This Week in Poker: August 28 – September 3

In the PokerGuru feature, ‘This Week in Poker,’ we bring you the weekly round-up of the most significant online scores by Indian MTT players and the top stories from both the live and online poker circuits. Here are this week’s top stories!

What a week it’s been for Indian sports! From the heart-pounding action at the Paris Paralympics to the nail-biting showdowns at the poker tables in Barcelona and beyond, India is riding a wave of success that’s got the whole world buzzing.

The 2024 Paris Paralympics have seen Indians rewrite history. With the largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes representing the nation, India has already blown past its previous medal record from Tokyo three years ago. A late surge of wins on Tuesday has pushed India’s tally to an incredible 20 medals – three gold, seven silver, and ten bronze, and the games aren’t even over yet! These athletes are true inspirations, proving that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.

2024 Paralympics Indian Medalists

While our Paralympians were making us proud in Paris, the poker world was glued to the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) in Barcelona. The energy at Casino Barcelona has been electric, and India’s poker superstar, Santhosh Suvarna, has been right in the thick of it.

He had us all holding our breath as he came this close to winning his second EPT title of the year. Though he fell just short of taking down the €100,000 EPT Super High Roller, his fifth-place finish was no small feat, earning him a jaw-dropping €348,860 (~₹3.24 Crores) — a 1.75X return on his two bullets and a significant boost to his commanding lead on India`s all-time money list.

Suvarna’s been on a tear this entire series, racking up deep runs in the €10,200 Mystery Bounty and the €12,300 PokerStars Cuatro Knockout. His total winnings in Barcelona have already reached a mind-boggling €494,100 (~₹4.58 Crores), making him our undisputed “PokerGuru Star of the Week!”

Norway’s Kayhan Mokri, coming off a victory in the €20,000 No-Limit Hold’em, made history by taking down the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller for the second year in a row, netting an incredible €1,372,420.

And with the money bubble looming in the €5,300 Main Event, India’s Sriharsha Doddapaneni and Paawan Bansal are still in the mix, ready to make their mark!

As the 20th-anniversary special of EPT Barcelona rolls on, the series has already crowned 12 champions. Some of the standout winners include:

• Sylvain Berthelot (Won €1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event for €625,000)
• Berthold Winz (Won €2,200 Estrellas High Roller for €600,000)
• Jean-Noel Thorel (Won €30,000 Super High Roller Warm Up for €512,370)
• Byron Kaverman (Won €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em I for €381,060)
• Steve O’Dwyer (Won €12,300 PokerStars Cuatro Knockout for €163,720)
• Diego Beirigo (Won €550 Estrellas Cup for €155,840)
• Boris Angelov (Won €10,200 Mystery Bounty for €110,400)
• David Dongwoo Ko (Won €5,200 8-Game for €37,550)

Down Under, the Australian Poker League Poker Tour’s 2024 APL Million was an absolute party, with a record-breaking 26,000 players descending on the Southport Sharks in Gold Coast for 18 days of non-stop poker action. India’s Vivek Reddy Banala really made a name for himself, battling his way through a colossal 3,160 entries in the A$1,500 APL Million Main Event – besting its previous record for the largest poker tournament in Australia – to finish in an impressive fifth place for a career-best A$180,250 (~₹1.03 Crores).

Local hero Amin Riyazati won the APL Million Main Event title, claiming a stunning A$706,500 first-place prize and a $100K Invitational Seat.

Meanwhile, Chirag Khanduja, fresh off his victory at the 2024 PokerStars UKIPT London, kept his winning streak alive with a fantastic performance at the London Poker Festival. He bested a field of 130 entries (92 unique) in the £150 NLHE London Festival Opener, pocketing £2,150 (~₹2.36 Lakhs) after a thrilling five-way deal.

The World Series of Poker Circuit Playground in Canada was another opportunity for Indian poker players to shine, and they didn’t disappoint. Bharat Shetty put on a clinic in Event #6: CAD$800 Mystery Bounty, racking up bounties left and right on his way to winning his first WSOP Circuit ring and a sweet CAD$28,500 (~₹17.73 Lakhs) payday.

Meanwhile, Jishant Sapra, a seasoned veteran of the Canadian poker scene, made a deep run in the WSOP Circuit Main Event, narrowly missing out on his third live title but still taking home a career-best CAD$170,000 (~₹1.05 Crores). The Main Event champion was James Pillon from Windsor, Ontario, who won his first circuit ring and a personal-best CAD$333,240.

If you thought the live poker scene was hot, wait till you hear about the online action! We’re talking mind-blowing tournaments, life-changing wins, and a whopping 16 new millionaires crowned in just one week. The action has been non-stop, and the winnings have been insane.

PokerBaazi’s biggest-ever Indian Poker Masters wrapped up on August 28, and boy, did they go out with a bang! This series shattered records, blowing past its massive ₹60 Crore guarantee and dishing out a mind-boggling ₹65.95 Crores in prizes. From August 4 to 25, the IPM hosted 158 action-packed tournaments that attracted a staggering 145,178 entries. We saw 932 scores break the ₹1 Lakh mark, with 44 players walking away with life-changing payouts of ₹10 Lakhs or more.

But the celebration is far from over! PokerBaazi is turning ten next month, and they’re throwing a two-month-long birthday bash with the “Royal Flush of All Promotions” featuring over ₹150 Crores in guaranteed prizes! They kicked things off this Sunday with the Anniversary Cash Carnival, offering a mind-boggling ₹40 Crores in cash prizes, and the 1000X Series Anniversary Special, boasting ₹10+ Crores GTD across 42 tournaments.

And it’s not just PokerBaazi; Junglee Poker is also heating things up with its Knockout Series, where over ₹5 Crores are up for grabs in 40 knockout events. Plus, there’s the epic 2024 WSOP Online Series on Natural8 India, where 20 bracelets are still waiting to be claimed.

With so many high-stakes tournaments happening, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen a flurry of massive winners this week. Leading the charge is Anant Purohit, a poker pro known for his infectious smile and killer instincts. He absolutely crushed it on the Natural8 India tables in his very first week on the platform, raking in an incredible ₹1.22 Crores in winnings! His biggest score came on Monday when he took down the Bounty Hunters HR Deepstack 525 for a whopping ₹84.61 Lakhs. Just three days earlier, Purohit placed fifth in the Bounty No-Limit Hold’em 320, adding ₹28.98 Lakhs to his earnings!

Young Gun Neel Joshi is unstoppable. The frontrunner for the Player of the Year title, Joshi extended his lead by dominating the Natural8 India tables, amassing a stunning ₹32.69 Lakhs in total winnings. His Sunday session alone was a thing of beauty, bringing in ₹18.36 Lakhs from five finishes, including a runner-up payday worth ₹14.32 Lakhs in the Sunday KICK-OFF 125.

The other top online crushers of the week included recent WSOP bracelet winner Tarun Goyal, POY #5 Nishaanth Shanmughasundaram, Samay Singh Modi, Young Gun Devang Yadav, Mohit Mehta, Dhaval Doshi, and Rahul Purohit.

Top Online Winners of the Week

PokerStars India has made a major power move by signing Bollywood superstar Randeep Hooda as their new Brand Ambassador. Known for his intense roles and undeniable charisma, Hooda’s presence is sure to bring a whole new level of excitement to the platform. He joins a star-studded team that includes top poker talents like Young Guns Neel Joshi, Siddharth Karia, Kanchan Sharma, and the ever-entertaining commentator Goonjan Mall. This is one powerhouse team that’s sure to shake up the Indian poker scene!

While the online felt is buzzing with non-stop action, the live poker scene isn’t slowing down either. The inaugural Immortals Mega Poker Festival is currently in full swing at Goa’s luxurious Casino Deltin Royale, and it’s been an absolute blast! Players from all over India have been battling it out for glory, with Bhavit Parekh already snagging a tournament win. The festival is building up to its grand finale tomorrow with a crazy ₹2.50 Crores in giveaways on offer.

Meanwhile, Adda52 is raising the stakes with the announcement of a brand-new stop, the DPT Grand, a ‘grand edition’ of the Deltin Poker Tournament. Starting October 22, also at Casino Deltin Royale, this series promises to be the ultimate battleground for poker enthusiasts nationwide. With buy-ins ranging from an accessible ₹15,000 to a steep ₹1.1 Lakh, there’s something for everyone.

And let’s not forget the return of World Poker Tour Australia. From September 12 to 25, players will have a chance to compete in 23 events, including the AUD $8,000 WPT Australia Championship. With new events like turbo games and a PLO High Roller, there’s something for every playing style. The ladies aren’t left out either, with the AUD $675 Ladies Australian Championship offering a chance to win a package to the WPT Ladies Championship in Las Vegas. And to honour the legendary Aussie cricketer, there’s even a Shane Warne Legacy Perpetual Trophy Event.

As the 54th GST Council meeting approaches on September 9, businesses across India are anxiously awaiting the outcome. While the agenda is primarily focused on GST rate rationalization, the online gaming industry is particularly on edge about a possible revision of the 28% GST on initial deposits. The decision could have a significant impact on the industry, and everyone’s waiting with bated breath to see what happens.

GGPoker, the online poker giant, is making big moves in the Middle East. They’ve just welcomed PokerArabia, the region’s only government-licensed online poker room, into their network. This landmark partnership opens up a whole new world of possibilities for poker players in the Middle East, giving them access to GGPoker’s massive global player pool and even the possibility of a WSOP stop in the region sometime in the future.

American poker powerhouse Bryn Kenney finally ended his decade-long bracelet drought by winning Event #3: $2,100 NL Bounty Championship at the WSOP Online International Series on GGPoker. Kenney, who already holds the top spot on poker`s all-time money list, conquered a field of 798 players to secure a massive $226,057 payday, including $131,422 in bounties.

It’s been a week of big wins all around, with players from different corners of the world taking home some serious cash, including Tudor Purice (Won $1,100 WPT Prime Cyprus Championship for $183,270), Sasha Sabbaghian (Won WSOP Circuit Graton Resort Event #12: $1,700 NLHE Main Event for $168,015), Stephen Barnes (Won £1,100 888poker Live Manchester Main Event for £58,000), Jose Jaraiz (Won €500 CEP Barcelona Main Event for €72,285), and Wai Hang Wong (Won Irish Poker Tour €250 NLHE Lunasa Lunacy Main Event for €20,430).

With this, we conclude this week’s round-up of the latest news updates and developments from the world of poker. We will return next week with another weekly report. Stay tuned!