Heads-Up With Gaurav Saini, Winner of the Massive ₹10 Lakhs GTD Dan Bilzerian Freeroll on BLITZPOKER

This last Saturday was life-changing for 29-year-old Gourav Saini (cover image). The Delhi-based player, who plays on BLITZPOKER as ‘Cruel1,’ created history after outlasting a record 9,503-player field in the ₹1 Million GTD Dan Bilzerian Freeroll on the recently rebranded site. Saini won a whopping ₹1.50 Lakhs, a Harley Davidson Street 750 Superbike, and an all-expenses-paid round trip to Los Angeles, USA.

From the looks of it, Saini is just another youngster armed with an MBA degree and a background in the BPO industry. In many ways, Saini, who has been playing poker only for the last 3-4 years, is not very different from the usual group of budding poker talents who have sidestepped a conventional profession to pursue their poker dream. What makes Saini’s poker story genuinely interesting is that he had just a few weeks ago, quit his job to take up poker professionally. And – he hasn’t even told his parents about it. This is why the feat of trouncing such a massive field to win a grand prize is an extremely significant start-out milestone for the new leg of his career.

The Dan Bilzerian Freeroll was the talk of the poker town since it marked the re-launch of FTRpoker as the new ‘BLITZPOKER’ in association with none other than the king of Instagram himself – Dan Bilzerian. In addition to the prize money, what laid on the line was an expensive Harley Davidson bike and an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to party with Bilzerian.

The tournament played out on August 22 and, with 9,503 entries, became the largest freeroll tournament to be hosted in India this year.

I had a quick chat with Saini, who candidly narrated how a college fest sponsored by a poker platform got him introduced to the game. It’s been a tumultuous ride for Saini thus far. Despite heavy losses, he was bold enough to quit his job to give his poker aspirations a shot. Saini has not yet told his family about his decision and neither are they aware of this jackpot that he has won. With poker being associated with gambling in India, Saini has the tall task of convincing his parents ahead of him. With a brand-new Harley Davidson on its way and a trip to LA now booked, Saini has gathered enough stardust to persuade them.

Here are the excerpts of my conversation with the ‘Dan Bilzerian Freeroll’ champion!

Starting Out in Poker

Saini used to play Teen Patti, and other card games in college before poker happened to cross his path in 2016 when a poker platform associated with the college fest. “I registered on it and ended up winning the tournament. I had never played poker before that, and just before the freeroll, I had gone through poker rules. Call it beginners’ luck, and I won it,” Saini recalls.

The experience jumpstarted Saini’s curiosity to learn more about the game. He started reading up and playing. It wasn’t easy, though, and after college, Saini picked up a job.

“I was on a full-time job at that time, so I didn’t have the bandwidth to play poker. So, I used to play on weekends or on holidays,” remembers Saini, who is deeply inspired by former bracelet winner Nikita Luther and Kunal Patni.

During the lockdown, he has been able to grind for longer hours and more frequently. “I started thinking that this is a journey, and it will take time. I can’t expect to reach the top overnight. Before I used to be on and off the game, but during this lockdown, I made up my mind to be disciplined and play strategically,” Saini elaborates.

The Ups & Downs

Saini had many ups and downs in his initial poker journey. Even though he had made it to numerous final tables in small buy-in events before winning the Bilzerian Freeroll, he had suffered significant setbacks on the cash tables. “To be honest, I had lost a lot of money on cash tables. Whenever I used to play tournaments, I used to do well but used to lose on cash tables. I ended up spending all my savings too, whereas all my friends are well settled,” Saini points out.

“Now, with this win, I can say that I have a major achievement!” says Saini, who prefers the interface of BLITZPOKER.

A Bold Move

Saini, earlier this month, left his job to pursue poker full-time! Like many players who shy away from the public eye for the sheer weight of the ‘gambling tag’ attached to poker, Saini hasn’t even broken the news to his own family.

“My parents don’t know about it, and I couldn’t tell them because I was in losses. I feared that they will not react positively to it, so I had to hide the fact that I was playing poker,” Saini says.

He adds, “My parents actually are unaware that I have resigned from the job. I told them that I am taking a break as I want to give the exams for government positions, and since I will not be eligible if I turn 30, I need time.”

But that’s all going to change soon. Saini’s looking forward to the Harley Davidson, to tell his parents! “When the bike comes, I will reveal everything to them.”

Playing the Bilzerian Freeroll

Saini knew that the Dan Bilzerian freeroll was coming, so he started preparing well in advance. In the freeroll, like everyone else, Saini started with 15,000 chips but soon lost 7,000 chips. He steadily picked up and started playing more conservatively. “I just decided not to waste chips by bluffing. I really wanted to preserve my tourney life, and then I kept playing steady. Once I chipped up, I just wanted to make the deepest run possible. When the tourney was down to 30, I wanted to be in top 20 – when it got down to 20, I wanted to be in top 10,” said Saini, talking about his run in the freeroll.

The strategy paid off, and Saini made it to the final table. Here as well, he kept his focus on surviving as he moved on. “Even on the final table, I just wanted to get pay jumps and last as long as possible. I even managed to catch a huge bluff of a player!” recalls Saini.

On Partying With Bilzerian!

Yeah, partying with Bilzerian and his gang of girls has been one of the biggest pulls of the Bilzerian Freeroll, and for Saini, who has been following Bilzerian, this is nothing short of a dream come true!

“More than the prize money, it was the opportunity to meet him that made me want to win this even more,” Saini admits, adding, “For the party, I am more excited to meet Dan. His party will obviously be next level, but I am more excited to meet him. I believe I will change a bit after meeting him.”

Saini, who is also an unabashed fan of the way Bilzerian lives his life, adds, “I think he (Dan Bilzerian) lives life on the edge and doesn’t shy away from taking risks. I know that he has suffered huge losses and even had a heart attack at the age of 35. His life is obviously luxurious, and I believe he lives life on his own terms. He doesn’t care about what others think and does what he wants to do.”

After winning the Freeroll, Saini couldn’t sleep the entire night out of sheer excitement. “Obviously winning the freeroll means a lot to me. I talked to one of my friends for 4-5 hours straight, making plans for the party and what we will do after the bike arrives!”

But beyond the glitter and the glamor, the win has also boosted Saini’s confidence that he has taken the correct decision, and is on the right track.

What Next?

Winning the Bilzerian Freeroll is an excellent start to Saini’s foray into the game professionally, and has also brought him instant fame. But Saini has set his sights on growing into a top-notch player over time, and to enjoy the recognition and popularity that comes with it.

“If I tell you that my aspiration is to win a WSOP bracelet, it would be beyond dreams because I haven’t thought about it. For now, money is secondary, and I want to get fame from the poker industry.”

Saini is also conservative about the way he plans to spend the prize money. “I have decided to use this (prize) bankroll to fund my poker career. Obviously, I will keep 30% in a savings account, which will be a backup fund in case I run out of a bankroll. I don’t want to come to a place where I lose this and have to start over again or come to a position where I can’t play poker.”

For now, this young firebrand is eagerly waiting for his hard-won Harley Davidson, and dreaming of partying with Bilzerian!