Start of a magical journey

Posted by Rajeev Raut on 2015-08-29 at 12:00 AM

My 1st attempt at a Blog ….

[CENTER][B]WHO IS RR[/B][/CENTER]
My 1st Experience of Poker was in 1993 with Video Poker machines for 5 card Poker that also was my 1st gambling experience in the Hill Station town of Mahabaleshwar.
Further after many such unofficial trips to Mahabaleshwar landed me in a Casino in Lagos, Nigeria in 1996 where I played 5 card Caribbean Stud Poker which was great to kill time while my other degenerate gambling friends wasted a lot of hard money on the Casino Tables.
I had my 1st Live Experience of Texas Hold’em in 1999 during my 1st visit to Sin City Las Vegas in Binions Poker Room.
[url]http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_room.php[/url]
Inherently a natural card player having played numerous Local & National Bridge Tournaments & very regularly playing Indian Flush it was easy to adapt to another Card game which dealt in reading opponents & studying characteristics of various Individuals on a Card Table. This was a really dry losing session of about us$ 500 but it was an experience of observing discipline on a card table on a different level.
Until 2003 I never got to play any Poker at all & nor did I think of it since was too involved in Golf where luckily bumped into a few golfer friends who were members of The Osho Commune in Pune & who played a inr 2000 Buyin Game every Sunday. This game was mostly Texas Hold’em with Wilds (Jokers) but again being a Gambler didn’t care about donking 2k – 4k just to enjoy with this great group expat Oshoites.
Another 5 years of no Poker since I get involved in my restaurant business. But in 2008 my Indian Flush & Golfer Buddy who invited me to play Poker in his beautiful Bungalow for again a 2k buyin game. This was Basically a very friendly family type daily Poker game with some amazing Marwari snacks, which interested me more than the Poker. I was again the FISH who had no value for 2k buyin & played almost always Blind pre-flop. I remember all the regular winners in that small game laughing at the newfound FISH. Somebody told me ‘Play All Hands, You can’t Lose All’ for a 2k Buyin I thought was pretty good advise since I would surely Enjoy the most.
Poker was so addicting & I found a more serious Privately run Rake Game for a 10k Buyin. Now this game was with the gambling sharks of Pune & here I wanted to win for Pride. This Game sharpened me a lot & was yes a Lucky fish & a regular winner. I was 1st to land up at the venue twice a week to make sure I get a seat & start when the stacks are the initial Buyin of 10k.

[CENTER][B]1st GOA EXPERIENCE[/B][/CENTER]

1st Tournament Experience in Goa was when I came to Goa in 2010 & surprisingly a Tournament Series was in Progress – ACES UNLTD
A truly amazing scenario seeing a packed Casino Royale Poker Room buzzing with Tournament & Cash Games Buzzing.
My small Pond was Pune & with great disdain I asked 1 of the guys around “Who’s The Best Player in The Room ?” I was instantly taken towards the Heads Up in Progress for the Title of 5k REBUY & was pointed out to a young scrawny guy who was fully ensconced in a hoodie just killing his opponent who was actually praying on every ALL IN. This scrawny young guy was THE MAN Aditya ‘INTERVNTION’ Agarwal. He obviously decimated his opponent & after a quick photo session swiftly left the Poker Room.
[url]https://pokerguru.in/live-updates/Aces-Unlimited/Multi%20Format%20Series%201/5K%20Rebuy/2010-11-18[/url]
I played 12k Knockout Bounty & 15k Shootout & told my Pune friends that I’m made for this Game & I was surely going to go deep in the 20k Main Event. I was more tempted By Rajeev Kanjani The Organizer of The Tournament Series who showed me the Goodie Bags specially for the Main Event .I wanted that badly.
It was a crazy grind not knowing anything about Poker but on sheer instincts & Yes LUCKY FISH made it to the Final Table. It was amazing making it to the Final Table as I was introduced along with all other Finalists with great fanfare Champagne & This is the Attention I was seeking. This Final Table was a like A who’s who of The Indian Poker Scene including Rajesh Goyal, Amit Varma, Lawrence Sanjay & Jasven Saigal.
Shockingly only 5 were in The money so I really stayed patient. I was luckily sitting Next to JASVEN SAIGAL who selflessly calmed me all through the Final Table explaining hands & intricacies of Tournament Poker. As soon as money bubble was passed, I was relieved I made it into the money was out in 5th spot.
This experience was amazing as I met 2 of my Best Poker Buddies Kavin Shah & Jasven Saigal who I attribute as My 1st POKER GURUS.
[url]https://pokerguru.in/live-updates/Aces-Unlimited/Multi%20Format%20Series%201/20K%20Freezeout/2010-11-21[/url]
This was the stuttering start to my Poker Journey. Will continuing to Blog regularly as Nostalgia refreshes memories. My following blogs will highlight the Highs & Lows of Poker Life & the approach one should take to Make Poker a Successful Profession.

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