Heads-Up With IPC ₹100K High Roller Champion – Pranay Chawla

Heads-Up With Pranay Chawla
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  • Attreyee Khasnabis September 19, 2019
  • 5 Minutes Read

The India Poker Championship (IPC) comeback series has been the talk of poker town recently, and all the winners at the record-smashing stop have etched their names in the annals of Indian poker history. One such player is the champion of the ₹100K High RollerPranay Chawla (cover image).

We have lost count of the number of times we have mentioned this Noida-based player in our weekly features – Sunday Online Railbird Report and in more recent times, our Daily Majors. A prolific MTT specialist, Chawla’s poker journey dates back to 2013 when he was just introduced to the mind sport. However, it was three years later when he started to view the game more seriously, and in 2017 he even participated at the opening season of the Poker Sports League (PSL) as a part of the Team Goan Nuts. His interactions with Dhaval ‘Dirty’ Mudgal, whom he considers a mentor, and Jordan Westmoreland helped shape his understanding of the game.

Though primarily known for his abundance of online scores, Chawla has also picked up a handful of live cashes along the way. Before taking down the IPC ₹100K High Roller, his personal-best live score had come through his deep run in the €500 High Roller at The Indian Poker Series (TIPS) where he had finished fifth for a modest €1,850 (~₹1.46 Lakhs).

That record was comfortably eclipsed when he clinched the IPC High Roller title last Saturday. Besides competing against a record-breaking field of 207 entries, Chawla had a tough task of battling his former mentor Mudgal on the final table. By the time the final table had convened, Chawla was in the zone and created quite a rampage, taking out four out of the seven finalists. After effectively knocking Mudgal out of the competition, Chawla’s confidence increased exponentially, ultimately bringing him the coveted title and life-altering ₹51.66 Lakhs!

A self-proclaimed ‘poker junkie,’ Chawla knows the pitfalls associated with being a poker player. However, his ‘never say die’ attitude has served him well so far. With his biggest career win under his belt, Chawla has now set his sights on the upcoming WPT India series next month.

In the interview that follows we bring you excerpts of the conversation we had with Chawla and he was gracious enough to share with us details about his latest title win at the IPC, his time at the PSL and his future plans.

 

Hi Pranay, thank you for speaking with PokerGuru and congratulations on the huge score. You won the richest event at the IPC – the 100K High Roller. What does a score like 51.66 Lakhs mean to you?

Thank you so much. It feels great, of course, to have come out on top in such a high profile event. It was always more about the title for me than the prize money but goes without saying this is a great boost to my bankroll. It allows me to re-invest some of the money in poker but will primarily be looking at savings and other investment avenues.

 

You came into the final table third in chips and seemed unstoppable; four knockouts before you had the title in your grasp! But it didn’t seem to be very easy with so many big names in the hunt. Talk us through your run in the event. When did you think you were going to win the title?

I thought I was third in chips myself but was later informed that I was actually chip leader. I was consciously treading a bit lightly to begin with because there have been situations in the past where I’ve gotten carried away when I’ve had the chip lead. The final table was kinda cagey – the stakes were high, and nobody wanted to make a mistake. A couple of early hands helped ease the nerves, and I just took the momentum forward from there. I knew there was no room for error with so many outstanding players at the table, not to mention two aggressive pros like Lungi [Vikram Kumar] and Dirty [Dhaval Mudgal] on my left. So I obviously believed in my ability to win, but it wasn’t until the top three players were left that I started thinking about the title.

 

While it’s clear that you are primarily an online player, you have a few live scores. What has piqued our interest most is that you were also part of the PSL Season 1 team Goan Nuts in 2017. Tell us a little about that experience of playing poker in a sportified team-based format. Did that by any chance tilt you towards playing more live tournaments?

I’ve spoken about this in literally all my interviews because PSL was the game changer for me. I always loved the game before but it just hooked me onto tournament poker. Everyone speaks about Season 2 for the Nuts and understandably so because we won that one. But season 1 was extremely special as it acted as a building block for my poker career. When we came in, we were in awe of some of the biggest players, the big stage, it was overwhelming. But an incredible learning experience at the same time. I was constantly engaging with Dirty and our wildcards, bombarding Jordan Westmoreland (JW Prodigy) with hand after hand after hand. It was an enriching experience. Season 2 was surreal, and the team really pulled through. Absolutely loved the camaraderie and we had such a fantastic all-round team that most people could fulfill multiple roles. It was the nuts.

 

Now for the question I am sure you knew was coming, how was it like playing against your own PSL mentor and team captain Dhaval Mudgal on the 100K High Roller final table? You were the one to eliminate him in third place – some thoughts or standouts moments – what was going on in your head – any reads?

Yeah right, like Dhaval would give away any tells! It’s always super fun to play with Dirty, he keeps people engaged, he keeps the atmosphere light, and in a stressful event, his table is one of the most fun tables around for sure. I have huge respect for him, of course. He’s been one of my mentors not just during the PSL, but through the course of the last couple of years. It’s even more fun playing with him coz we discuss hands and strategy every now and then so we know each other’s games a fair bit. We’re both smart enough not to get involved in a leveling war, but it’s a different dynamic to our heads up play, at least. When I saw the stream, he made a couple of fantastic thin value bets against me, but fortunately, I had absolutely nothing in those hands, or I might have ended up calling. Would’ve been great to go heads up with him for the title, but what to do when he jams and you’re a nit with JJ in that spot.

 

What were the BIG lessons that you brought back from the IPC experience?

That you don’t give up. You just don’t. Over the years I’ve heard plenty of chip and a chair stories, and I saw quite a few during the IPC. The other takeaway was that in some situations people will simply do what they’re gonna. There’s no trying to force them off of a hand or get them to call, or induce them to raise. Playing ABC and playing YOUR HAND has more merits than what might appear on the surface.

 

In your post on TPG, you mentioned how you almost didn’t play the High Roller event. What was the reason behind it, and what eventually prompted you to take the decision to play? As a follow-up question, did you sell action for the event?

It was a last-minute decision to play the High Roller. Poker players are value hunters who thrive on big value events, especially online, so the 100K seemed like a bit of a punt to me especially with the field in these High Rollers. I was in good form leading up to this IPC though, I was playing well, I was running good. So I decided to make the most of the momentum, sell some action, and jump in. Once the buy-in is paid, it’s just another tournament. If anything, in fact HRs give you slightly more room for error in the beginning because everyone’s just so deep and you can always mount a comeback. Of course, as the day progresses, that scope narrows significantly and you have to be at your A-game at all times to succeed.

Pranay Chawla Wins IPC 100K High Roller
Pranay Chawla

 

We hear you’re a Delhi University (DU) student and hold a Bachelors in Economics degree with work experience in investment banking. How and when did poker happen to you?

I joked that my bachelor’s degree and my prior work experience have literally nothing to do with my game, but that’s probably not entirely true. Somewhere, subconsciously, I’m applying some of the things that I’ve learned to my poker game as well. Poker for me started way back in 2013, but it was all fun and games at that time. Serious poker began in 2016, and after the PSL in 2017, I was fully aboard the MTT train.

 

Was it tough convincing your family about your poker aspirations?

It sometimes still is. I mean playing all night, every night for a lot of money and casino hopping wearing baggy jeans and a hoodie doesn’t sound like a very promising career choice, does it? But of course, there’s so much more to it than just clicking buttons. My parents now understand and acknowledge the hard work that goes into it, the strategy you learn, the sacrifices you make as a professional or semi professional player. They’ve been very particular about my education and pushed me to pursue an MBA, but at the same time they’re very supportive and now understand the swings and encourage me to do well at all times.

 

So, what does your average day look like and what does Pranay Chawla do when he’s not playing poker?

I’m a bit of a poker junkie, so there’s hardly a time I’m not doing something poker related. I have a full-time job, and even that’s in the gaming industry with a focus on mind sports and e-sports, so that’s pretty sweet. A typical weekday involves 7-8 hours of work, 5-6 hours of poker, Champions League on football nights, and a lot of procrastination!

 

You have also picked up a few live scores at different events in Rozvadov, Europe. Can we now hope to see you more often at domestic as well as international stops? Is WSOP 2020 on the radar next summer?

WSOP is obviously the dream. I’m not sure if it’s a distant dream or we’re gonna make it in 2020 itself, but I want it to be at the right time. Apart from that, I love playing live. You’re gonna see me at a ton of live events in the next year or so, starting with the WPT in Goa next month.

 

You are undoubtedly one of the more consistent winners online and even chopped PokerBaazi’s ‘The Game Changer’ back in February for 33 Lakhs. What strategy have you followed to improve your game over time?

The Game Changer experience was a complete contrast to my playing style. I went from being short to being crippled, to short again and there was very little I could do, so I just had to bide my time. In general, I like calling the shots, putting a lot of heat and backing my instincts. I’m generally happy taking a few risks, but adjustment is key; you gotta know when to apply the brakes. When I err, I prefer to err on the more aggressive side.

 

What next?

Great time to be a poker player, isn’t it? So much happening all the time! We have the SSS going on and the PPL starting on Friday. Moneymaker, 2oK, Millionaire all within a couple of weeks, so plenty to look forward to. On the live scene, I’ll be skipping the BPT, but WPT is the kind of event you dream about winning, and then IPC in December again. Hoping to fit in either WSOPE or Jeju in between too, so lot’s of hours on the felts to look forward to.

 

As is a norm with most of our winner interviews, any parting words?

Just a big thank you to everyone – the good wishes have been pouring in, and it’s such a motivation to perform well not only for myself but for the people who always back me. Thanks to PokerGuru for this interview, made me revisit the last week and more.

 

And with those words, Chawla signs off!

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