s Pocket Rockets finalist, also joined the fray, eager to prove his PLO expertise isn’t just limited to NLH. Malik navigated the challenging field skillfully, ultimately finishing in sixth place for a solid ₹41,927 (₹7,688 in bounties).

The ₹6,900 buy-in Thursday PLO 4 Mini Highroller proved a popular choice, with a generous ₹1.30 Lakhs overlay adding significant value for the players. The top 14 places shared the ₹5.65 Lakhs prize pool, while many others profited from the juicy bounties from the ₹4.35 Lakhs bounty pool. This Thursday tournament is a must-play for any serious PLO enthusiast.

Final Table Results

1. kindred35718176 – ₹2,52,065
2. wrath69 – ₹1,47,711
3. jatavboy_ – ₹88,388
4. sporto7911002 – ₹72,455
5. lacross38264464 – ₹47,650
6. Rishab ‘NoChan(3’ Malik – ₹41,927

‘unknown7’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD Thursday Thunder for ₹1.06 Lakhs) and ‘madhanbalaji’ (Won ₹90K GTD Thursday Sunsetter for ₹19,363) won the other Thursday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Godfather – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 237

Re-entries – 167

Re-buys – 5

Prize Pool – ₹25,00,000

Places Paid – 63

Thursday night on Adda52 was a frenzy of poker action, with all eyes on the ₹25 Lakhs GTD Godfather. But amidst the chaos and competition, one player stood tall: Rising Star Aman ‘karmapoker’ Parakh, a player determined to cement his legacy.

This wasn’t just another tournament for Parakh; it was a homecoming. He had tasted victory in the Godfather in 2022, and with six final table appearances and two runner-up finishes in this Thursday headliner, he was no stranger to the pressure, the intensity, and the thrill of the chase. But last night, he was determined to surpass his own high standards.

Parakh was already on a roll, having conquered Junglee Poker’s Wednesday Superstack and stormed the final table in Adda52’s Nighttide DST Adda just last week. Now, he had his sights set on the Godfather title, a crown he was determined to wear again.

This victory was more than just another notch on his belt. This was a statement for Parakh, a two-time NPS gold medalist who had been crushing the online poker scene with wins in PokerBaazi’s IPM#72 Deepstack and 1000X#29. After a series of near misses and deep runs, December had arrived, promising a new chapter, and Parakh was ready to write it in bold letters.

The 8 PM headliner was a battle royale, with 237 players (409 total entries) entering the fray. Parakh, however, navigated the chaos with the composure of a seasoned general. He outmanoeuvred his opponents, outsmarted his rivals, and after an intense 8.5-hour marathon, he emerged victorious. He claimed his second Godfather title and a ₹4.08 Lakhs prize – his seventh-best score of the year, achieved after a heads-up deal.

But Parakh’s hunger was far from satisfied. He added three more cashes to his tally, including another final table appearance in PokerBaazi’s The Summit. By the end of the night, his total winnings had reached a whopping ₹5.69 Lakhs, making him the third biggest winner of the day – a fitting reward for a player at the peak of his powers.

> 1st in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹4,07,867* (heads-up deal)

> 7th in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹1,53,000

> 51st in PokerBaazi’s Summit Lite for ₹7,200

> 58th in Adda52’s MMA Daily for ₹809

Aman Parakh’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹10.28 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.50 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #19 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.46 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹67.60 Lakhs

Another player who made a splash in Godfather was the enigmatic ‘smr1g10’ (anonymity requested). A former The MoneyMaker 30.0 champion and a consistent force on the platform since December 2019, ‘smr1g10’ was on a quest for their sixth title on Adda52 and 13th overall this year. Riding high on recent back-to-back final table finishes in PokerBaazi’s BSS and Adda52`s MMA 8-Max PKO, they came agonizingly close to capturing their first Godfather title. Ultimately, they finished as the runner-up, earning a site-best ₹3.78 Lakhs from the deal. A deep run in the MMA Mega PKO 8-Max further boosted their winnings, bringing their total for the night to over ₹3.82 Lakhs.

> 2nd in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹3,77,533* (heads-up deal)

> 31st in Adda52’s MMA Mega PKO 8-Max for ₹3,987 (₹1,875 in bounties)

The Godfather final table was a spectacle of skill, with impressive performances all around. Tanay ‘rujula16’ Kauntia, who had recently reached the final table in the Sunday Big Slick and the podium in the Maverick, delivered another strong showing with a third-place finish and a ₹2.43 Lakhs prize—his second-biggest payout of the year.

The Godfather final table was stacked with familiar names, including yesterday’s MMA Monster Stack finalist Rishub ‘Camero07’ Jyrwa (4th for ₹1.78 Lakhs), last night’s Pocket Magnets winner Anurag ‘NormanBates’ Srivastava (5th for ₹1.31 Lakhs), recent Tuesday Phoenix champ and The Mint finalist Young Gun Shardul ‘vamos96’ Parthasarathi (6th for ₹95,897), the ever-present Aditya ‘konstantin’ Singh (7th for ₹70,292), and Saahib ‘saahib’ Bawa (8th for ₹51,524).

With a ₹4.55 Lakhs overlay, Godfather offered incredible value to the players. The top 63 players cashed out, each taking home at least ₹12,631—more than double the ₹5,750 buy-in. All in all, it was a Thursday night to remember on Adda52.

Final Table Results

1. Aman ‘karmapoker’ Parakh – ₹4,07,867*
2. smr1g10 – ₹3,77,533*
3. Tanay ‘rujula16’ Kauntia – ₹2,43,499
4. Rishub ‘Camero07’ Jyrwa – ₹1,78,484
5. Anurag ‘NormanBates’ Srivastava – ₹1,30,829
6. Shardul ‘vamos96’ Parthasarathi – ₹95,897
7. Aditya ‘konstantin’ Singh – ₹70,292
8. Saahib ‘saahib’ Bawa – ₹51,524

*denotes a heads-up deal

₹35 Lakhs GTD MMA Main Event – Day 1D

Day 1D > Entries – 129 | Re-entries – 41 | Rebuys – 2 | Survivors – 22 | Chip Leader – Sumit ‘Thebang02’ Ghosh (243,560)

Combined > Entries – 754 | Re-entries – 234 | Rebuys – 9 | Survivors – 123 | Chip Leader – Abhineet ‘abbu2604’ Singla (541,844)

The Masterminds Arena title winners of the day included Arun ‘ShahidKapoorAfridi’ Kumar (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD MMA Mega PKO for ₹1.05 Lakhs), Jatin ‘jatin2929’ Sablani (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD MMA 6-Max Turbo for ₹55,574), ‘breakneck’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD MMA Monster Stack for ₹47,497), ‘siva2’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD MMA PKO for ₹33,285), ‘nishu271’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD MMA Daily for ₹25,242), ‘MoneyMoney007’ (Won ₹75K GTD MMA Daily for ₹16,386), and Gaurang ‘Bhatigaurang77’ Bhatti (Won ₹75K GTD MMA PLO 6-Max for ₹14,675).

Pocket52

Pocket Magnets – ₹8 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,300

Entries – 136

Re-entries – 120

Prize Pool – ₹8,00,000

Places Paid – 20

Anurag ‘CultOfPersonality’ Srivastava made a grand re-entrance onto the Pocket52 stage last night, breaking an over year-long victory drought on the platform (his last win was in Gladiator in September 2023) with a dominant performance in the ₹8 Lakhs GTD Pocket Magnets. While he’s been on an incredible hot streak lately, with a win in Spartan Poker’s Monday Monster last week and two runner-up finishes in the Adda52 Godfather and Spartan Poker Thursday Thriller, this victory on Pocket52 felt like a homecoming. It was his fourth career win on the site and his first of 2024, reaffirming his position among India’s elite card slingers.

With a decorated poker resume that boasts four Adda52 Millions titles and a storied IOPC Millionaire Main Event victory, Srivastava entered Thursday’s battle determined to reclaim his Pocket52 dominance. The 8 PM Pocket Magnets showdown attracted 256 entries (136 unique), each hoping to dethrone the poker giant. After a nearly 7.5-hour slugfest and burning through five stubborn bullets, Srivastava emerged as the last player standing, claiming a ₹1.88 Lakhs payday and sending a clear message to the poker world: the ‘CultOfPersonality’ is back with a vengeance —hungry, unyielding, and poised for even greater conquests ahead.

Undeterred, Srivastava also scored a deep run in PokerBaazi’s The Summit, accumulating over ₹2.13 Lakhs in total winnings for the day!

> 1st in Pocket52’s Pocket Magnets for ₹1,88,240

> 61st in PokerBaazi’s The Summit for ₹25,000

Anurag Srivastava’s online stats (excluding Pocket52, Natural8 India and Junglee Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹11.11 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.49 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #9 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.70 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹40.69 Lakhs

Meanwhile, the enigmatic ‘user1688882957,’ active on Pocket52 since August 2023, made a strong push for glory in the Pocket Magnets. They finished as the runner-up, walking away with a site-best ₹1.32 Lakhs, proving that new talent can rise to the challenge even against top-tier competition.

user1688882957’s Pocket52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹6.41 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹2.64 Lakhs

The Pocket Magnets also saw solid final table finishes by the always-formidable Lavesh ‘lavesh7’ Meena (3rd for ₹84,960), Kashish ‘Kamui’ Gupta (5th for ₹47,200) and the consistently strong Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana’ Singh (6th for ₹37,760).

With a buy-in of ₹3,300, the Pocket Magnets fell short of its ₹8 Lakhs guarantee by ₹65,280. However, the top 20 finishers all walked away with at least ₹8,400 – more than double the buy-in! Even those who didn’t reach the final table found profit, highlighting the value and excitement that make Pocket52 a favourite among tournament players.

Final Table Results

1. Anurag ‘CultOfPersonality’ Srivastava – ₹1,88,240
2. user1688882957 – ₹1,32,080
3. Lavesh ‘lavesh7’ Meena – ₹84,960
4. luck777 – ₹62,880
5. Kashish ‘Kamui’ Gupta – ₹47,200
6. Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana’ Singh – ₹37,760
7. RangRover – ₹31,360
8. LEO77 – ₹25,120

Dhaval ‘faizal1506’ Doshi (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹1.16 Lakhs), ‘radhe12’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹40,200), and ‘52pocket’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Soda for ₹29,333) won the other Thursday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

‘8X9X0X3X5X’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹66,600), ‘pokergur’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹38,631), ‘SNB’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200), and Laldingliana ‘patea1971’ Tlau Vantawl (Won ₹50K GTD Holdem for ₹34,306) won the Thursday marquees on Spartan Poker.

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