Poker Dream 13 Malaysia: Hari Rajeev Varma Cracks Top 10 in MYR 30K Super High Roller (₹18.86 Lakhs)

The Genting Highlands in Malaysia are currently echoing with the sounds of riffling chips and tense calls as Poker Dream 13 Malaysia unfolds, and it’s safe to say that Team India is setting the felt ablaze! With a staggering 31 scores already lighting up the Indian leaderboard, including eight final table appearances and two stunning victories by the unstoppable Nishant Sharma (Event #14: MYR 2,000 Pot Limit Omaha and Event #16: MYR 3,000 Mystery Bounty), it’s clear that Team India has arrived not just to play, but to conquer! This hot streak follows their incredible performances in the recent APT Phu Quoc and the ongoing APPT Cambodia – it seems Team India can’t be stopped!

While Sharma’s been busy making headlines, Indo-Australian poker star Hari Rajeev Varma decided it was his turn to grab the spotlight. He plunged headfirst into the prestigious Event #30: MYR 30,000 Super High Roller. A seasoned player, Varma battled through a field of absolute sharks to secure a phenomenal ninth-place finish. That impressive run earned him a whopping MYR 100,000 (~₹18.86 Lakhs) – the third-highest score by an Indian player in the series, trailing only Sharma’s Mystery Bounty victory and Nikhil Kedia‘s fourth-place finish in Event #9: MYR 15,000 High Roller.

Varma, a well-known face in the Australian poker scene, has been making a serious name for himself in South Asia. This deep run in the Super High Roller comes hot on the heels of his success at the Poker Dream 11 Malaysia in August, proving he`s a consistent crusher. And let’s not forget his crowning glory – the epic victory in the 2019 WPT Australia Main Event. This man is a true poker champion!

But Varma isn’t just a one-trick pony. He’s been proving his versatility by racking up scores in a variety of formats at Poker Dream 13. He took 112th place in Event #1: MYR 1,000 Malaysia Open for MYR 3,500 (~₹66,000), and then followed that up with a 14th place finish in Event #9: MYR 15,000 High Roller for MYR 25,000 (~₹4.72 Lakhs). Add it all up, and his total winnings at the series have now reached an incredible MYR 128,500 (~₹24.25 Lakhs).

Now, while Varma’s performance was a shining beacon for India in the Super High Roller, the ultimate crown was claimed by none other than the poker legend himself, Danny Tang. This all-time money leader from Hong Kong, with over $29.50 Million in live tournament earnings, just added a mind-blowing MYR 1 Billion to his treasure chest by conquering the Super High Roller! Fresh off his dominant performance at the Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo, where he snagged the Ivan Leow Player of the Year trophy, Tang once again showed the world why he’s at the top of the poker food chain. Xiong Chen put up a good fight, securing a respectable runner-up finish and taking home MYR 680,292.

But Varma’s near-miss in the Super High Roller is just one chapter in the incredible story of Team India at Poker Dream 13. Over the past few days, a whole wave of talented Indian players has been crushing the competition, making final tables and going deep in events all over the series.

Ankita Ajay, who just happens to be married to DPT Grand ₹25K PLO 5 Bounty champion Gagandeep Singh Malik (talk about a poker power couple!), has been a force to be reckoned with. She made a fierce run for the title in Event #44: MYR 1,000 NLH – Turbo, using her sharp mind and aggressive style to snag a fantastic fourth-place finish and MYR 10,500 (~₹1.98 Lakhs). This impressive score adds to her previous cashes in Event #15: MYR 1,000 NLH – Turbo (20th for MYR 1,500; ~₹28,000) and Event #38: MYR 1,000 Mystery Bounty – Turbo (12th for MYR 1,500; ~₹28,000), bringing her total winnings for the series to a very respectable MYR 13,500 (~₹2.55 Lakhs).

And speaking of Gagandeep Singh Malik, the two-time WPT title winner has been proving his incredible consistency by racking up cashes in events left and right. He’s already accumulated MYR 7,600 (~₹1.43 Lakhs) from three impressive finishes: Event #6: MYR 1,000 NLH – Turbo (18th for MYR 1,500; ~₹28,000), Event #18: MYR 1,000 Mystery Bounty – Turbo (11th for MYR 2,400; ~₹45,000), and Event #39: MYR 1,000 Bubble Rush (7th for MYR 3,700; ~₹70,000).

But the Indian success stories don’t stop there! Here’s a quick rundown of some other notable performances:

Abhishek Sharma: This skilled player showed off his versatility with a fifth-place finish in Event #45: MYR 1,000 Mystery Bounty – Turbo for MYR 6,100 (~₹1.15 Lakhs) and a 12th-place finish in Event #38: MYR 1,000 Mystery Bounty – Turbo for MYR 1,700 (~₹32,000).

Avneesh Munjal: Fresh off a spectacular win at the APT Phu Quoc where he took down the VN₫ 60 Million High Roller – Double Stack for a career-best VN₫ 1.541 Billion (~₹51.34 Lakhs), Munjal continued his hot streak with a strong fifth-place finish in Event #39: MYR 1,000 Bubble Rush, earning MYR 5,900 (~₹1.11 Lakhs).

Rajan Puvanarajah: Stormed to a fifth-place finish in Event #35: MYR 1,000 NLH – Turbo for MYR 4,600 (~₹87,000)

Abhishek Bhattacharjee: Bhattacharjee showed off his tournament skills with a 10th-place finish in Event #45: MYR 1,000 Mystery Bounty – Turbo for MYR 1,700 (~₹32,000).

Now, all eyes are on the series centrepiece – the MYR 5 Billion GTD Event #13: MYR 4,800 Main Event, which commenced on November 18. And after a gruelling 12 starting flights, Day 2 is in full swing. The tension is thicker than a casino vault door as players fight tooth and nail for a coveted spot at the final table, which is set to explode on November 24.

India has a history of dominating the Poker Dream Main Event, and with Nishant Sharma, a two-time Poker Dream Main Event champion, already having bagged two titles in this very series, expectations are higher than ever! Can Team India keep this incredible run going and claim the Main Event title? We’ll be glued to the action to find out!

Content & Images Courtesy: Poker Dream

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