Daily Majors: ‘borntrouble’ Returns in Style on Natural8 India with ₹7.03 Lakhs Haul; Puneet Dua Conquers PokerBaazi’s The Big Show

As Christmas Eve unfolds with the world eagerly anticipating Santa’s arrival, the virtual poker felts remain abuzz with action. While PokerBaazi’s ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series culminated on Sunday, Monday’s tables saw a slight dip in volume. Yet, with Natural8 India rolling out its high-stakes MTTs and Adda52’s New Year’s Carnival kicking off, the poker scene was anything but dull.

Monday’s action was headlined by the mysterious ‘borntrouble.’ After a mysterious two-month absence, the enigmatic player exploded back onto the scene at Natural8 India. This wasn’t just a casual return; they stormed the tables with not one, not two, but three deep runs, racking up an incredible ₹7.03 Lakhs in winnings!

• 43rd in Bounty Hunters HR 525 for ₹3.16 Lakhs
• 5th in Bounty Fifty Stack 54 for ₹2.40 Lakhs
• 10th in Bounty Blastoff 150 for ₹1.47 Lakhs

Puneet Dua, Co-Founder and CMO of SportsBaazi, made waves with a long-awaited return to form. Nearly nine months after his last major victory in the NPS#78 (6-Max) Hyper SPRINT, Dua clinched the top spot in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show. His victory came with a lucrative ₹4.27 Lakhs, courtesy of a heads-up deal, marking his fourth-largest win on the platform. Adding to the excitement, last Friday’s WPT#70 (PLO-4) champion, ‘phoenix7a,’ claimed the runner-up position in The Big Show. The finish earned them a career-best ₹4.04 Lakhs, a remarkable feat that not only underscores their consistency but also celebrates a return to profitability on PokerBaazi.

Ashwani Chadha finally shattered a six-week dry spell in spectacular fashion, clinching PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for a career-best ₹1.79 Lakhs. This victory also marked his maiden flagship title on the platform—a milestone moment for Chadha! Following closely behind was Nandan Pugalia, who secured second place for ₹1.18 Lakhs. Pugalia didn’t stop there; with two additional cashes, his total winnings for the day soared past ₹1.77 Lakhs. These stellar performances pushed him over the ₹1 Crore mark in recorded lifetime earnings.

Among the standout stories, PokerBaazi’s ‘Flemingo999’ struck gold by winning The Big Show Lite, claiming ₹1.44 Lakhs in prize money. This victory not only marked their first-ever PokerBaazi title but also set a personal best for their highest score yet. Close on their heels was ‘DronGhost7,’ who continued their hot streak. After a commendable sixth-place finish in Sunday’s WPT#83 SuperStack, they secured the runner-up spot in The Big Show Lite, bagging ₹1.41 Lakhs—their second-largest score to date.

Adda52’s Devils Wheel saw a dramatic showdown, with newcomer ‘ProudFlop’ emerging as the champion. This wasn’t just any victory; it was their first major title, accompanied by a life-changing ₹1.19 Lakhs payday! Sarthak Sharma put up a valiant fight, finishing second and taking home ₹88,340. This score represents his second-largest win of the year and his third-largest overall. Adding another deep run to his impressive performance, Sharma’s total winnings for the day reached ₹92,866, pushing him back into the green.

Junglee Poker’s Monday Monster lived up to its name, attracting a fierce field of competitors. But in the end, it was ‘tubhiaaja’ who emerged as the ultimate beast slayer, taking down the tournament for a roaring ₹72,515. Ajit Singh Arora finished a close second, adding a respectable ₹60,740 to his bankroll. With other cashes throughout the night, Arora’s total winnings reached a festive ₹65,257, making it a Monday to remember.

Over at Pocket52, ‘Pyaar’ conquered the Pocket Jacks tournament for a whopping ₹1.69 Lakhs.

Monday wasn’t just about a few stars—it was a night of widespread brilliance. Sachit Malik, Shreyas Mantri, Devashish Jain, Bhaumik Morzaia and Siddhant Singh all clinched victories in their respective Monday marquee events, showcasing the depth of talent lighting up the virtual felts.

Here are the Monday highlights!

PokerBaazi

The Big Show – ₹30 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹5,750

Entries – 277

Re-entries – 243

Prize Pool – ₹30,00,000

Places Paid – 77

The action-packed PokerBaazi ₹35 Crores GTD WPT India Online series wrapped up in grand style on Sunday, leaving the poker world buzzing. While Monday brought a quiet reprieve, Puneet ‘neo1’ Dua came bearing early Christmas magic, delivering a spectacular win that feels straight out of a holiday fairytale.

After a nine-month break from the winner’s circle, his last victory coming in the NPS#78 (6-Max) Hyper SPRINT, Dua made a triumphant return just in time to spread some serious festive cheer. Like a true Christmas miracle, this poker phoenix reignited his spark, stepping back into the spotlight in a big way.

The Co-Founder and CMO of SportsBaazi, Dua, delivered the perfect holiday gift to himself, taking on the ₹30 Lakhs GTD The Big Show on PokerBaazi. Battling a competitive field of 520 entries (277 unique) and enduring an intense 7.5-hour grind, Dua’s resolve shone as bright as a star atop a Christmas tree. His sensational win in this 8 PM flagship event earned him a handsome ₹4.27 Lakhs payday after a heads-up deal, his fourth-biggest score on the platform. The win also made him the second-biggest winner of the day, just behind Natural8 India user ‘borntrouble.’

Puneet Dua’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.77 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #2 | Annual Winnings: ₹68.84 Lakhs

While Dua basked in the glory of victory, another rising star, ‘phoenix7a,’ was busy making waves of their own. Fresh off a jaw-dropping win in last Friday’s WPT#70 (PLO-4), this emerging talent came heartbreakingly close to claiming The Big Show title. Despite falling just short in a fierce battle against a stacked field, ‘phoenix7a’ still had plenty to celebrate. Their runner-up finish secured a career-best payday of ₹4.04 Lakhs from the deal, returning them to profitability on PokerBaazi. ‘phoenix7a’ also picked up two additional scores in the (7-Max) Afternoon Boost (23rd for ₹6,123) and PKO (14th for ₹2,200), their Monday haul exceeding ₹4.12 Lakhs.

phoenix7a’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹12.88 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹3.47 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #2

The Big Show’s final table featured a mix of talent, including “SPRINT King” Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh (4th for ₹1.96 Lakhs), Sameer ‘tandoori’ Agarwal (5th for ₹1.36 Lakhs), Peushup ‘RoyalRelic’ Eugene (6th for ₹1.13 Lakhs), WPT#23 Superstack champion Ram ‘mowgumotu’ Kakkar (7th for ₹92,700), and Viplove ‘viplk456’ Kataria (8th for ₹74,100).

With a buy-in of ₹5,750, The Big Show fell short of its advertised guarantee by ₹4 Lakhs. But the ₹30 Lakhs prize pool still offered incredible value, with the top 77 places getting a piece of the action and the min-cash set at a generous ₹10,200 – almost twice the buy-in.

Final Table Results

1. Puneet ‘neo1’ Dua – ₹4,26,552*
2. phoenix7a – ₹4,03,548*
3. richybaba08 – ₹2,55,600
4. Pradip ‘Nit2Donk’ Ghosh – ₹1,95,600
5. Sameer ‘tandoori’ Agarwal – ₹1,36,200
6. Peushup ‘RoyalRelic’ Eugene – ₹1,13,100
7. Ram ‘mowgumotu’ Kakkar – ₹92,700
8. Viplove ‘viplk456’ Kataria – ₹74,100

*denotes a heads-up deal

Daily Last Chance – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,500

Entries – 297

Re-entries – 227

Prize Pool – ₹11,39,176

Places Paid – 82

The virtual felt at PokerBaazi was crackling with energy, a festive frenzy fueled by the ₹10 Lakhs GTD Daily Last Chance. It was like a digital Christmas Adam, and 297 players (creating 524 entries) were gathered around the virtual hearth, not for carols, but for cards.

Emerging from this yuletide poker melee was Ashwani ‘ashwan0007’ Chadha. A name that had been making the rounds in the poker community since July 2023. This was it, the moment he had been grinding for. After a nearly six-week hiatus, he was back, and boy, was it a return. In a display of sheer grit, he battled for over six hours in the 10:30 PM flagship. After firing three well-placed bullets, he hit the jackpot, a career-defining ₹1.79 Lakhs, adding a sparkly ornament to his record, a very first flagship title.

Ashwani Chadha’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹5.82 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹3.43 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

But the night had more stories to tell. Nandan ‘ragemonster’ Pugalia, a name synonymous with online poker dominance, was not going to be a silent night. He gave Chadha a run for his money, a real nail-biter that ended with him as the runner-up, adding a hefty ₹1.18 Lakhs to his already overflowing bag of winnings.

But this wasn’t the end of Pugalia’s pre-Christmas wonder. He also made it to the final table of PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon BOOST, landing in fourth place and raking in another ₹24,600, like finding an extra present under the tree. He also cashed in two more events to put his winnings for the day at over ₹1.77 Lakhs. These scores helped him breach the ₹1 Crore mark in recorded lifetime earnings, proving again why he’s a player to watch.

> 2nd in PokerBaazi’s Daily Last Chance for ₹1,17,905

> 4th in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon BOOST for ₹24,600

> 28th in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show for ₹24,600

> 21st in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show Lite for ₹6,550

Nandan Pugalia’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹3.38 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹1.01 Crores | Titles Won in 2024: #19 | Annual Winnings: ₹1.79 Crores | Annual Profits: ₹46.67 Lakhs

The Daily Last Chance final table was a gathering of familiar faces. WPT#7 Megastack runner-up Mandar ‘MAMA04’ Madaye walked away with a cool ₹88,856 for his third-place finish. Rehmat ‘Seinfeld’ Singh Walia, added another ₹55,364 to his festive fund for finishing fifth. Pravin ‘littlejony’ Garle pocketed a respectable ₹45,567 for coming in sixth.

This Daily Last Chance was the gift that kept on giving. With its humble ₹2,500 buy-in, it smashed its guarantee, creating a prize pool worth ₹11.39 Lakhs. Even a min-cash was a cause for celebration, a sweet ₹5,468 landing in the stockings of the top 82 players.

Final Table Results

1. Ashwani ‘ashwan0007’ Chadha – ₹1,78,737
2. Nandan ‘ragemonster’ Pugalia – ₹1,17,905
3. Mandar ‘MAMA04’ Madaye – ₹88,856
4. Realfc – ₹65,275
5. Rehmat ‘Seinfeld’ Singh Walia – ₹55,364
6. Pravin ‘littlejony’ Garle – ₹45,567
7. kakhcbkncn – ₹35,998
8. pankaj845 – ₹26,771

The Big Show Lite – ₹10 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,000

Entries – 390

Re-entries – 259

Prize Pool – ₹11,29,260

Places Paid – 102

After a dedicated seven-and-a-half-month campaign on PokerBaazi, ‘Flemingo999’ finally achieved a career breakthrough, securing their first-ever title on the platform. This momentous victory unfolded in the ₹10 Lakhs GTD The Big Show Lite, representing a watershed moment in their poker career. This win was made even more significant by the fact that it arrived just one and a half months after a close call in the same tournament. After narrowly missing the win last month, ‘Flemingo999’ displayed impressive fortitude, demonstrating that success often favours the persistent.

The 7:30 PM flagship event is known for its competitive field, and last night was no different, with 390 unique players making up 649 total entries. Over six intense hours, ‘Flemingo999’ skillfully outmaneuvered the opposition, demonstrating exceptional focus and strategic acumen. After a heads-up deal, ‘Flemingo999’ clinched the title and a substantial ₹1.44 Lakhs prize. This not only represents their inaugural PokerBaazi title but also stands as their highest score to date. It’s an impressive payday that’s three and a half times larger than their previous best.

Flemingo999’s PokerBaazi stats: Site Winnings: ₹3.30 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

While ‘Flemingo999’ celebrated a landmark win, another player, ‘DronGhost7,’ was making waves of their own. Building on the momentum of a sixth-place finish in Sunday’s WPT#83 SuperStack, this emerging talent nearly captured The Big Show Lite title. Despite firing two bullets and navigating a challenging field, ‘DronGhost7’ ultimately secured a commendable second-place finish, adding ₹1.41 Lakhs to their bankroll from the deal, their second-largest score to date.

The Big Show Lite final table featured a strong lineup of notable players, including recent (6-Max) SPRINT finalist Vishal ‘Mrvkey’ Kadyan, who finished in fifth place for ₹53,640, and last month’s Daily Last Chance finalist Vishal ‘bunt259’ Shetty, who took sixth place for ₹43,364.

With an accessible ₹2,000 buy-in, The Big Show Lite provided exceptional value to participants, exceeding expectations by generating a prize pool of ₹11.29 Lakhs. The tournament’s broad appeal was evident, with 102 players making the money and each receiving a minimum payout of ₹4,517, more than double the initial investment.

Final Table Results

1. Flemingo999 – ₹1,43,817*
2. DronGhost7 – ₹1,41,321*
3. Realfc – ₹83,565
4. player13 – ₹64,820
5. Vishal ‘Mrvkey’ Kadyan – ₹53,640
6. Vishal ‘bunt259’ Shetty – ₹43,364
7. amyourdaddy – ₹33,991
8. loosecannon – ₹24,957

*denotes a heads-up deal

‘susheelprem’ (Won ₹5 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Afternoon Boost for ₹63,893), ‘omshiva’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD PLO-5 Boost for ₹38,620), ‘GGPokerAJ’ (Won ₹1 Lakh PKO for ₹31,335), ‘krish1177’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Daily Boost for ₹34,800), Sachit ‘happihigh’ Malik (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD PLO 6 Daily for ₹29,730), ‘ishanc’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs 7-Max SPRINT for ₹17,450), Sachit ‘happihigh’ Malik (Won ₹1 Lakh Evening SPRINT for ₹15,430), ‘ajom21’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Midnight SPRINT for ₹12,790), and ‘rahul988’ (Won ₹1 Lakh Boost for ₹10,840) won the other Monday marquees on PokerBaazi.

Junglee Poker

Monday Monster – ₹4.50 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,300

Entries – 202

Ranked Prize Pool – ₹2,48,000

Bounty Prize Pool – ₹2,02,000

Total Prize Pool – ₹4,50,000

Places Paid – 23

Monday night on Junglee Poker was more lit than a Christmas tree, and the ₹4.50 Lakhs GTD Monday Monster was the day’s headline event. Forget visions of sugar plums, 202 players were dreaming of poker glory, ready to rumble for nearly seven hours in a festive free-for-all. Amidst this yuletide chaos, ‘tubhiaaja,’ fresh off a win in last month’s Wednesday Sunsetter, played like a poker Santa, handing out beats like unwanted presents. When the last card was dealt, they had bagged the coveted title and a sack full of cash, ₹72,515 to be exact, with ₹29,859 coming from bounties.

But wait, there’s more. Ajit Singh ‘ace_bob’ Arora, a regular on the online poker scene, who you might also recognize from Netflix show Maamla Legal Hai, was proving he’s a double threat, both on screen and at the felt. Arora has been steadily building momentum, making appearances on poker streams and stacking up impressive results.

After final tabling Adda52’s Voyager and PokerBaazi’s WTF last month, Arora was back at it in the Monday Monster. He fought his way to a runner-up finish, a finish that filled his stocking with ₹60,740, including ₹18,109 in bounties. This is his second time on the Monday Monster podium in just the last month. And he still had some poker magic left. He also scored in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show Lite, adding another ₹4,517 to his haul, making his total for the night a festive ₹65,257.

> 2nd in Junglee Poker’s Monday Monster for ₹60,740* (₹18,109 in bounties)

> 94th in PokerBaazi’s The Big Show Lite for ₹4,517

Ajit Singh Arora’s online stats (excluding Junglee Poker, Natural8 India and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹2.81 Crores | Lifetime Profits: ₹45.41 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1 | Annual Winnings: ₹32.55 Lakhs

The ₹2,300 buy-in Monday Monster might have been a little light on its guarantee, missing by ₹46,000, but it was still a gift that kept on giving. With 23 players cashing and bounties galore, it was a night to remember. This event showed everyone, once again, why Junglee Poker is a favourite for mid-stakes players looking for a piece of the poker pie.

Final Table Results (Including Bounties)

1. tubhiaaja – ₹72,515
2. Ajit ‘ace_bob’ Singh Arora – ₹60,740
3. bunny0900 – ₹57,645
4. chandanum – ₹25,231
5. vik0105 – ₹18,598
6. braveheart07 – ₹17,604
7. swaahah – ₹12,928
8. breakneck – ₹17,853

‘royal.flush’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Monday Battleground for ₹48,654), and ‘dr.shani’ (Won ₹75K GTD Monday Sunsetter for ₹18,861) won the Monday marquees on Junglee Poker.

Adda52

Devils Wheel – ₹6 Lakhs GTD

Buy-in – ₹2,750

Entries – 134

Re-entries – 71

Rebuys – 3

Prize Pool – ₹6,00,000

Places Paid – 31

The digital felt of Adda52 was alive, with the New Year Carnival getting underway last night. The headline event on Monday was the highly anticipated ₹6 Lakhs GTD Devils Wheel This particular evening, the 8 PM flagship tournament attracted a field of 208 entries (134 unique), all vying for a piece of the guaranteed prize pool and, of course, the coveted title. In a festive twist, a relatively new player to the platform, ‘ProudFlop,’ who joined the action in late November, found themselves at the center of the action. After a nearly six-hour battle of wits and endurance, ‘ProudFlop’ emerged as the champion, securing their first major title and a career-defining payday of ₹1.19 Lakhs.

ProudFlop’s Adda52 stats: Site Winnings: ₹2.46 Lakhs | Site Profits: ₹2.25 Lakhs | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The competition was fierce, especially from Sarthak ‘tomdwan1993’ Sharma, who was on a mission to break a three-month title drought. Building on the momentum of a recent podium finish in Saturday’s Voyager, Sharma displayed impressive skill. He fell just short of the top spot, finishing as the runner-up and collecting a substantial ₹88,340. This score marked a significant achievement for him, becoming his second-largest of the year and his third-largest overall. This performance, coupled with a 37th place finish in PokerBaazi’s (7-Max) Afternoon Boost, worth ₹4,526, pushed his total winnings for the day to a solid ₹92,866, inching him back into profitability.

Sarthak Sharma’s online stats (excluding Natural8 India, Junglee Poker and Pocket52): Lifetime Winnings: ₹75.77 Lakhs | Lifetime Profits: ₹25,421 | Titles Won in 2024: #1

The Devils Wheel final table was a brutal battleground, featuring seasoned players like Divyansh ‘divyansh2906’ Chandra, last week’s Iron Man champion, who finished fourth for ₹48,464. Another familiar name was Sumit ‘runrabbitrun’ Advani, last Wednesday’s Maverick finalist, who placed sixth for ₹26,588.

The Devils Wheel, with its ₹2,750 buy-in, experienced a slight overlay, falling just over ₹1 Lakh short of its ₹6 Lakhs guarantee. Nevertheless, the event provided significant value to participants, with the top 31 finishers receiving a minimum payout of ₹6,525. The tournament underscored Adda52’s commitment to delivering high-value events, even during this holiday season.

Final Table Results

1. ProudFlop – ₹1,19,269
2. Sarthak ‘tomdwan1993’ Sharma – ₹88,340
3. B00merang – ₹65,432
4. Divyansh ‘divyansh2906’ Chandra – ₹48,464
5. Babuajaykumar – ₹35,896
6. Sumit ‘runrabbitrun’ Advani – ₹26,588

Shreyas ‘mantri97’ Mantri (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bumper Car for ₹41,912), Devashish ‘007.devashish’ Jain (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Nighttide DST Adda for ₹35,623), ‘Topgun26’ (Won ₹55K GTD Bounty Adda for ₹17,270), Bhaumik ‘sihan’ Morzaia (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Afternoon Bounty for ₹21,916), ‘vor0na’ (Won ₹70K GTD Iron Man Lite for ₹15,644), ‘97092139089x0x2x3x0x’ (Won ₹50K GTD Morning Adda for ₹14,771), and ‘Alonewie’ (Won ₹30K GTD Freeze Out Adda for ₹11,618) won the other Monday marquees on Adda52.

Pocket52

‘pyaar’ (Won ₹7 Lakhs GTD Pocket Jacks for ₹1.69 Lakhs), ‘kinematic’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD 7-Max Deepstack Turbo for ₹72,450), ‘COLGATE’ (Won ₹1.50 Lakhs GTD Soda for ₹40,200), and ‘luck777’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Brunch for ₹28,150) other Monday marquees on Pocket52.

Spartan Poker

‘Amit Sur’ (Won ₹3 Lakhs GTD Supreme for ₹66,600), ‘Siddhant ‘AajNahiAana’ Singh’ (Won ₹2 Lakhs GTD Bullet for ₹37,408), ‘4jc’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200), and ‘7X8X1X9X8X’ (Won ₹1 Lakh GTD Monster Turbo for ₹22,200) won the Monday marquees on Spartan Poker.

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