Daily Majors: Poker Veterans Ashish Ahuja & Sahil Mahboobani Top the Thursday Charts With WPT#25 HighRoller

The year’s end is upon us, and the poker world is ablaze! From the sun-soaked Bahamas to historic Prague and the neon-drenched Las Vegas strip, the live tournament scene is a whirlwind of action, with Indian pros right in the thick of it. Sriharsha Doddapaneni is leading the charge, having navigated his way to Day 2 of the colossal $50 Million GTD Super Main Event at WSOP Paradise. But the excitement isn’t confined to the felt tables; online poker is hotter than ever, with thrilling battles raging across every major platform. It’s safe to say that 2024 is going out with a bang!

Before we dive into Thursday’s online action, let’s pause to acknowledge a monumental achievement in the world of chess. The prodigious 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju has etched his name in history books by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion at the Chess World Championship in Singapore! He dethroned the reigning champion, Ding Liren, in a display of sheer brilliance in the finals. This extraordinary accomplishment fills us with pride and reminds us of the legendary Viswanathan Anand, who last held the title in 2012, with this prestigious title returning to India after 12 years!

Now, let’s turn our attention to the poker tables, where PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online crowned five more champions yesterday, including the series’ second WPT trophy winner! Guarantees were shattered, personal records were broken, and aspiring talents seized their moment in the spotlight. Over at Natural8 India, a newcomer made a splash with a hefty payday, while the usual Thursday flagships on Adda52 and Pocket52 witnessed a captivating clash of new contenders and seasoned veterans.

PokerBaazi turned up the heat with the WPT#25 HighRoller. Ashish Ahuja, the 2022 POY runner-up, broke a three-month dry spell to seize the title in a three-way deal, banking a stunning ₹13.02 Lakhs. This victory adds a WPT trophy to his collection, which already boasts a WSOP Circuit ring from 2022. But Ahuja wasn’t done yet; he jumped into two more WPT Online events, boosting his Thursday earnings to over ₹13.11 Lakhs and claiming his spot as the day’s MVP.

Trailing close behind in the WPT#25 HighRoller was poker veteran Sahil Mahboobani, who took home a whopping ₹11.16 Lakhs for his second-place finish. This wasn’t his only success of the day; he had already snagged a runner-up spot in Adda52’s Monster Turbo for ₹84,010. With two more deep runs, Mahboobani’s total earnings for the day soared to over ₹12.33 Lakhs. Meanwhile, ‘mythical‘ also landed a windfall of ₹10.77 Lakhs for finishing third, more than tripling their previous highest score and erasing all past losses.

Goa’s legal strategist and poker luminary, Ram Kakkar, entered PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack with a quiet determination and carved his way through the field to claim victory and ₹4.53 Lakhs. Narender Ahalawat finished a close second for ₹2.64 Lakhs – his second-best score on the platform, effectively erasing his past losses.

Thirupathi Reddy Palupunoori, known for his sporadic yet impactful appearances, returned to Natural8 India with a vengeance. Following his podium finish in the Daily Main Event 250 in November, Palupunoori finished fifth in the Daily Deepstack 150 for a platform-best ₹7 Lakhs. This impressive feat brings his total earnings on the platform tantalizingly close to the ₹20 Lakh mark.

Aniruddha Joshi, the entertainment streamer who consistently lights up the tables, added another accolade to his poker resume. With a Blockbuster Lite win in October, eight final tables, and countless deep runs under his belt, Joshi captured his first WPT Online title in PokerBaazi’s WPT#26 Bounty (KO). He walked away with ₹4.44 Lakhs – his third-best score of the year, bringing his total earnings from three deep runs on Thursday to over ₹4.56 Lakhs. ‘Highonyellow,‘ a familiar face on PokerBaazi, battled their way to a runner-up finish and a personal best of ₹2.65 Lakhs, making a glorious return to profitability.

PokerBaazi’s small-to-mid-stakes grinder and satellite specialist ‘boom97′ turned a ₹250 satellite entry into a life-changing score. He navigated his way to victory in the WPT#21 Turbo, the day’s opening WPT India Online event, and after a heads-up deal, walked away with a personal best ₹2.27 Lakhs – eight times his previous best score! His total winnings for Thursday climbed to over ₹2.31 Lakhs from two deep runs. The runner-up, Karan Dhir, also pocketed a career-best ₹2.35 Lakhs from the deal, swinging back into profit for the year in dramatic fashion.

Meanwhile, ‘Theboss123’ conquered PokerBaazi’s WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4 – PKO) for ₹3.35 Lakhs, while ‘AilaGaya‘ (anonymity requested) claimed the runner-up spot for ₹1.89 Lakhs.

Adda52 regular ‘damugoutham‘ had a Thursday to remember, taking down the Godfather for ₹4.53 Lakhs – their largest score on the platform and their first Adda52 title this year (fourth overall). This victory single-handedly erased past losses and propelled them back into profitability. “SPRINT King” Pradip Ghosh, fresh off his Pocket Rockets and Pocket Jacks wins on Pocket52, was in hot pursuit of his third Godfather title. While he fell short of the top spot, finishing as the runner-up for ₹3.32 Lakhs, Ghosh’s podium finish in PokerBaazi’s WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4-PKO) and three other deep runs brought his total winnings to almost ₹5.14 Lakhs.

Young Gun Shardul Parthasarathi stormed through Pocket52’s headlining events, conquering the (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo for ₹1.18 Lakhs before setting his sights on the Pocket Magnets title, which he claimed for another ₹1.77 Lakhs. By the end of his impressive run, he had added two titles and five more cashes to his poker resume, accumulating a total of ₹3.70 Lakhs. Dhaval Doshi, a familiar name on Pocket52, kept pace with Parthasarathi, finishing second in the Pocket Magnets for ₹1.24 Lakhs after a fourth-place finish in the (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo added ₹39,300 to his stack. With a small score on PokerBaazi, Doshi wrapped up his Thursday session with ₹1.68 Lakhs.

Junglee Poker witnessed an inspiring underdog story as ‘mon22222′ triumphed in the Thursday Mini Highroller (which made its return in an NLH format this week), taking home ₹2.06 Lakhs.

Thursday was a day of exceptional performances, with notable players like Parth Shah, Myron Pereira, Niteen Raj, Mohsin Shaikh, Shivam Kumar Dubey, and Kiran Mondal each conquering their respective marquee events.

Here are the Thursday highlights!

PokerBaazi

WPT#25 HighRoller – ₹1 Crore GTD

Buy-in – ₹25,000

Entries – 298

Re-entries – 184

Prize Pool – ₹1,04,78,198

Places Paid – 82

Day 5 of the ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online at PokerBaazi arrived like a loaded powder keg. With the opening flight of the WPTO#24 Mini Main Event and five other tournaments, the day promised a dizzying ₹1.90 Crores in combined guarantees. But the undeniable main attraction was the ₹1 Crore GTD WPT#25 HighRoller, a 7:30 PM showdown with a coveted WPT trophy (the second of the series!) hanging in the balance. This beast of an event drew 298 seasoned sharks (482 total entries), each ready to devour the competition.

One player, in particular, caused a stir: Ashish ‘rocky3705’ Ahuja (opted out of our tracking). A seasoned pro and 2022 POY #2, Ahuja, known for his exploits with the Goa Gators in the Pocket52 Poker Sports League Season 6, had been a rare sight online lately due to personal reasons. Still, last night marked his return to a place he knows well: the winner’s circle.

It had been a three-month stretch since his Adda52 The Mint triumph in September, but any whisper of rust fell silent as he conquered the WPT#25 HighRoller. He had made an appearance on this battleground before, closing out the 1000X#25 Thursday Prime in September as the runner-up, yet this latest stand felt like a defiant homecoming.

In the 7:30 PM headliner, Ahuja stood firm against a ferocious crowd. Nearly nine hours later—8 hours and 47 minutes, to be exact—he held every chip in play, adding a WPT trophy to his WSOP Circuit ring he won in 2022 and a blistering ₹13.02 Lakhs cash prize after a three-way deal. This wasn’t just another number on his scoreboard; it now stands as his third-best career strike, his second-highest on the platform, and the most substantial feat he has pulled off in 2024. Better yet, he went on to cash in two more WPT Online events before calling it a night, pushing his total winnings for the day past ₹13.11 Lakhs. He left the tables as the day’s top scorer and a story that will echo for a long time!

> 1st in PokerBaazi’s WPT#25 HighRoller for ₹13,01,853* (three-way deal)

> 161st in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack for ₹4,526

> 104th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#26 Bounty for ₹4,490

Then there was Sahil ‘ImHighIshove’ Mahboobani, a poker veteran who’s been in searing hot form since the month began. He kept pushing forward after winning Junglee Poker’s Blockbuster Knockout on the 1st and booking two more podium finishes in Spartan Poker’s Ignite last Saturday and Pocket52’s Pocket Rockets on Wednesday. What he did next only strengthened his aura around these tables.

Mahboobani’s near-flawless play in the WPT#25 HighRoller almost earned him the trophy. While the deal saw him finish in second place, he still walked away with a colossal ₹11.16 Lakhs. This impressive sum now ranks as his third-best score of 2024, just behind his runner-up finish in February’s AOPS Mini Main Event and his fourth-place prize in PokerBaazi’s IPM#57 Big Value in August.

But Mahboobani’s appetite for victory was far from satisfied. He had already charged into Adda52’s Monster Turbo, again taking second place for ₹84,010. And just for good measure, he slid into the money in two more events before the night was over. By the time the dust settled, he had accumulated over ₹12.33 Lakhs, a staggering amount that cemented his position as Thursday’s second-biggest winner.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#25 HighRoller for ₹11,16,427* (three-way deal)

> 2nd in Adda52’s Monster Turbo for ₹84,040

> 10th in Junglee Poker’s Thursday Mini Highroller for ₹28,203* (₹13,875 in bounties)

> 143rd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack for ₹4,526

Sahil Mahboobani’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹15.78 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹5.18 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #4 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.35 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹83.49 Lakhs

Thursday night was a career-defining for ‘mythical,‘ a player active on PokerBaazi since April 2023. They were ready to make their mark after a near miss in November’s Blockbuster (runner-up) and a fourth-place finish in last week’s Daily Last Chance. And they did just that. A phenomenal performance in the WPT#25 HighRoller earned them third place and an all-time best ₹10.77 Lakhs – topping their previous-best score over threefold. This single score was enough to erase the red ink from their previous sessions on the platform, wiping the slate clean and then some.

mythical’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹30.56 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹6.02 Lakhs

The WPT#25 HighRoller final table was brimming with formidable adversaries. POY#17 Sagar ‘BustedAA’ Raj claimed fourth place for ₹6.23 Lakhs. Sandeep ‘janspeed’ Jaiswal stepped off in fifth with ₹5.11 Lakhs. POY#8 Satyam ‘satyamverma25’ Verma locked in sixth and pocketed ₹4.21 Lakhs. Every name there carried weight, keeping the competition fierce till the very end!

With a ₹25,000 buy-in, the WPT#25 HighRoller steamrolled its initial guarantee, swelling the prize pool to a staggering ₹1.05 Crores. The top 82 finishers cashed, with even the min-cash a respectable ₹44,008. This event wasn’t just a success; it was a statement. The WPT India Online series is shaping up to be a record-breaker, and the excitement is reaching a fever pitch.

Final Table Results

1. Ashish ‘Rocky3705’ Ahuja – ₹13,01,853*
2. Sahil ‘ImHighIshove’ Mahboobani – ₹11,16,427*
3. mythical – ₹10,77,247*
4. Sagar ‘BustedAA’ Raj – ₹6,23,453
5. Sandeep ‘janspeed’ Jaiswal – ₹5,11,336
6. Satyam ‘satyamverma25’ Verma – ₹4,21,224

*denotes a three-way deal

WPT#23 Superstack – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 744

Re-entries – 644

Prize Pool – ₹30,17,512

Places Paid – 207

PokerBaazi was the epicentre of poker pandemonium Thursday, with Day 5 of the ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series turning the excitement up to eleven. Five high-octane events lit up the virtual felt, boasting a combined ₹1.90 Crores in guarantees, alongside the first flight of the ₹2 Crores GTD WPT#44 Mini Main Event.

But amidst the chaos and competition, one player emerged as a true champion – the Goan poker virtuoso and legal mastermind Ram ‘Mowgumotu’ Kakkar (opted out of our tracking). Riding high on his recent victory in Natural8 India’s GG Masters Bounty Warm Up 25, Kakkar was unstoppable. He locked onto PokerBaazi’s ₹30 Lakhs GTD WPT#23 Superstack – the second-biggest guaranteed WPT Online event of the day – and dismantled the field!

Over eight hours and twelve minutes of intense play, Kakkar navigated a guarantee-crushing field of 744 players (1,388 total entries) in the 6:30 PM flagship event. He outlasted the competition with nerves of steel and a mind sharper than his legal arguments, clutching the coveted WPT Online title and a handsome ₹4.53 Lakhs payday.

Narender ‘Char8’ Ahlawat nearly rained on Kakkar’s parade in the WPT#23 Superstack. This player, who has been grinding relentlessly on PokerBaazi for the past 1.5 years, came agonizingly close to claiming his second title of the year. His performance was spectacular, keeping Kakkar on his toes until the very end. While victory slipped through his fingers, Ahalawat, who fired five bullets in the event, still walked away with a smile and a fatter wallet, thanks to a ₹2.64 Lakhs prize – his second-best score on the platform and a much-needed boost that finally propelled him into the black on PokerBaazi.

Narender Ahlawat’s PokerBaazi’s stats: Site Winnings: ₹37.18 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹26,418 | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The WPT#23 Superstack final table was a scorcher, featuring top competitors like ‘Realfc’ (anonymity requested) (3rd for ₹1.98 Lakhs), ‘Kuldeep003’ (4th for ₹1.51 Lakhs), ‘TheIronThrone’ (5th for ₹1.19 Lakhs), Arbaaz ‘Abbc’ Ahmed (6th for ₹90,525), last month’s Tuesday Twister winner Deepankur ‘Dp179’ Gupta (7th for ₹70,308), and WPT#6 Deepstack finalist Sagar ‘sagar54’ Naik (8th for ₹54,315).

The ₹2,500 buy-in WPT#23 Superstack was a roaring success, attracting a massive crowd and swelling the prize pool to a tantalizing ₹30.18 Lakhs. The competition was cutthroat, with only the top 207 players getting a piece of the pie. Even a min-cash awarded a respectable ₹4,526, making this tournament another unforgettable chapter in the WPT India Online story.

Final Table Results

1. Ram ‘Mowgumotu’ Kakkar – ₹4,52,627
2. Narender ‘Char8’ Ahalawat – ₹2,64,032
3. Realfc – ₹1,97,647
4. Kuldeep003 – ₹1,50,876
5. TheIronThrone – ₹1,19,192
6. Arbaaz ‘Abbc’ Ahmed – ₹90,525
7. Deepankur ‘Dp179’ Gupta – ₹70,308
8. Sagar ‘sagar54’ Naik – ₹54,315

WPT#26 Bounty (KO) – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,500

Entries – 669

Re-entries – 622

Prize Pool – ₹28,06,634

Places Paid – 196

Aniruddha ‘PocketacesAJ’ Joshi. The mere mention of his name ignites a fire in the poker community these days. He’s not just an entertaining streamer; he’s a force of nature at the tables, a player on fire, much like his other streaming peers—NaveenKumar S, Jayant Alagawadi, and Rahul Kumar.

Joshi has been unstoppable since winning PokerBaazi’s Blockbuster Lite in October. He’s become a regular fixture at the top with numerous deep runs and an impressive eight final tables. But last night, under the virtual lights of the online arena, Joshi added a crowning achievement to his already stellar year—his first WPT Online title in PokerBaazi’s ₹25 Lakhs GTD WPT#26 Bounty (KO).

Imagine the scene: the 9 PM flagship event, the air thick with anticipation. A colossal field of 1,291 entries (669 unique), each player dreaming of victory. Amidst the chaos, Joshi remained an oasis of calm, navigating the gripping eight hours and 17 minutes of intense poker combat. Every raise was a calculated gamble, every call a statement of intent, every bluff a high-stakes game of deception. And when the final card fell, it was Joshi, the ultimate survivor, clutching a hefty ₹4.44 Lakhs payday (₹23,000 in bounties). This victory wasn’t just another notch on his belt; it was his third-biggest score this year, also his third-best score ever!

But that wasn’t all. Earlier in the evening, Joshi had already dipped his toes into the money, cashing in 185th place in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack for ₹4,526 and grabbing a min-cash in Pocket52’s Pocket Magnets (20th for ₹7,920). By the time he closed his last table, his Thursday winnings had skyrocketed past ₹4.56 Lakhs!

Aniruddha Joshi’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.21 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹36.44 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #8 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.09 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹24.86 Lakhs

Meanwhile, another player was making waves in the WPT#26 Bounty (KO). ‘Highonyellow,‘ a familiar face on PokerBaazi since 2017, was hungry for their first title of the year. They fought like a lion, clawing their way to the final table. Victory seemed within reach, but fate had other plans. Despite falling just short, their runner-up finish and a personal-best ₹2.65 Lakhs (₹12,000 in bounties) was a sweet consolation. This impressive performance brought them back into the black, adding a fresh spark to their poker journey.

Highonyellow’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹9.59 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹2.11 Lakhs

The WPT#26 Bounty (KO) final table was stacked with top-tier talent, including the ever-dangerous Dhinesh ‘dhineshrocky007’ Kumar (3rd for ₹2 Lakhs), Shubham ‘turramkhan17’ Agrawal (4th for ₹1.56 Lakhs), Wednesday’s Daily Morning SPRINT finalist Divya ‘Dr19sidhu’ Raushan (5th for ₹1.14 Lakhs), and the always-consistent Lavesh ‘upay4myweed98’ Meena (6th for ₹94,006)!

The ₹3,500 WPT#26 Bounty (KO) shattered its ₹25 Lakhs guarantee, generating a lucrative ₹28.07 Lakhs prize pool. The top 196 finishers walked away with at least ₹4,491, but in the end, Aniruddha Joshi stole the show, adding his name to the illustrious roster of WPT India Online champions!

Final Table Results (Including Bounties)

1. Aniruddha ‘PocketacesAJ’ Joshi – ₹4,43,995
2. Highonyellow – ₹2,64,597
3. Dhinesh ‘dhineshrocky007’ Kumar – ₹2,00,009
4. Shubham ‘turramkhan17’ Agrawal – ₹1,56,138
5. Divya ‘Dr19sidhu’ Raushan – ₹1,14,265
6. Lavesh ‘upay4myweed98’ Meena – ₹94,006
7. chesam – ₹74,798
8. Element19 – ₹64,361

WPT#21 Turbo – ₹20 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 483

Re-entries – 416

Prize Pool – ₹20,00,000

Places Paid – 138

Thursday was a red-letter day for ‘boom97’ on PokerBaazi. This dedicated grinder, who has been sharpening their skills on the platform since May 2020, finally achieved a breakthrough victory by taking down the ₹20 Lakhs GTD WPT#21 Turbo—the Day 5 opener of the ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series.

The road to this win wasn’t paved with roses for ‘boom97.’ A satellite specialist who usually frequents the small to mid-stakes games, ‘boom97’ had been tirelessly chasing a title since their last win in the Daily Morning SPRINT in June. They came close, oh so close, several times—making final tables in the Boost and Daily Morning SPRINT and just missing out in the (6-Max) SPRINT earlier this month—but each near miss only strengthened their resolve. They entered this WPT Online event with a point to prove, and they had a secret weapon: a seat won from a ₹250 satellite.

And ‘boom97’ made the most of this opportunity. The Turbo tournament, which kicked off at 4 PM, turned into a 7.5-hour roller-coaster. A field of 899 entries (483 unique) created a high-octane environment where chips flew back and forth at a dizzying pace. The energy was electric, and epic comebacks seemed to happen every other hand. But through all the chaos, ‘boom97’ remained laser-focused.

Against all odds, ‘boom97’ not only weathered the storm but emerged as the champion, claiming a personal-best ₹2.27 Lakhs after a heads-up deal – and over 906 times return on their satellite buy-in and an astounding eight times their previous best score! Their day had already started on a high note with a deep run in the Daily Morning SPRINT, which brought their total Thursday winnings to over ₹2.31 Lakhs.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#21 Turbo for ₹2,26,631* (heads-up deal)

> 10th in PokerBaazi’s Daily Morning SPRINT for ₹4,050

boom97’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹7.44 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹1.58 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2

But ‘boom97’ wasn’t the only star of the WPT#21 Turbo. Karan ‘Pandya69’ Dhir, who first burst onto the PokerBaazi MTT scene in January 2023, also delivered a captivating performance. Coming off a final table finish in the Evening SPRINT last Thursday, Dhir was on a mission to capture his third title of the year. He fired two bullets in the WPT#21 Turbo and came within a whisker of victory, eventually finishing as the runner-up. Still, the ₹2.35 Lakhs he took home from the deal represented his best score on the platform, surpassing the ₹1.98 Lakhs he won from a similar heads-up deal in The Pride in January and swinging him back into profit for the year!

Karan Dhir’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹17.72 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹5.13 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹10.64 Lakhs | Annual Profits: ₹81,379

The final table of the WPT#21 Turbo was stacked with notables like last month’s The Big Show finalist Nitesh ‘batmanpok’ Katiyar (3rd for ₹1.86 Lakhs), recent Sunday Head Hunter finalist Varun ‘omniknight’ Meena (4th for ₹1.14 Lakhs), Wednesday`s Pocket Rockets champion and (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo runner-up Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover (5th for ₹92,200), Pranav ‘MeenakshiSundareshwar’ Khandalkar (7th for ₹54,000), and Nikhil ‘inikhil’ Bhandari (8th for ₹40,000).

With a ₹45,574 overlay, the WPT#21 Turbo was a value-packed event. The ₹2,500 buy-in tournament saw the top 138 finishers walk away with at least ₹4,000, adding another exciting chapter to the WPT India Online story!

Final Table Results

1. boom97 – ₹2,26,631*
2. Karan ‘Pandya69’ Dhir – ₹2,35,208*
3. Nitesh ‘batmanpok’ Katiyar – ₹1,85,761
4. Varun ‘omniknight’ Meena – ₹1,14,200
5. Surbhit ‘grovahova’ Grover – ₹92,200
6. averagestudent – ₹71,800
7. Pranav ‘MeenakshiSundareshwar’ Khandalkar – ₹54,000
8. Nikhil ‘inikhil’ Bhandari – ₹40,000

*denotes a heads-up deal

‘Theboss123’ won the ₹15 Lakhs GTD WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4 – PKO) for ₹3.35 Lakhs.

WPT India Online Leaderboard Standings – Day 5

‘bigusdikus’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹27,558), ‘kunuthurutheja’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Morning SPRINT for ₹25,222), Parth ‘PapuLasith’ Shah (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD 7-Max SPRINT for ₹20,250), ‘Onix’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD (PLO-6) Daily for ₹25,305), ‘Addoshi88798588’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Midnight SPRINT for ₹12,750), ‘bigusdikus’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD 6-Max SPRINT for ₹12,473) won the other Thursday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

Thursday Mini Highroller – ₹8 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹6,900

Entries – 167

Total Prize Pool – ₹10,02,000

Regular Prize Pool – ₹5,01,000

Bounty Prize Pool – ₹5,01,000

Places Paid – 17

Last night, an unexpected hero emerged from the depths of Junglee Poker’s virtual battleground. ‘mon22222’ stole the show with a stunning victory in the ₹8 Lakhs GTD Thursday Mini Highroller, which returned in an NLH format this time!

This was no cakewalk. The 8 PM tournament attracted a fierce lineup of 167 runners, leading to a gruelling seven-hour and 17-minute war. ‘mon22222’ played with a fearless combination of skill, determination, and cunning aggression, transforming into a true bounty hunter. They conquered the competition, seizing the title and a sizzling ₹2.06 Lakhs payday, with a staggering ₹1.16 Lakhs of that coming from bounties alone!

The race for the top spot was a nail-biter, with ‘lleo03’ putting up a serious challenge. Resurfacing after a podium finish in the VS#28 Tuesday Phoenix during October’s Victory Showdown series, they battled fiercely in the Thursday Mini Highroller. But despite their best efforts, they had to settle for a respectable second-place finish, walking away with ₹1.36 Lakhs (₹46,055 in bounties).

Meanwhile, Kovid ‘n5clockend’ Saraswat, captain of the Goa Gators in Pocket52 PSL Season 6, once again proved his poker prowess. Known for his consistency and never-give-up attitude, Saraswat had been on the hunt for a win since his heartbreaking back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Sunday Special Knockout and Adda52 Millions last month. Since then, he’s been a constant threat, with near misses in flagship tournaments like PokerBaazi’s WTF and Junglee Poker’s Blockbuster Highroller and Blockbuster Knockout.

Last night, Saraswat set his sights on the Thursday Mini Highroller, determined to grab that elusive first-place finish finally. Despite a strong performance, victory remained just out of reach. He finished in a commendable third place, adding ₹72,422 (₹11,250 in bounties) to his bankroll. But that wasn’t all! Saraswat went on to make three more deep runs across different platforms, boosting his total Thursday winnings to over ₹1.40 Lakhs.

> 3rd in Junglee Poker’s Thursday Mini Highroller for ₹72,422* (₹11,250 in bounties)

> 68th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#25 HighRoller for ₹44,008

> 27th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#26 Bounty (KO) for ₹16,717

> 15th in Adda52’s Monster Turbo for ₹7,150

Kovid Saraswat’s online stats (excluding Junglee Poker, Natural8 India and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹5.32 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.49 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #9 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.19 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹62.65 Lakhs

The Thursday Mini Highroller final table also featured the legendary POY #12 Sashank ‘TheTamizhDurrr’ Chakravarthy, who had already conquered this event last month. This time, Chakravarthy finished in fifth place, netting ₹81,170 (₹44,297 in bounties). But his night didn’t end there. He continued his hot streak with deep runs in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack and WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4-PKO), pushing his total winnings for Thursday to over ₹2.23 Lakhs.

The ₹6,900 buy-in Thursday Mini Highroller was a scorcher, smashing its guarantee and generating a tempting ₹10.02 Lakhs prize pool. This meant even more excitement, with the top 17 finishers sharing the ₹5.01 Lakhs cash prize pool. And with a separate ₹5.01 Lakhs bounty pool up for grabs, players were rewarded for every elimination, keeping the action intense and the chips flying from beginning to end!

Final Table Results (Including Bounties)

1. mon22222 – ₹2,06,309
2. lleo03 – ₹1,36,084
3. Kovid ‘n5clockend’ Saraswat – ₹72,422
4. shinichi – ₹67,369
5. Sashank ‘TheTamizhDurrr’ Chakravarthy – ₹81,170
6. archer36972323 – ₹33,107

Myron ‘khAAbib’ Pereira (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD Thursday Thunder for ₹1.02 Lakhs), and ‘ProfMRK’ (Won ₹80K GTD Thursday Sunsetter for ₹17,187) won the other Thursday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Godfather – ₹25 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 225

Re-entries – 217

Rebuys – 11

Prize Pool – ₹25,00,000

Places Paid – 63

Thursday nights on Adda52 are always a rush thanks to the ₹25 Lakhs GTD Godfather, and last night was no exception. The virtual felt was ablaze with the fiery determination of 225 players (453 total entries), each with their eyes on the prize. Among them was ‘damugoutham,‘ an Adda52 regular since May 2018, determined to snag their first victory of 2024 and their fourth overall.

Against a sea of seasoned players, ‘damugoutham’ played with ice in their veins and fire in their heart. After eight hours and 45 minutes of intense battles, they emerged triumphant in the 8 PM headliner, seizing their first-ever Godfather title and a striking ₹4.53 Lakhs – their biggest win yet on Adda52, eclipsing their previous best score by over three times! This victory wasn’t just a win; it was a resurrection, blasting ‘damugoutham’ back into the green and wiping out past losses in one fell swoop.

damugoutham’s Adda52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹8.10 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹2.32 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

But the road to the top was far from easy. In the final heads-up showdown, ‘damugoutham’ faced the red-hot “SPRINT King” Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh, fresh off conquering Pocket52’s Pocket Rockets and Pocket Jacks along with a string of solid finishes. Ghosh, a force to be reckoned with, was gunning for his third Godfather title and his first Adda52 victory since his November MMA Mini Highroller 6-Max triumph. The tension was palpable as these two clashed, but in the end, ‘damugoutham’ prevailed, leaving Ghosh to settle for a still-impressive ₹3.32 Lakhs runner-up prize.

Earlier in the evening, Ghosh had already been making waves at PokerBaazi’s WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4-PKO), where he flexed his PLO muscles and finished third for ₹1.24 Lakhs (₹13,312 in bounties).

‘Theboss123’ reigned supreme in the WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4-PKO), conquering the 656-entry field (262 unique) and claiming a hefty ₹3.35 Lakhs (₹1.10 Lakhs in bounties), the lion’s share from the ₹19.97 Lakhs prize pool. ‘AilaGaya’ (anonymity requested) finished runner-up for ₹1.89 Lakhs (₹39,865 in bounties).

By the end of the night, Ghosh had racked up almost ₹5.14 Lakhs in total winnings with five deep runs across platforms!

> 2nd in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹3,32,197

> 3rd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#22 Bounty (PLO4-PKO) for ₹1,24,462* (₹13,312 in bounties)

> 75th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#25 HighRoller for ₹44,008

> 75th in PokerBaazi’s WPT#26 Bounty for ₹8,736

> 123rd in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack for ₹4,526

Pradip Ghosh’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹8.75 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.71 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #18 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.33 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹79.65 Lakhs | Ranked #16 in the 2024 TLB (Points) Leaderboard Standings

The Godfather final table was a battlefield stacked with big names and accomplished players! Among the notables were recent Big Whale finalist Aditya ‘Beware67’ Kesharwani (3rd for ₹2.43 Lakhs), Sunday’s MMA Highroller finalist Lakshya ‘luckybossipl’ Dawra (4th for ₹1.78 Lakhs), recent WPT#11 Megastack finalist and last months The Endeavour winner Abilash ‘steelbala’ Bala (6th for ₹1.31 Lakhs), former IOPC The Crown champion Saurabh ‘saurabh21’ Rohila (6th for ₹95,897), and Wednesday’s WPT#20 Superstack finalist Bharat ‘rungooserun’ Vasan (7th for ₹70,292).

The ₹5,750 buy-in Godfather had its surprises, including a ₹2.35 Lakhs overlay, which meant even more value for the top 63 players. Each of them walked away with at least ₹12,631 – more than doubling their initial buy-in, capping off another electrifying night of poker action on India’s longest-running poker site.

Final Table Results

1. damugoutham – ₹4,53,203
2. Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh – ₹3,32,197
3. Aditya ‘Beware67’ Kesharwani – ₹2,43,499
4. Lakshya ‘luckybossipl’ Dawra – ₹1,78,484
5. Abilash ‘steelbala’ Bala – ₹1,30,829
6. Saurabh ‘saurabh21’ Rohila – ₹95,897
7. Bharat ‘rungooserun’ Vasan – ₹70,292
8. Championsharma – ₹51,524

Niteen ‘niteenplus’ Raj (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD Monster Turbo for ₹91,981), Mohsin ‘gongo’ Shaikh (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Godfather Lite for ₹38,688), ‘raksha121’ (Won ₹50K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹18,895), ‘sandy123890’ (Won ₹50K GTD Sundown Adda for ₹16,301), ‘Rjthegod’ (Won ₹30K GTD Freeze Out Adda for ₹12,536), and ‘tripin’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹10,765) won the other Thursday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

Pocket Magnets – ₹8 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹3,300

Entries – 154

Re-entries – 112

Prize Pool – ₹8,00,000

Places Paid – 20

Shardul ‘user1687448220’ Parthasarathi – the name alone strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents. And last night, this Young Gun showed exactly why he’s considered a poker predator among his peers, accomplishing what Surbhit Grover narrowly missed the night before: conquering both of Pocket52’s marquee tournaments.

This isn’t just any player we’re talking about. Parthasarathi is a poker phenomenon, a pro player and coach who’s rapidly ascending the ranks of poker royalty. He’s the same poker prodigy who crushed the ₹1.50 Crore GTD Azadi Series Main Event in August, a victory that cemented his place as Junglee Poker’s all-time top winner.

Ever since returning from an action-packed trip to APT Phu Quoc 2024, Parthasarathi has been tearing up the online felt, with scores piling up almost daily. Just this week, he’s already reached the final table of four WPT Online events on PokerBaazi, including a third-place finish in WPT#8 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo on Monday and a near-miss second place in WPT#12 (6-Max) Hyper Turbo on Tuesday.

But last night, Parthasarathi orchestrated a symphony of poker brilliance. He didn’t just win – he dominated. He carved his initials into two championship banners and added five deep runs for good measure, racking up a handsome ₹3.70 Lakhs in winnings along the way.

His first conquest of the night was the ₹5 Lakhs GTD (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo on Pocket52. Parthasarathi sliced through the 255-entry field (145 unique) in the 7 PM marquee like a hot knife through butter, ultimately grabbing the ₹1.18 Lakhs top prize after stubbornly firing six bullets.

But this was just the warm-up act. Parthasarathi then set his sights on the platform’s ₹8 Lakhs GTD Pocket Magnets and proceeded to lay waste to the 266-strong (154 unique) field. After nearly eight hours of intense poker action in the 8 PM flagship event, Parthasarathi emerged again as the champion, adding another ₹1.77 Lakhs to his overflowing coffers.

Parthasarathi’s top Thursday achievements include:

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

> 1st in Pocket52’s (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo for ₹1,17,650

> 81st in PokerBaazi’s WPT#25 HighRoller for ₹44,008

> 29th in Adda52’s Godfather for ₹15,593

Shardul Parthasarathi’s online stats (excluding Pocket52, Natural8 India and Junglee Poker): Lifetime Winnings: ₹12.71 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹3.88 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #12 | Annual Winnings: ₹2.39 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹68.34 Lakhs

Dhaval ‘Faizal1506’ Doshi, a Pocket52 regular and recent Pocket Kings champion, also had a night to remember. He locked up second place behind Parthasarathi in the Pocket Magnets for ₹1.24 Lakhs, hot on the heels of a fourth-place finish in the (7-Max) Deepstack Turbo for ₹39,300. Throw in a min-cash in PokerBaazi’s WPT#23 Superstack (192nd for ₹4,526), and Doshi walked away with a sweet ₹1.68 Lakhs for the day!

The Pocket Magnets also saw solid final table finishes by Shagun ‘icansuckout’ Jain (3rd for ₹79,760), the hot-running poker streamer Rahul ‘Rahulskul’ Kumar (5th for ₹44,320), Mintu ‘Mintu11’ Yadav (6th for ₹35,440) and last night’s Spartan Poker Supreme podium finisher, the ever-consistent Jatin ‘patience124’ Sablani (8th for ₹23,600).

While the Pocket Magnets, with its ₹3,300 buy-in, fell short of its listed ₹8 Lakhs guarantee by ₹36,580, it still delivered exceptional value. The top 20 finishers each received a minimum of ₹7,920 – more than double their buy-in! This kind of value, combined with the thrill of the competition, is what makes Pocket52 a haven for tournament grinders.

Final Table Results

1. Shardul ‘user1687448220’ Parthasarathi – ₹1,76,720
2. Dhaval ‘Faizal1506’ Doshi – ₹1,24,000
3. Shagun ‘icansuckout’ Jain – ₹79,760
4. SoulShaker – ₹59,040
5. Rahul ‘Rahulskul’ Kumar – ₹44,320
6. Mintu ‘Mintu11’ Yadav – ₹35,440
7. DhanrajSeth – ₹29,440
8. Jatin ‘patience124’ Sablani – ₹23,600

Shardul ‘user1687448220’ Parthasarathi (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹ 1.18 Lakhs) and ‘Hayabusaa’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹40,200) won the other Thursday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

Shivam ‘SSoulShaker’ Kumar Dubey (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹57,300), ‘rahul480’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹44,400), and Kiran ‘kiran713321’ Mondal (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200) won the Thursday marquees on Spartan Poker.

Keep following PokerGuru for daily updates on the biggest winners across the major domestic networks!