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2021 was, by all means, an eventful year. Although similar to 2020 in several aspects – especially the flourishing online action – there were several other positives and negatives.
We, at PokerGuru, have always endeavored to bring to our readers’ interesting conversations with some of the most renowned names in the industry, up-and-coming talents, and industry leaders. From poker players to poker operators, from record-breaking poker winnings to taking poker to new digital platforms – we tried to cover it all.
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most-read (or watched) interviews of 2021!
The PokerGuru Show: Season 2 Episode 3 Ft. Gaurav Sood, First Indian to Cross ₹10 Crores in Online Poker Winnings
We have written it time and time again, but we will repeat it one more time. Gaurav Sood has been the biggest revelation among all the MTT players we have canvassed in the last few years!
The dentist-turned-poker pro has been crushing online MTTs for two years now – evidenced by how he`s walked away with the “Winningest Player of the Year” title twice in a row (2020 & 2021).
We had interviewed Sood in September, shortly after he crossed the ₹10 Crores milestone in online winnings. Sharing his success mantra, Sood had said, “Getting results is not in my hands, but putting in the work is. I just want to be better than I was yesterday.”
And he`s following through on that mission. He has since crossed the ₹11 Crore mark in tracked winnings and sits on ₹11.34 Crores to be precise (₹5.43 Crores in corresponding profit). With the way the 25-year-old poker genius has dominated online MTTs, we won’t be surprised if he makes it past ₹12 Crores before the end of the quarter.
Check out his video interview below.
Monday Motivation – Ishaan Chugh, Winner of EndBoss 2021 For ₹71.48 Lakhs
While Gaurav Sood’s breakout run wasn`t unexpected given his exceptional form, Ishaan Chugh taking down PokerBaazi’s ₹5 Crore GTD EndBoss 2021 was a welcome surprise. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni cut his way across a formidable 4,816-entry field to win the ‘Biggest Online Tournament in the Country’ for ₹71.48 Lakhs, following a three-way chop.
What makes the 31-year-old Delhi-based player’s win even more impressive is that he had won his seat via a free ticket he received from PokerBaazi. He entered the final day with a healthy stack and didn’t let himself get intimidated by the enormity of the prize that lay in the line. “I didn’t think much of it, just tried to play my best game, one hand at a time, and not make mistakes. It was a fairly long tournament, so I wanted to make sure there was no fatigue. Things worked out, the cards fell my way, and I also avoided tough spots.”
However, given how Chugh has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Indian-origin player Vivek Rajkumar, Tom Dwan, and Daniel “Jungleman” Cates, his poker accomplishment is perhaps not as out of the blue.
As an MIT student, Chugh was an intern at Goldman Sachs, and it was here when his manager, Jason Strasser, who was a good poker player, noticed his talent in the game. “I got to know some really good people both in India and abroad through poker, some of the top regs in poker. Jason introduced me to Tom Dwan, and through Jason, I also met Daniel Cates.”
Check out his video interview below.
Throwback Thursday With Manish Adnani – Captaining India’s Poker Cruise Towards Success
Players may be the stars in poker, but operators are the driving force that keeps the engines running. One of the most well-known poker operators in the business today is Manish Adnani. PokerGuru caught up with the former Business Head (Poker) at Delta Corp. in June as a part of our ‘Throwback Thursday’ feature. The 49-year-old, who joined the PokerBaazi LIVE Poker Room in Goa as the Head of Operations three months later, reminisced about his decade and a half old poker journey.
Talking about his learnings from the poker industry, Adnani said, “It’s the people- the players, the patrons, the staff, and everyone else who has contributed to the game’s growth! I can proudly say that the most significant takeaway during my time in Goa is the interactions I’ve had with these people and how they have helped the game grow.”
Check out his video interview below.
Industry Talk: Co-Founder of Hashtag Productions Sidharth Mishra On Key Learnings From PSL (Virtual) & the Upcoming Web Series
From poker streaming to poker taking the OTT route and the release of India’s first poker docu-series – Poker Mantra, a lot happened last year that pushed poker onto the digital spectrum. One of the key figures in this development was the co-founder of Hashtag Productions, Sidharth Mishra.
With over 22 years of experience in production, Mishra has worked with most of the country’s top poker brands.
Creating poker content is not easy, and to produce good content, one needs to be passionate about the game and understand how best to present it to the masses. Understanding the delicate nature of poker content creation, Mishra shared, “We are aware that poker is unlike any other sport that is widely accepted mainstream, like football and cricket. Poker is very different in terms of its coverage and its consumption. So, the only reason we’ve been able to stay ahead of the curve is that we mandate that all our production crew must understand poker. They need to understand what it is. And only then we’ll be able to create good content out of it. Basically, that is our secret sauce.”
Read the interview here.
Heads-Up With Anuj Yadav – Winner of Spartan Poker’s Millionaire Series #24 – The Millionaire & PokerStars India’s Sunday Highroller
25-year-old poker phenom, Anuj Yadav, created history last November by becoming the first player to win Spartan Poker’s The Millionaire title for a record third time! The elusive Young Gun has proved time and again how hard work and discipline can go a long way in pulling off spectacular performances.
Spilling the beans on the secret behind his consistent form, Yadav revealed, “Working hard and consistently on my game and myself. Being honest with myself about where I can improve. Just putting in a lot of volume, identifying the mistakes/ leaks that I have and then going over those in my mind and figuring out what I would do if a similar situation arrived in the future.”
Read the interview here.
Notable Mentions
Canvassing the Poker Career of Lloyd Fontillas, General Manager & Executive Tournament Director at Asian Poker Tour
In July, we spoke with Lloyd Fontillas, just days before the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Online Series India was to return for its second edition on PokerBaazi. Fontillas talked about his 27-year-long poker career, from working as a chip runner at the Bay 101 Casino in San Jose, California, to becoming the General Manager & Executive Tournament Director at the APT.
Check out his video interview below.
Super Achiever | ₹7 Crore Club | Sanat Mehrotra
The lockdown saw many recreational players finally take the decision to turn pro. Among the players who made the transition successfully was Young Gun Sanat Mehrotra.
We caught up with the IIT and IIM alumni in December after he had entered the prestigious “₹7 Crore Club,” earning himself a “Super Achiever” badge!
Young Gun of Poker: Siddhanth Kripalani
Like Mehrotra, Siddhanth Kripalani was another promising talent who turned pro during the lockdown. The Game Changer 3.0 winner was our first Young Gun of 2021, and his poker journey was a fascinating read.
Read the interview here.
Stay Fit, Stay in the Game Ft. PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Ahuja
Impressive wins and big scores are a huge part of poker success, but physical health is often ignored. Proving how beneficial staying fit is to stay ahead in the sport, PokerGuru Ambassador Ashish Ahuja’s incredible physical transformation inspired us all.
In his interview, Ahuja revealed how his mentor, Aditya Agarwal’s commitment to fitness inspired him to lose 20 kgs in six months.
Read the interview here.