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WPT Cambodia 2024: Shivam Shukla Wins Maiden Live Title on Republic Day in PLO Hyper Turbo (~₹2.87 Lakhs); Seven Indians Advance From Day 1B in WPT Cambodia Championship 

The World Poker Tour‘s first-ever Main Tour stop in Southeast Asia is heating up! With just four days left on the schedule, Team India is on fire, already boasting 23 cashes and two impressive title wins.

Just days after Aayush Arya‘s triumph in Event #18: Deepstack 20/15/10/5, Shivam Shukla (cover image) clinched India’s second title at the 2024 WPT Cambodia at NagaWorld Integrated Resorts on Republic Day. Shukla outperformed 54 other competitors in Event #30: PLO Hyper Turbo, claiming his first-ever live tournament and a $3,455 (~₹2.87 Lakhs) prize, marking his fifth-largest live earning. Shukla’s victory was a significant moment for the Indian community, celebrating the 75th Republic Day nearly 5,000 Km from home.

Shivam Shukla
Shivam Shukla

 

Before this accomplishment, Shukla boasted impressive performances in several tournaments, reaching the final tables at the 2019 Deltin Poker Tournament, the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions, and the 2024 HSOP Grinder Series.

Myanmar’s Aike Ing finished second in the event, earning $2,054, while Shukla’s win brought his total series earnings to $4,310 (~₹3.58 Lakhs).

The biggest attraction at the festival, the inaugural WPT Cambodia Championship hosted in collaboration with Connaissance Management, is breaking records! With a $3,500 buy-in (triple the previous WPT Prime Main Events at the venue), it attracted a whopping 760 entries – the highest for such a buy-in in Asia!

Day 1A attracted 373 entries (283 unique) to crush the advertised $1 Million prize pool guarantee mid-way through the day, and Day 1B surpassed this with 387 entries (158 unique), bringing together numerous notable players from the region and beyond. The WPT Cambodia Championship’s sizzling $2.43 Million prize pool sets a new WPT Asia record, making it a global attraction. With 95 players assured a payday, the champion walks away with a jaw-dropping ₹3.67 Crores!

From Day 1B, 113 players advanced, with Japan’s Nozomu Shimizu leading with 519,500 chips, following closely behind Day 1A‘s leader, Punnat Punsri (528,500). South Korean players Hun Tae Choi (462,000) and Hyeonho Shin (460,500) are also among the top stacks among the 231 Day 2 starters.

Nozomu Shimizu
Nozomu Shimizu

 

Seven Indians progressed from Day 1B, namely Apoorva Goel (269,500), Kaushal Vasa (221,000), Rising Star Ritwik Khanna (181,500), India`s poker pioneer Aditya Agarwal (160,000), Pocket52 Team Pro Dhaval Mudgal (127,500), Raju Jaruplavath (78,500), and Vikaash Shah (71,000). They will join Day 1A qualifiers Amit Kaushik (403,000), Sriharsha Doddapaneni (295,000), two-time GPI POY (India) Ankit Ahuja (232,500), Asish Ghosh (178,000), Anil Adiani (159,000), Zarvan Tumboli (87,500), and Abhijith Cheruku (43,500) on Day 2.

Apoorva Goel, Ritwik Khanna, Aditya Agarwal & Dhaval Mudgal
Apoorva Goel, Ritwik Khanna, Aditya Agarwal & Dhaval Mudgal

 

Day 2 commenced at 11:30 AM (local time) on Saturday, January 27, and play will continue for seven 90-minute levels today, giving players enough playability. The top 95 finishers will make the money and earn a minimum payout of $6,054.

Two standout performers from India, Amit Kaushik and Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla, made further strides on Republic Day with cash finishes in Event #29: Superstack Turbo. Kaushik placed eighth for $1,511 (~₹1.26 Lakhs), boosting his series winnings to $15,985 (~₹13.29 Lakhs) on the back of four cash-outs. Shukla grabbed ninth place for $1,370 (~₹1.14 Lakhs), his fifth series score, pushing his total to $7,259 (~₹6.03 Lakhs).

Amit Kaushik & Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla
Amit Kaushik & Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla

 

UK’s Robert Andrew Sherwood won the Superstack Turbo title, overcoming a field of 89 entries (80 unique) in the $550 buy-in event and taking home $13,694. New Zealand’s Amir Abbas finished second, winning $8,201.

Robert Andrew Sherwood
Robert Andrew Sherwood

 

In other events, China’s Quan Qiu triumphed in Event #28: Shootout, defeating 89 competitors (80 unique) for a $6,166 top prize. Hungary’s Bihari Michael Adam took second place, earning $4,111.

Quan Qiu
Quan Qiu

 

On Friday, South Korea’s Hyeonsik Yun picked up his second WPT trophy in the series. Following his victory in Event #15: 8 Max Survivor 2K Bounty, Yun championed Event #31: Mini HR Hyper Turbo with a three-way deal securing him $22,700. Erick Alex Peru’s Goni Marcos (2nd) and Allen Aidino Nielsen (3rd) from Denmark also benefited from the deal, earning $19,000 each.

Hyeonsik Yun
Hyeonsik Yun

 

Content & Images Courtesy: World Poker Tour & So Much Poker

Keep following PokerGuru for all the latest updates from the WPT Cambodia 2024!

WPT Cambodia 2024: Amit Kaushik Keeps the Indian Scorecard Ticking With Impressive Third-Place Finish in Megastack Action Clock (~₹6.76 Lakhs)

The final week of the 2024 World Poker Tour (WPT) Cambodia at the luxurious NagaWorld Integrated Resorts in Phnom Penh is underway, marking the closing chapters of this first-ever WPT Main Tour stop in Southeast Asia. Indian poker players have made significant strides throughout the series, with Amit Kaushik (cover image) standing out this Wednesday. Fresh from his 12th-place finish in the WPT Championship Warm Up, Kaushik delivered another stellar performance by securing two notable cash finishes, including a commendable third place in the Megastack Action Clock.

Amit Kaushik
Amit Kaushik

 

Kaushik’s journey to Day 2 of Event #15: 8 Max Survivor 2K Bounty was a testament to his determination, as he was the last Indian player standing among the final 54. Although his run ended at 48th place for $1,257 (~₹1.05 Lakhs), it marked a solid performance. The $1,100 buy-in event saw South Korea’s Hyeonsik Yun clinch victory with a $50,418 prize, followed by South Africa’s Marc Joseph netting $32,478 in second place.

Hyeonsik Yun
Hyeonsik Yun

 

Kaushik didn’t stop there. He immediately jumped into Event #20: Megastack Action Clock and came agonizingly close to getting India its second series title, finishing third for a handsome $8,125 (~₹6.76 Lakhs). This, along with his earlier cashes, brought his total series earnings to an impressive $14,474 (~₹12.03 Lakhs), marking a strong start for the Kurukshetra-based pro on the Asian circuit in 2024.

Other Indian players, Shravan Kumar Singh and Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla, also had notable finishes in the $400 buy-in Megastack Action Clock. Singh, who earlier placed second in Event #13: Freezeout, finished 10th for $1,631 (~₹1.36 Lakhs), while Shukla picked up his fourth series score with a 23rd-place finish for $733 (~₹60,944).

Filipino poker pro Marc Rivera, who lost the Event #17: Super High Roller title heads-up to Mike Takayama on Tuesday, found redemption in the Megastack Action Clock. He conquered the 277-strong field (238 unique), banking a whopping $18,679 as the champion. Denmark’s Jonas Stubjer Huttel placed second for $13,117.

Marc Rivera
Marc Rivera

 

Another highlight was the $10,000 buy-in Event #21: 10K Single Day Challenge. With 45 contenders (36 unique) vying for the title, Australia’s Daniel Neilson emerged victorious, claiming a staggering $143,903 and the coveted WPT trophy. Hong Kong’s Hon Cheong Lee secured the runner-up spot for $95,935. The $423,405 prize pool was shared among the top seven finishers, with William Jia (3rd for $63,955), Yita Choong (4th for $44,352), Punnat Punsri (5th for $32,043), Asa Gregory Smith (6th for $24,164) and Kannapong Thanarattraku (7th for $19,053) bagging payouts.

Daniel Neilson
Daniel Neilson

 

Further adding to the excitement, Ms. Asmiati from Indonesia dominated the 28-player field (22 unique) in Event #22: Ladies NLH, capturing the lion’s share of the $4,753 prize pool with a $2,139 payout. Only the top four finishers received rewards, with Filipino players Grace Takayama (2nd for $1,283), Ma Gabrielle Angeli Barredo (3rd for $808), and Maria Cristina Argao (4th for $523) completing the payout list.

Ms. Asmiati
Ms. Asmiati

 

Australia’s Brenton Lee Buttigieg bested a field of 43 contenders (30 unique) in Event #23: Short Deck Hyper Turbo, ultimately topping Philippines’ Richard Marquez in the heads-up showdown to clinch the title and a $2,912 prize. Despite missing out on the top spot, Marquez earned a respectable $1,718 for his runner-up finish.

Brenton Lee Buttigieg
Brenton Lee Buttigieg

 

The day concluded with USA’s James Mendoza blazing through the 77-player field (67 unique) in Event #24: 1K Hyper Turbo and claiming a $23,489 winner’s purse. Australia’s Julian Warhurst followed closely, securing $13,472 for his second-place finish.

James Mendoza
James Mendoza

 

As the WPT Cambodia draws closer to its culmination, the anticipation for the remaining events is at an all-time high. With talented players from across the globe vying for poker glory, the final week promises to be nothing short of electrifying, with the $1 Million GTD WPT Cambodia Championship slated to kick off today at 11:30 AM (local time) and is likely to see many more Indians in action.

 

Content & Images Courtesy: World Poker Tour & So Much Poker

Keep following PokerGuru for all the latest updates from the WPT Cambodia 2024!

WPT Cambodia 2024: India’s Amit Kaushik Leads 103 Survivors as the Championship Warm Up Enters Day 2

The World Poker Tour’s (WPT) 22nd Season is currently unfolding in Cambodia, marking a historic first Main Tour appearance for the brand in Southeast Asia. Hosted at the NagaWorld Integrated Resorts in Phnom Penh, the WPT Cambodia series spans from January 17 to January 30, 2024. The series boasts a 44-event schedule with a combined guarantee of $1.70 Million. The varied buy-ins range from $200 to $10,000, offering ample opportunities for players to win trophies.

A major draw of the series, the $800 buy-in WPT Cambodia Championship Warm Up with a $150K GTD attracted a massive field of 489 players (Day 1A – 123, Day 1B – 217, and Day 1C Turbo – 149) across three starting flights, generating a prize pool of $340,518, which is more than double its initial guarantee. The top 62 places walk past the money line.

Leading the pack is India’s Amit Kaushik, who secured the Day 1B chip lead with an impressive 822,000 chips and maintained the overall lead among the 103 remaining players (Day 1A – 23, Day 1B – 40, and Day 1C Turbo – 40). The 28-year-old has performed exceptionally in the Asian live tournaments, boasting five live titles and 16 final table appearances in the last 20 months.

Amit Kaushik
Amit Kaushik

 

Joining Kaushik in the Day 2 lineup, five additional Indian players marked their presence with impressive chip counts. Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla, who amassed a notable 658,000 chips, secured his position as the second-largest stack at the start of Day 2, closely following Kaushik’s lead from Day 1B.

The quartet of Indian players accompanying Kaushik & Shukla into Day 2 includes Vikaash Shah, holding a substantial stack of 233,000 chips. Raja Sekhar Puttamsetty followed closely with a stack of 215,000 chips. Young Gun Aayush Arya, a celebrated WSOP bracelet winner, brought a competitive 138,000 chips. Lastly, Chakshu Deep Raina, with a stack of 69,000, rounded off the Indian contenders, advancing to Day 2 of the tournament.

Other notable international players in the top positions included Russia’s Dmitrii Ippolitov (650,000), New Zealand’s Samuel David Adams (537,000), and Australia’s John Edward Perry (504,000).

Seven talented players have already earned titles at the WPT Cambodia series.

Korea’s Seongho Cho emerged victorious in the $400 buy-in Event #1: NagaWorld Superstack, triumphing over 206 competitors (158 unique) to clinch a prize of $17,780. Japan’s Haruto Murata secured second place, earning $12,341, while India’s Asish Kumar Ghosh finished 25th, winning $540.

Seongho Cho
Seongho Cho

 

In the $200 buy-in Event #2: Superstack Turbo, China’s Cheng Zhang outlasted a field of 98 players (83 unique) to win $4,098, following a closely fought heads-up battle. Korea’s Hawon Song claimed the runner-up spot, taking home $4,097 from the same deal.

Cheng Zhang
Cheng Zhang

 

The $2,200 buy-in Event #4: Single Day Megastack High Roller 30 Sec was dominated by Luke Oliver John Keay from the USA, who surpassed the 74-entry field (59 unique) to win a grand prize of $42,320. Malaysia’s Win Meng Tan finished as the runner-up with earnings of $28,220.

Luke Oliver John Keay
Luke Oliver John Keay

 

Vietnam’s Thi Xuan Ha Tran clinched the title in the first Freezeout event of the series, the $230 buy-in Event #5: Freezeout, overcoming 87 opponents to secure a prize of $5,505. Jayvon Carreon from the Philippines claimed the second spot, earning $3,329.

Thi Xuan Ha Tran
Thi Xuan Ha Tran

 

In the $550 buy-in Event #6: Deepstack Turbo, Australia’s Sean Ragozzini emerged as the champion, outperforming the 55-entry field (45 unique) to win $9,869. Hwang Wei Choong from Malaysia finished second, pocketing $5,869. India’s Maulik Bharatkumar Shukla secured the sixth position with a prize of $1,601.

Sean Ragozzini
Sean Ragozzini

 

The first PLO event of the series, the $550 buy-in Event #7: PLO, was won by Steve Ferry from the UK. He navigated through a field of 121 competitors to win $7,448, following an even heads-up deal with Korea’s Hyungtaek Jo, who also won $7,447 as the runner-up.

Steve Ferry
Steve Ferry

 

Finally, in the $230 buy-in Event #8: Hyper Turbo 15 Sec, Japan’s Ayato Shibata emerged victorious, topping a field of 65 players (57 unique) to win $3,469 after a heads-up deal. Sean Joon Hou Tan from Singapore finished second, earning $3,468 from the same deal.

Ayato Shibata
Ayato Shibata

 

Content & Images Courtesy: World Poker Tour & So Much Poker

Keep following PokerGuru for all the latest updates from the WPT Cambodia 2024!

Online Rankings

i Top Ranked Poker Players in India
Member Won
Member Won
Member Won
₹1,29,29,197
₹1,25,88,313
₹1,20,69,627
₹1,15,22,676
5.Vinay B Vinay B
₹1,14,52,995
6.M L M L
₹1,14,40,871
₹1,09,13,473
₹1,05,24,690
₹99,60,672
₹99,49,327
Member Profit
Member Profit
Member Profit
₹55,77,649
₹50,59,154
₹47,48,174
₹46,54,932
₹44,93,503
₹43,84,994
₹43,56,316
₹42,00,183
₹41,14,429
₹40,97,624
Member Points
Member Points
Member Points
42,268
35,945
28,827
4.N K N K
28,311
25,814
25,649
24,477
24,446
9.M L M L
23,604
22,922

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