NPS India 2025 Day 29 Recap: It’s a Wrap! Mittal, Kothari & Manjrekar Rake in Jaw-Dropping Scores & Coveted Medals in Main Event; Vikram Mishra Breaks Through in Golden Rush

And just like that, it’s over! Four weeks of pure poker mayhem, obliterated records, and that wild, medal-chasing frenzy for state leaderboard supremacy. The curtains have finally descended on the National Poker Series India 2025, concluding with a show-stopping finale that sets a formidable new benchmark for Indian poker. Hosted on PokerBaazi, this game-changing festival gripped the nation, building towards the explosive grand finales of the ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and the ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush, where champions were minted amidst roaring applause and intense showdowns.

But let’s get down to the brass tacks – the numbers. This series didn’t just meet expectations; it blew them out of the water. With an eye-popping 608K+ total entries, NPS India 2025 didn’t just rewrite history; it tore up the old book and started fresh. A breathtaking ₹104+ Crores were distributed across the 29-day poker odyssey, alongside a dazzling 573 medals.

That’s not even the full picture. Toss in an extra ₹4 Crores in leaderboard prizes and over ₹2 Crores from the “Road to NPS” satellites, and you’re staring at over ₹110 Crores in total giveaways (smashing its ₹100 Crores guarantee by a neat 10%!) – making this the biggest, most audacious, and by far the richest poker series in Indian history.

The grandest stage, hosting the most intense field, held the title everyone wanted. The ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event—the crown jewel of NPS India 2025—delivered a fitting climax to a month-long poker epic like no other.

When 702 survivors returned to clash for glory, it took 8 hours and 44 minutes of high-pressure, adrenaline-soaked play for one name to rise above all: Bhavye Mittal. In a narrative seemingly pulled from poker folklore, the 28-year-old Mittal—an occasional grinder since 2018—ended a nearly four-year title drought in the most astonishing way possible. This monumental achievement wasn’t just his third career title; it also brought him his first-ever NPS medal—and it was Gold. Even more stunning was the payout: a life-altering ₹94.26 Lakhs injected into his bankroll, locked in after a three-way deal, a sum over 5.2 times larger than his previous best score!

This wasn’t just any win. It was history in the making. Mittal became the fifth-ever NPS Main Event Champion, joining an exclusive club of Indian poker legends. But here’s the twist: he had only participated in five NPS tournaments in his entire life—one in 2021 and four this year. This wasn’t merely his first NPS cash; it arrived in the largest tournament in NPS history.

In the climactic showdown of the Main Event, Dhruvin Kothari wasn’t just another player—he was a serious challenger. This 39-year-old poker veteran, known for making big splashes, went head-to-head with Mittal for that Gold Medal. Remarkably, Kothari made his NPS debut this year, participating in only 20 events (including the Main Event), but he certainly made them count. His campaign finished with a remarkable runner-up position, where he claimed his first-ever NPS medal—a hard-earned Silver—and a monster ₹82.11 Lakhs padded his account from the same three-way deal, a figure 2.2 times larger than any previous top score he’d recorded.

Pratik Manjrekar, a standout talent from Poker Bootcamp India and the runner-up in the EndBoss Special Edition 2023, kept the momentum rolling with his performances in NPS India 2025. After winning his maiden NPS Gold Medal on Saturday, Manjrekar kicked off Monday with a victory in The Big Show, pocketing ₹4.20 Lakhs from a three-way deal.

But the real highlight of his night was undoubtedly the NPS Main Event. Manjrekar powered his way to a commendable third place, taking home a whopping ₹60.64 Lakhs from another three-way deal, along with a Bronze Medal – his second-largest online score ever. This epic Monday, where his earnings climbed to a breathtaking ₹64.84 Lakhs, launched him past the ₹5 Crore milestone in tracked online earnings, and he also zoomed past ₹1 Crore in annual earnings!

The NPS Main Event final table was stacked with regulars, including Rising Star Aman Parakh (4th for ₹34 Lakhs), who leapfrogged Vinay Rajpal to finish #2 on the NPS Series Leaderboard and collect ₹20 Lakhs – this crucial finish effectively earned him an extra 10 Lakhs, the difference between second and third place prizes. Abheek Nagpal (5th for ₹25.70 Lakhs), Ashish Kumar (6th for ₹21.10 Lakhs), Akshay Asawa (7th for ₹16.90 Lakhs), and WSOP bracelet winner Abhinav Iyer (8th for ₹13.50 Lakhs) also banked massive scores.

Vikram Mishra also engineered a dramatic late surge, clinching a spectacular victory in the NPS#190 Golden Rush and earning ₹6.02 Lakhs from a four-way deal. This phenomenal win against a fiercely competitive field wasn’t just another title; it was a masterclass in timing. He captured his first medal of this series (a Gold) after playing 135 events without even reaching a final table, adding to his legendary NPS track record. This was his fifth NPS Gold Medal and his tenth overall medal, adding more shine to his status as one of the most decorated players in NPS history.

Former NPS Gold Medallist Rahul Lal, another seasoned competitor, turned the tables with a stunning runner-up finish in the Golden Rush. He captured his first-ever NPS Silver Medal, and a personal best ₹7.12 Lakhs found its way to him, wiping out nearly all his previous losses on PokerBaazi.

The final night of NPS 2025 also featured heart-stopping drama centered around Zarvan Tumboli, PokerBaazi’s Team Pro. Tumboli entered the evening level on points with Gopal Bajaj on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard but needed a third-place finish or better in the Golden Rush to book his spot for the National Poker Champion showdown. In a storyline ripped straight from a poker screenplay, Tumboli pulled off exactly what was required—a third-place finish and his first Bronze Medal of the series, pocketing ₹5.29 Lakhs. This achievement made him the second player in this series to collect six medals. His qualification for the NPC showdown was not just a personal triumph but a moment of huge celebration for his supporters and a proud moment for PokerBaazi.

Ambika Chowdhury, though just missing a medal, finished strong with a fourth-place in the Golden Rush for ₹6.55 Lakhs from the same deal, wrapping up the day with at least ₹6.89 Lakhs in total winnings.

The last two showstoppers also finalized the lineups for the 12 contenders heading to the National Poker Champion showdown in Goa and settled the overall NPS Series Leaderboard standings.

Bhanu Prakash KC, a consistently dominant figure throughout the series and the top-ranked player on the NPC Leaderboard (from Karnataka) doubled down. He executed a near-perfect run at the top of the NPS Series Leaderboard, accumulating a massive 38,714 points across 158 cashes. This feat earned him the grand prize of ₹30 Lakhs, adding to his well-earned reputation as the ultimate leaderboard crusher!

Rising Star Aman Parakh made a crucial jump from third to second spot on the NPS Series Leaderboard on the final day. His impressive fourth-place finish in the Main Event and 104th place in the Golden Rush added 2,543 points to his tally, bringing his total to 36,756 points from 158 cashes. This outstanding accomplishment earned him a ₹20 Lakhs prize—an extra 10 Lakhs thanks to his final-day performance.

Vinay Rajpal, another standout player, showed remarkable consistency throughout the series. Despite slipping one rank to third place, his extraordinary count of 166 cashes accumulated 36,545 points, earning him a richly deserved ₹15 Lakhs.

NPS Series Leaderboard Standings

But the final day also meant all the state leaderboards were locked in. This year, medals were won across 24 states, with each state leaderboard champion receiving an additional ₹2 Lakhs. The real focus, however, was on the National Poker Champion (India) Leaderboard, where the top 12 players will lead their states into the high-stakes NPC showdown in Goa in three weeks.

These final 12 contenders are Karnataka’s Bhanu ‘Chennaino1’ Prakash KC, Gujarat’s Mohit ‘bullets777’ Bohra, Delhi’s Saahib ‘Junta’ Bawa, Kerala’s Sreekanth ‘n0thing’ Narayan, Maharashtra’s Zarvan ‘MomSaid5Bet’ Tumboli (won his qualification with a Bronze Medal in Golden Rush), Haryana’s Snehil ‘GTORanges’ Aggarwal, Uttar Pradesh’s Vikhyat ‘supersaiyan57’ Ahlawat, Rajasthan’s Anish ‘Fishlover001’ Vijayvergiya, Tamil Nadu’s Aditya ‘gangajal’ Sushant, Chandigarh’s Ankit ‘d00mtr00p3r’ Wadhawan, West Bengal’s Goonjan ‘gmtesting’ Mall, and Arunachal Pradesh’s Wilson ‘kalingkaling’ Yomso.

These finalists will now journey to Goa for the epic finale. The winner will be crowned the first-ever National Poker Champion and awarded the winner takes all ₹1 Crore grand prize. Additionally, their state will unlock a ₹1 Crore freeroll, open to all players from that state who participated in at least one NPS event.

National Poker Champion Qualifiers

The action didn’t stop there! Monday’s broader poker landscape saw Nishant Lakhotia, Karan Thakker, Ashutosh Paibhale, and Manish Jangid capturing other flagship titles across different platforms.

Here are the Monday highlights!

PokerBaazi

NPS#191 Main Event – ₹10 Crores GTD

Buy-in – ₹11,500

Total Entries – 5,247

Total Re-entries – 2,347

Survivors – 702

Prize Pool – ₹10,00,00,000

Places Paid – 702

Monday was a day for the poker history books! The National Poker Series India 2025, the nation’s biggest-ever tournament series hosted on PokerBaazi, went out with an explosive bang with two of the festival’s biggest headliners, the ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and the ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush crowning their champions in genuinely epic fashion.

But let’s get down to the brass tacks – the numbers. This series didn’t just meet expectations; it obliterated them. With a mind-blowing 608K+ total entries, NPS India 2025 didn’t just rewrite history; it shredded the old book and started a new one. A mind-blowing ₹104+ Crores were paid out over the 29-day poker marathon, with a whopping 573 medals awarded.

And that’s not even the whole story. Add in an extra ₹4 Crores in leaderboard prizes and over ₹2 Crores from the “Road to NPS” satellites, and we’re looking at over ₹110 Crores in total giveaways (blowing past its ₹100 Crores guarantee by a whopping 10%!) – making this the biggest, most audacious, and by far the richest poker series in Indian history. This was more than a series; it was a poker revolution.

The crown jewel, the centrepiece, the main attraction of the NPS India 2025 – the biggest-ever ₹10 Crores GTD Main Event – was the perfect climax. Doubling the guarantee from last year, this behemoth attracted 7,594 entries across nine starting flights, all converging for a high-stakes Day 2 showdown on Monday at 7:30 PM. 702 contenders who had survived those initial battles returned for a shot at immortality. After an 8-hour-44-minute war of attrition on the digital battlefield, Bhavye ‘noobnoob’ Mittal stood alone, his name forever etched in poker history!

In a tale fit for poker folklore, Mittal—a 28-year-old off-and-on grinder since 2018—snapped a nearly four-year title drought in the most spectacular way imaginable. This win delivered his third-ever title, his first-ever NPS medal, and, most significantly, his first NPS GOLD – accompanied by a life-changing ₹94.26 Lakhs payday! That’s more than 5.2 times his previous best score, locked in after a three-way deal that sent his online bankroll into orbit. And, let’s not forget, he’s now enshrined as the fifth-ever NPS Main Event champion. This made him the #23 player from Delhi to win a Gold medal at this festival, and he finished #23 on the Delhi State Leaderboard.

Here’s the real shocker: Mittal had only played five NPS tournaments ever—one in 2021 and four this year. This wasn’t just his first cash at the NPS—it was in the biggest tournament ever at the NPS. He didn’t just show up; he owned the place.

Before this legendary victory, 2020 was clearly Bhavye Mittal’s banner year online. He strung together an impressive run of deep finishes, highlighted by a podium appearance in Adda52’s AOPS Main Event, where he pocketed a then-career-best ₹18 Lakhs for third place. That hot streak continued. Mittal followed it up with another third-place finish in Adda52’s Full House, adding ₹8 Lakhs to his winnings, and a fifth-place run in Spartan Poker’s IOPC High Roller for another ₹7.28 Lakhs. He also snagged a title that April, winning PokerBaazi’s Friyay (PKO) for ₹1.65 Lakhs — his last victory before this career-defining breakthrough at NPS India 2025.

Now, Mittal isn’t just back – he’s back with a golden vengeance, a legend-making win that will be recounted for years.

Bhavye Mittal’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.61 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.15 Crores | Titles Won in 2025: #1 | Finished #23 on the Delhi State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Gold | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹94.26 Lakhs

Standing across from Mittal in the epic heads-up duel of the NPS Main Event was none other than Dhruvin ‘thepokerplayer’ Kothari – a name that might not frequently appear on the online scene, but when it does, it’s with explosive impact.

This 39-year-old poker veteran knows how to make an entrance. Kothari’s breakout performance came in February 2020, when he conquered the Millionaire Legends for a massive ₹36.77 Lakhs. As if to silence any doubters, he returned just four days later to ship the IOPC Super High Roller for another ₹25.18 Lakhs – stacking up a jaw-dropping ₹60 Lakhs in profits in less than a week!

Fast forward to NPS India 2025—gracing the NPS felts for the first time (he hadn`t played any event in previous editions)—Kothari came prepared, focused, and ready to rumble. After playing a carefully selected 20 events, he came this close to the grand prize, finishing as the runner-up in the Main Event.

While that coveted Main Event Gold Medal remained just out of reach, he didn’t leave empty-handed. Kothari grabbed his first-ever NPS medal—a gleaming Silver—and, to soften the blow of missing the top spot, he locked in a monstrous ₹82.11 Lakhs from that same three-way deal—a staggering 2.2 times his previous best score. This performance also made him one of 20 players from Gujarat to medal in this series, finishing #9 on the Gujarat State Leaderboard.

Dhruvin Kothari’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹3.88 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.89 Crores | Finished #9 on the Gujarat State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Silver | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹89.60 Lakhs

Another name that lit up the NPS India 2025 Main Event podium was Pratik ‘zpAAced’ Manjrekar, the poker phenom from Poker Bootcamp India and the EndBoss Special Edition 2023 runner-up. He continued his scorching 2025 run with another electrifying showing!

This year has already been a breakout one for Manjrekar. He started with a bang, raking in ₹11.34 Lakhs in a single night on January 8 – thanks to a fourth-place finish in Natural8 India’s The Weekender 50 and back-to-back wins in PokerBaazi’s WTF and Pocket52’s Pocket Rockets. And as if that wasn’t enough, he stormed through Junglee Poker’s Thursday Mini Highroller the very next day. Since then, he’d been hunting for another big score – and he found it at this year’s NPS!

On Saturday, Manjrekar finally smashed through, clinching his first-ever NPS Gold Medal by conquering NPS#180 Knockout (PKO) for ₹4.05 Lakhs. But that was just the appetizer.

Monday night was pure, unadulterated fireworks. Manjrekar began his rampage with a commanding victory in the ₹30 Lakhs GTD The Big Show, outlasting a field of 608 entries (345 unique) after eight hours of intense combat. The win earned him ₹4.20 Lakhs (thanks to a three-way deal), his sixth title of the year, and his third on PokerBaazi in 2025.

Then there was the NPS Main Event — and Manjrekar was in the thick of it till the end. Eyeing a second NPS Gold, he powered his way to the final table and came within a whisper of victory, finishing third just minutes after that The Big Show takedown. Still, he walked away with ₹60.64 Lakhs – his second-largest online score ever, again, from that game-changing three-way deal– and a Bronze Medal for his efforts. This was his second medal of the series, his third career Bronze, and his fourth NPS medal overall, bringing his Monday total to a whopping ₹64.84 Lakhs!

With this epic double run, Manjrekar became one of 109 players to win multiple medals at NPS India 2025, finishing 17th on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard and climbing up to #15 in PokerBaazi’s 2025 Player of the Year race.

> 3rd in PokerBaazi’s NPS#191 Main Event for ₹60,64,242* (three-way deal)

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show for ₹4,19,668* (three-way deal)

Pratik Manjrekar’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹5.31 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.51 Crores | Titles Won in 2025: #6 (across all platforms) | Finished #17 on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Gold & 3 Bronze | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹83.62 Lakhs | Moves to #15 on PokerBaazi’s 2025 POY Leaderboard

The NPS Main Event final table exploded with regs and top pros like Rising Star Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh (4th for ₹34 Lakhs), who flipped the script on the top ranks of the NPS Series Leaderboard, overtaking Vinay Rajpal to finish #2 for ₹20 Lakhs. Abheek ‘SHIPITUP18’ Nagpal (5th for ₹25.70 Lakhs), Ashish ‘Imgabru’ Kumar (6th for ₹21.10 Lakhs), Akshay ‘powershell’ Asawa (7th for ₹16.90 Lakhs), and WSOP bracelet winner Abhinav ‘griezmann’ Iyer (8th for ₹13.50 Lakhs) also stacked up massive scores on the final table.

The NPS Main Event brought in all the big guns, and some of the best in the game made the payouts list, including the four-time medallist at the series, WSOP bracelet winner Kartik ‘TheInternetKid’ Ved (9th for ₹10.90 Lakhs), Tamil Nadu State Leaderboard champion and NPS showdown qualifier WSOP bracelet winner Aditya ‘gangajal’ Sushant (10th for ₹10.90 Lakhs), Saurav ‘eternalgambler’ Gupta (11th for ₹10.90 Lakhs), Anurag ‘Pokerstars’ Dayal (13th for ₹10.90 Lakhs), NPS#46 (PLO-4) Megadive Silver Medallist, Natural8 India Executive Director and Ambassador Kunal ‘VasooliChacha’ Patni (15th for ₹8.40 Lakhs), Kughahuto ‘ayemi1122’ Aye (17th for ₹8.40 Lakhs), last night’s The Big Show Lite podium finisher Biplob ‘hellhell’ Rana (18th for ₹8.40 Lakhs), and five-time medallist at NPS India 2025 Tarush ‘Busterr’ Gupta (19th for ₹8.40 Lakhs).

The ₹11,500 buy-in NPS#191 Main Event might have fallen short of its ambitious ₹10 Crores guarantee by a noticeable ₹2.41 Crores, but that gap transformed into a windfall for the players! With 702 finalists returning for the grand finale, each was guaranteed at least ₹32,000, turning the overlay into a delicious value-added bonus for the grinders. In a high-stakes tournament of this magnitude, value like this is a rare gem – and the players definitely seized the opportunity, bringing the biggest tournament series in the nation’s history to a resounding, value-loaded CONCLUSION!

Final Table Results

1. Bhavye ‘noobnoob’ Mittal – ₹94,26,031*
2. Dhruvin ‘thepokerplayer’ Kothari – ₹82,10,726*
3. Pratik ‘zpAAced’ Manjrekar – ₹60,64,242*
4. Aman ‘KarmaPoker’ Parakh – ₹34,00,000
5. Abheek ‘SHIPITUP18’ Nagpal – ₹25,70,000
6. Ashish ‘Imgabru’ Kumar – ₹21,10,000
7. Akshay ‘powershell’ Asawa – ₹16,90,000
8. Abhinav ‘griezmann’ Iyer – ₹13,50,000

*denotes a three-way deal

NPS#190 Golden Rush – ₹1 Crore GTD

Buy-in – ₹1,150

Total Entries – 5,248

Total Re-entries – 3,387

Survivors – 996

Prize Pool – ₹10,000,000

Places Paid – 996

The final curtain has fallen at the National Poker Series India 2025! Four weeks of jaw-dropping poker action, records shattered into a million pieces, and state leaderboard rivalries that burned like wildfire – all of it funnelled into one explosive finale. A staggering ₹11 Crores in guarantees were on the line, and while the spotlight was firmly on the biggest-ever ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event, the ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush, igniting just a half-hour earlier at 7 PM, was its own powder keg of drama.

Bhavye Mittal might have seized the single biggest cash prize of the entire series – a life-altering ₹94.26 Lakhs and the coveted Main Event Gold Medal, a victory for the history books – but the Golden Rush served up some of the night’s most nail-biting moments, complete with last-second leaderboard shuffles, career breakthroughs, and one player’s razor-thin leap to make that National Poker Champion showdown in Goa!

If anyone was flying in stealth mode during this year`s NPS, it was Vikram ‘poker_lover’ Mishra. A well-known name in the domestic online circuit and the NPS India 2023 Podium Leaderboard topper from Darbhanga, Mishra entered the final day with a solid NPS history behind him—nine medals, including four Golds and a fourth-place finish in the NPS India 2022 Main Event worth a whopping ₹13.99 Lakhs.

But he had been surprisingly quiet at this year’s NPS, competing in 135 events and cashing in 62, yet missing that crucial final table appearance. Until last night, that is. In a stunning turn of events, on the very last night of the series, everything changed.

From a monstrous 8,635-entry field (5,248 unique), 996 survivors from those nine qualifying flights returned for the final day of the Golden Rush. After just over 8.5 hours of tense play, Mishra wasn’t just on the final table—he went all the way, striking Gold and ₹6.02 Lakhs in prize money, courtesy of a four-way deal.

This was his one and only final table appearance of the entire series—and he made it count. The win gave him his fifth NPS Gold Medal (surprisingly his first this series), extending his overall medal tally to 10 and reaffirming his place among the most decorated NPS performers. Mishra finished #4 on the Bihar State Leaderboard, although that state leaderboard topper Abhijeet ‘ERROR404’ Kumar didn’t make the 12-player cut.

Mishra was a multi-tasking maestro, playing in both mega finales and also notching a 236th-place finish in the NPS#191 Main Event, adding ₹66,000 to his haul. His Monday resurgence added a strong ₹6.68 Lakhs to his poker chest.

Vikram Mishra’s NPS stats: Finished #4 on the Bihar State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 5 Gold, 4 Silver & 1 Bronze | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹88.22 Lakhs

While Mishra’s win was a stunning comeback, Delhi’s Rahul ‘pokerdolt’ Lal cooked up his brand of late-game magic. The 2024 NPS#14 (6-Max) SPRINT Gold Medallist hadn’t been a major presence in this year’s NPS, entering only 21 events and cashing in six.

But when the pressure was on, Lal delivered. He might not have grabbed another Gold, but his deep run in the Golden Rush landed him his first-ever Silver Medal and a personal best on PokerBaazi – a hefty ₹7.12 Lakhs, the lion’s share from that same four-way deal. It was also his second-biggest score ever, trailing only his podium finish in The Millionaire on Spartan Poker in 2020.

Rahul Lal’s NPS stats: Finished #43 on the Delhi State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Gold & 1 Silver | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹12.61 Lakhs

The night’s most nerve-wracking storyline centred around Zarvan ‘MomSaid5Bet’ Tumboli, PokerBaazi Team Pro and the live tournament crusher from Mumbai. And yet, despite all his accolades, Monday night was not about titles or payouts—it was about one medal. One finish. One final chance to represent Maharashtra at the National Poker Champion face-off in Goa. And this poker superstar delivered.

Entering the final night, the Maharashtra State Leaderboard was locked in a dead heat. Tumboli and Gopal Bajaj were tied at 30 points, but Bajaj held the advantage due to a superior Gold Medal count (2 Golds and 2 Silvers). He also had chips in both the Main Event and Golden Rush, while Tumboli’s fate rested solely on the Golden Rush.

The math was brutal: Tumboli had to finish at least third in the Golden Rush to overtake Bajaj. As the hands played out, every elimination tightened the stakes. Bajaj cashed in both events, but no medals meant no shift in the standings.

The pressure on Tumboli was immense, but he had a legion of supporters cheering him on, and, ever the showman, he kept everyone updated on social media with every all-in, every crucial hand! And, as if guided by fate, Tumboli conjured a miracle, landing in third place in the Golden Rush – the exact position he needed to claim the top spot on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard. His podium finish awarded him ₹5.29 Lakhs, a Bronze Medal (his first Bronze and an astounding sixth medal of the series), and, most critically, the golden ticket to the NPC showdown in Goa.

This was a monumental moment, not just for Tumboli but also for PokerBaazi, seeing their brand ambassador qualify for one of their biggest showdowns ever, vying to become India’s first-ever National Poker Champion. Expect that cheering section to follow him all the way!

Tumboli’s NPS journey was the stuff of legends. He committed to the entire grind just a day before the series began, admitting it was his first time tackling such a demanding online schedule. And he lived up to his word – he astonishingly played all 191 events. But the results are even more astounding. He cashed in 115 events, made seven final tables, and medaled in six – making him one of only two players to collect six medals this year, the other being Snehil Aggarwal (who will be joining him at the NPC showdown in Goa!).

A true force in the live MTT arena—with this incredible performance, he’s firmly made his case as one of India’s most well-rounded players, period! Perhaps this will inspire this poker icon, who also won the 2023 People’s Poker Championship title, to grace the online felt more often.

All eyes will now be on him as he joins some of the biggest names in the game for the NPC showdown in Goa – especially with live poker being his dominant domain. His current form, his discipline, and his sheer volume make him a serious contender for the National Poker Champion title. Still, regardless of the result, this down-to-the-wire NPC qualification was undoubtedly one of the most dramatic comebacks of the series.

Zarvan Tumboli’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52, PokerStars India and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.08 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹34.66 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1 | Finishes #1 on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard | Finishes #5 on the NPC Leaderboard | Finishes #17 on the NPS Series Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Gold, 4 Silver & 1 Bronze | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹48.89 Lakhs | Moves to #14 on PokerBaazi’s 2025 POY Leaderboard

Ambika ‘IronThrone’ Chowdhury, a consistent mid-stakes player, also struck Gold – or at least, a very valuable shade of it – by reaching the Golden Rush final table. He was part of the same four-way deal, finishing fourth for ₹6.55 Lakhs —his best NPS score yet.

While he narrowly missed his first NPS Medal, this strong finish capped off a fantastic day. He also took third in Junglee Poker’s JK#11, adding ₹33,302 (₹10,313 in bounties), and scooped up an additional ₹375 in bounties in JK#12. All told, his Monday earnings reached at least ₹6.89 Lakhs.

The NPS#190 Golden Rush final table also featured two other long-time players, including industry veteran Kapil ‘spady’ Arora (6th for ₹2.15 Lakhs) and last month’s DPT Xpress Freezeout champion Anand Babu ‘flattery’ Pallikona (8th for ₹1.29 Lakhs).

Several other notable players finished in the top 20, including Sabur ‘sabur’ Ali (9th for ₹1 Lakh), last week’s NPS#165 Megadive finalist Nikesh ‘Durr102’ Chawla (11th for ₹1 Lakh), Arjun ‘Ar86’ Raghani(12th for ₹1 Lakh), NPS India 2025 dual medallist Varunn ‘Varunn’ Gaala (14th for ₹74,000), NPS#39 Deepdive Gold Medallist Manish ‘Thekid’ Lakhotia (16th for ₹74,000), and NPS#56 Deepdive Silver Medallist Dhrooval ’senseikid’ Verma (17th for ₹74,000).

While the NPS India 2025 concluded with two colossal finales, both these headline grabbers did see some overlays. Boasting a ₹1,150 buy-in, the NPS#190 Golden Rush was arguably the best value tournament on the entire schedule, and it delivered even more with a ₹13.65 Lakhs shortfall. All 996 Day 2 qualifiers were guaranteed at least ₹2,600, but the real money was on the final table!

Final Table Results

1. Vikram ‘poker_lover’ Mishra – ₹6,02,000*
2. Rahul ‘pokerdolt’ Lal – ₹7,12,000*
3. Zarvan ‘MomSaid5Bet’ Tumboli – ₹5,29,000*
4. Ambika ‘IronThrone’ Chowdhury – ₹6,55,000*
5. Sub1210 – ₹2,73,000
6. Kapil ‘spady’ Arora – ₹2,15,000
7. kalidass87 – ₹1,62,000
8. Anand Babu ‘flattery’ Pallikona – ₹1,29,000

*denotes a four-way deal

The Big Show – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 345

Re-entries – 263

Prize Pool – ₹30,40,000

Places Paid – 87

Monday will be a day etched forever in Indian poker history. PokerBaazi finally lowered the curtain on the colossal ₹100 Crores GTD NPS India 2025, the grand finale of a truly epic 29-day poker marathon—a non-stop, heart-pounding, adrenaline-fueled ride that delivered excitement, shattered records, and created moments that will be talked about for years. And in true NPS fashion, the final day kept that wild, untamed energy blazing until the very end. Two of the festival’s biggest events played out their dramatic final acts—the ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and the ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush—crowning champions in spectacular fashion, putting a bold exclamation point on the nation’s biggest and most generous poker festival.

But even as the NPS lights faded, the high-stakes action on PokerBaazi refused to quit. Monday roared in, keeping the grind alive for players itching for more. PokerBaazi was ready, unleashing its usual Monday lineup of flagship tournaments after a month-long break, ready to feed the grinders’ insatiable appetite.

And one player who came to feast was Pratik ‘zpAAced’ Manjrekar – the Poker Bootcamp India prodigy and EndBoss Special Edition 2023 runner-up, a name synonymous with consistency. Manjrekar entered 2025 like a rocket, seizing a colossal ₹11.34 Lakhs in a single night on January 8. He did it with a fourth-place finish in Natural8 India’s The Weekender 50, plus back-to-back wins in PokerBaazi’s WTF and Pocket52’s Pocket Rockets. And, because why not, he conquered Junglee Poker’s Thursday Mini Highroller the very next day. That blistering start was a prelude to a profitable, persistent, and rock-steady run from one of India’s most reliable crushers.

Manjrekar rode into NPS India 2025 with purpose, his eyes fixed on Gold. Last Saturday, that ambition became reality. In the NPS#180 Knockout (PKO), he delivered a knockout performance, earning his first-ever NPS Gold Medal with authority. But last night cemented his place in the history books, adding not just another score but a whole chapter to his growing legend.

Manjrekar’s incredible Monday night run began in the ₹30 Lakhs GTD The Big Show. After a grueling eight-plus hours in the 8 PM flagship, he practically sailed through a field of 608 entries (345 unique), seizing the title for ₹4.20 Lakhs after a three-way deal —his sixth-largest score on the platform. This was also his sixth title of the year and his third on PokerBaazi in 2025.

However, Manjrekar’s crowning achievement of the night came just 15 minutes later, and it was legendary. As he was wrapping up his victory in The Big Show, he was simultaneously battling for poker immortality in the ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and locked in a stunning third-place finish, collecting a monstrous ₹60.64 Lakhs after another three-way deal (those three-way deals seemed to be following Manjrekar around!)—along with the prestigious NPS Bronze Medal. This score was his second-biggest career cash and his second-ever seven-figure payday on the platform. It also earned him his second medal of the series, his third career Bronze, and his fourth overall NPS medal.

By the time the dust settled, Manjrekar’s Monday winnings had skyrocketed to a breathtaking ₹64.84 Lakhs, making it the second most profitable night of his career, second only to his unforgettable EndBoss runner-up finish. This phenomenal performance also pushed Manjrekar past the ₹5 Crore milestone in tracked online earnings, and he also crossed ₹1 Crore in annual earnings! It was a night of milestones, a Monday for the ages for this Mumbai-based star!

> 3rd in PokerBaazi’s NPS#191 Main Event for ₹60,64,242* (three-way deal)

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show for ₹4,19,668* (three-way deal)

Pratik Manjrekar’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹5.31 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.51 Crores | Titles Won in 2025: #6 (across all platforms) | Finished #17 on the Maharashtra State Leaderboard | NPS Medals Won: 1 Gold & 3 Bronze | Lifetime NPS Winnings: ₹83.62 Lakhs | Moves to #15 on PokerBaazi’s 2025 POY Leaderboard

While Manjrekar celebrated a phenomenal day, another familiar face was right there with him in The Big Show—Anmol ‘airball’ Narang. A former The Millionaire champion, Narang entered the session fresh off a final table appearance in the NPS#164 (PLO-6) Knockout (PKO) last week, his eyes fixed on his first win of 2025 and a potential second The Big Show title. He came dangerously close, eventually finishing as the runner-up—but he didn’t go home disappointed. Narang pocketed a solid ₹3.41 Lakhs from the deal, his third-largest score on the platform and second-biggest of the year so far.

And to put a cherry top, Narang also cashed in the NPS#191 Main Event, finishing 329th for ₹56,000. This boosted his total Monday haul to over ₹3.97 Lakhs.

Anmol Narang’s online stats (PokerBaazi, Adda52 and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹4.93 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹70.78 Lakhs

Rahul ‘heisenberg9’ Rajpoot, a true PokerBaazi loyalist, came incredibly close to clinching his second win of the year in The Big Show (he won the (6-Max) SPRINT last month). Fighting through a tough field, Rajpoot eventually finished third and collected ₹2.93 Lakhs from that same three-way deal. He didn’t stop there, though. Rajpoot also finished 15th in The Big Show Lite, picking up an additional ₹11,761. All told, his Monday grind added nearly ₹3.05 Lakhs to his poker bank, almost doubling his platform profits.

Rahul Rajpoot’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹48.54 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹6.47 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

The Big Show final table was stacked, featuring the usual suspects like recent NPS#189 Afterparty finalist Sandeep ‘Effuno’ Varma RS (4th for ₹1.85 Lakhs), NPS#25 (PLO-4) Gold Medallist Arunav ‘Frankie08’ Mittal (6th for ₹1.13 Lakhs), and Jyotindra ‘JacksPaaro’ Dubey (8th for ₹73,568).

With the NPS India 2025 epic finales drawing massive participation and attracting a huge audience of railbirds, PokerBaazi was the destination. A large part of that traffic spilt into the ₹5,750 buy-in The Big Show, which generated a guarantee-surpassing ₹30.40 Lakhs prize pool. With the top 87 players making the money and payouts starting at ₹10,336, the action was relentless from the first shuffle to the final river, and the community is already buzzing with anticipation for what PokerBaazi has in store next after the NPS!

Final Table Results

1. Pratik ‘zpAAced’ Manjrekar – ₹4,19,668*
2. Anmol ‘airball’ Narang – ₹3,41,473*
3. Rahul ‘heisenberg9’ Rajpoot – ₹2,92,827*
4. Sandeep ‘Effuno’ Varma RS – ₹1,84,832
5. KharbandaRajat – ₹1,36,496
6. Arunav ‘Frankie08’ Mittal – ₹1,13,088
7. 4betpika – ₹92,416
8. Jyotindra ‘JacksPaaro’ Dubey – ₹73,568

*denotes a three-way deal

The Big Show Lite – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,000

Entries – 446

Re-entries – 305

Prize Pool – ₹13,06,740

Places Paid – 111

The poker firestorm at PokerBaazi is still raging! Just as the monumental NPS India 2025 wrapped up his record-shattering run with the colossal ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and the ever-popular ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush finales, there was barely a moment to catch a breath. Monday night arrived, with it, the return of the beloved flagship tournaments!

One of those returning favourites, the ₹10 Lakhs GTD The Big Show Lite, saw the battlefield erupt just past twilight at 7:30 PM. The call was heard far and wide, drawing a crowd of 446 players (the field expanding to a staggering 751 entries)—the digital felt practically overflowing. From this fiery clash, which stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, one player reigned supreme: Nishant ‘madcat’ Lakhotia.

Lakhotia’s journey on PokerBaazi has been one of persistence and a quiet presence since March 2022. He’d tasted victory elsewhere, winning an IOPC title on Spartan Poker in 2023, a memory now 21 months in the past. He’d come so close on PokerBaazi, knocking on the door repeatedly. Last November, he had those dual final table appearances in The Endeavour (4th) and The Endeavour Lite (2nd). He followed that up with another runner-up finish in The Endeavour Lite the following week. He also has a podium finish in Big PLO-5 in January. He was clearly due for a win, which finally arrived last night!

It took a little over six and a half hours of pure poker prowess. Lakhotia navigated a field brimming with familiar faces and eager challengers, and he did it all on a single entry. That’s the kind of performance that earns you a site-high ₹2 Lakhs and, at long last, that first coveted flagship title on PokerBaazi after almost three years of the grind!

Nishant Lakhotia’s online stats (PokerBaazi and Spartan Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹1.08 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹8.36 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1

Right on Lakhotia’s tail was Shivendra ‘onewhoknocks5’ Kumar, a name you might recognize from his The Pride Lite win in January. He came back swinging, putting on a powerful Monday performance. After firing three bullets, his runner-up finish in The Big Show Lite added a sweet ₹1.31 Lakhs to his bankroll – his second-biggest payday to date. A small, yet significant, dent in those previous losses.

Shivendra Kumar’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹19.09 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #4

The Big Show Lite final table also spotlighted other regulars like Biplob ‘hellhell’ Rana (3rd for ₹96,699), last night’s Adda52 Iron Man runner-up on a roll Amit ‘quark’ Kaushik (5th for ₹62,070), Shubham ‘SilentMSD3’ Badjatya (6th for ₹50,179), and Natansh ‘Evilbunny36’ Basandra (8th for ₹28,879).

The echoes of the NPS India were still reverberating, and those monster finales got a great crowd to play. The PokerBaazi flagships were greeted like returning heroes, and the ₹2,000 buy-in The Big Show Lite proved the point! The prize pool didn’t just surpass the guarantee; it demolished it, ballooning to a mouthwatering ₹13.06 Lakhs – a staggering 30% over the promised amount! This created a feeding frenzy, with 111 players getting their share of the spoils. Even a min-cash was a not-too-shabby ₹4,704. It was a Monday night for the record books, providing the perfect encore to the historic run of NPS India 2025. Records were shattered, legends were made, and the action kept flowing.

Final Table Results

1. Nishant ‘madcat’ Lakhotia – ₹1,99,931
2. Shivendra ‘onewhoknocks5’ Kumar – ₹1,30,674
3. Biplob ‘hellhell’ Rana – ₹96,699
4. genjji – ₹75,007
5. Amit ‘quark’ Kaushik – ₹62,070
6. Shubham ‘SilentMSD3’ Badjatya – ₹50,179
7. tiger75 – ₹39,333
8. Natansh ‘Evilbunny36’ Basandra – ₹28,879

‘razalgul’ won the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance for ₹1.54 Lakhs.

Ashutosh ‘predictkar’ Paibhale (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD PLO-5 Boost for ₹41,740), Manish ‘KHATIDRAGON’ Jangid (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Afternoon Boost for ₹37,110), ‘realpsycho’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD PLO-6 Daily for ₹17,950), ‘missmaisel’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Evening SPRINT for ₹17,550), ‘vinono’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD 6-Max SPRINT for ₹13,020), and ‘kissmyaxe’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Boost for ₹10,460) won the other Monday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

‘mightyaj’ won the ₹4 Lakhs GTD JK#11 for ₹86,745.

‘sportfire44975837’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD JK#12 for ₹36,920), ‘tipal.x’ (Won ₹80K GTD JK#10 for ₹22,043), and ‘monteee’ (Won ₹60K GTD Hangover for ₹11,712) won the other Monday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Iron Man – ₹8 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,750

Entries – 114

Re-entries – 86

Re-buys – 3

Prize Pool – ₹8,00,000

Places Paid – 31

Monday wasn’t just about the epic conclusion of the NPS India 2025! Over at Adda52, the tables were blazing, and Mumbai’s online regular, Karan ‘karannthakker’ Thakker, seized the spotlight, finally snapping his 2025 title dry spell. After a tantalizing third-place finish in January’s Head Shot Bounty, Thakker made his Monday grind really count, conquering the ₹8 Lakhs GTD Iron Man for the first time!

With PokerBaazi hosting the monumental finales of the ₹10 Crores GTD NPS#191 Main Event and the ₹1 Crore GTD NPS#190 Golden Rush, along with its usual Monday lineup, other platforms felt the squeeze! The 8 PM Iron Man experienced a glaring ₹3.31 Lakhs overlay, with only 114 players (203 total entries) jumping into the primetime fray! It was a value explosion, and nobody detonated it quite like Thakker. He finally ended a title drought that had haunted him since his WPT#65 Superstack victory in December, claiming the top prize of ₹1.59 Lakhs—his biggest score of the year and third-largest overall!

But that’s not all. Thakker also powered his way to the final table of the 7 PM Daily Deep Dive, finishing third for ₹17,287 (₹7,438 in bounties). It was a Monday power surge, with over ₹1.76 Lakhs flowing into his accounts. This mid-stakes master is back in the game and playing to win.

> 1st in Adda52’s IronMan for ₹1,59,027

> 3rd in Adda52’s Daily Deep Dive for ₹17,287* (₹7,438 in bounties)

Karan Thakker’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹79.14 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹36.61 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2025: #1 | Annual Winnings: ₹6.63 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹2.53 Lakhs

Also in the mix was Kurukshetra’s poker dynamo, Amit ‘ragingbull’ Kaushik, who’s playing like a man possessed. After a red-hot March – winning the Godfather and grabbing a Bronze Medal in the NPS#32 (PLO-5) Megadive – Kaushik wasted no time adding another feather to his cap by conquering The Mint for the second time last week.

Living up to his “ragingbull” moniker, the two-time Adda52 Millions champion stormed the Iron Man field. Burning for another victory to fuel his ongoing rampage, Kaushik locked up second place, adding a sweet ₹1.18 Lakhs to his growing fortune. With three more deep runs across various platforms, including a final table appearance in The Big Show Lite, his Monday earnings soared to almost ₹2.31 Lakhs. This blistering streak pushed his tracked online winnings past the mind-blowing ₹9 Crore milestone!

> 2nd in Adda52’s Iron Man for ₹1,17,787

> 5th in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show Lite for ₹62,070

> 498th in PokerBaazi’s NPS#191 Main Event for ₹45,000

> 24th in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) AfternoonBoost for ₹6,000

Amit Kaushik’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹9.01 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.21 Crores | Titles Won in 2025: #3 | Annual Winnings: ₹39.44 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹6.39 Lakhs

The Iron Man final table was teeming with regs on hot streaks. It included Saturday’s Head Shot Bounty champion and yesterday’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost victor Manish ‘musalman’ Jangid (4th for ₹64,619), the NPS#23 Knockout (PKO) and NPS#157 Megadive Silver Medallist Shravan ‘sweatmyass13’ Chhabria (5th for ₹35,450), Akhil ‘ajocool’ Jain (7th for ₹26,257), and sports entrepreneur Siddharth ‘gabandheer’ Pandey (8th for ₹19,448).

The ₹2,750 buy-in Iron Man was a goldmine of added value for the players, falling a whopping ₹3.31 Lakhs short of its ₹8 Lakhs guarantee. With that juicy overlay, it was a feast for the field, with the top 31 finishers sharing the prize pool—even a min-cash was worth a sweet ₹8,701, more than double the buy-in! It was the perfect way to kick off another exciting week on Adda52, and with NPS India 2025 now in the rearview mirror, the action is almost sure to heat up again on India’s longest-running online poker site!

Final Table Results

1. Karan ‘karannthakker’ Thakker – ₹1,59,027
2. Amit ‘ragingbull’ Kaushik – ₹1,17,787
3. HighrollerZ – ₹87,243
4. Manish ‘musalman’ Jangid – ₹64,619
5. nikhilmada – ₹47,862
6. Shravan ‘sweatmyass13’ Chabbria – ₹35,450
7. Akhil ‘ajocool’ Jain – ₹26,257
8. Siddharth ‘gabandheer’ Pandey – ₹19,448

‘breakneck’ (Won ₹2.75 Lakhs GTD Voyager for ₹47,636), ‘cricpoker’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Daily Deep Dive for ₹39,086), ‘rajababu131’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Nighttide DST Adda for ₹34,668), ‘cricpoker’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹22,821), ‘kirito321’ (Won ₹55K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹19,534), ‘deepak899850’ (Won ₹70K GTD Iron Man Lite for ₹15,900), and ‘realninjas795’ (Won ₹50K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹12,986) won the other Monday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

‘kantaben’ won the ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo for ₹40,200.

Spartan Poker

‘Yorker’ (Won ₹4 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹66,634), ‘Stepbro’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Spotlight for ₹52,000), ‘Yorker’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Monster Stack for ₹33,300), ‘dracerys’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Monster Turbo for ₹33,300), and ‘juggler777’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Daily Kickoff for ₹22,200) won the Monday marquees on Spartan Poker.

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